MS kills backward compatibility yet again in phones

[mike123abc]

Microsoft Offers First Look at Windows Phone 8

Well maybe Microsoft will give support a go with the next phone... Now they are saying future phones will get 18 months of updates.

Understandably, this doesn't do much to reassure those considering making the jump to Windows Phone 8 once it becomes available. However, Microsoft has said that all future hardware will be given 18 months of support, so you can rest easy knowing that your handset is good for at least a year and a half of OTA software updates.

18 months is a fairly reasonable update cycle... It is close to the 2 year contract phone cycle.

 

[JamesJ]

What about applications that are written for the os? Are all apps going to support both versions?

thats a good question and to be honest I dont think anyone has said anything about that....the core is changing so I would say no, but who knows,

 

[JamesJ]

Microsoft Offers First Look at Windows Phone 8

Well maybe Microsoft will give support a go with the next phone... Now they are saying future phones will get 18 months of updates.



18 months is a fairly reasonable update cycle... It is close to the 2 year contract phone cycle.

I hope all companies stick to this....Support it WITH ALL features and not take any away for 18-24 months...trust me, I am tired of buying a phone and then seeing something 6 months later that I thought well what the heck...There are going to be a lot of mad blackberry owners here soon as RIM is getting ready to do this same thing.

 

[JAG72]

I hope all companies stick to this....Support it WITH ALL features and not take any away for 18-24 months...trust me, I am tired of buying a phone and then seeing something 6 months later that I thought well what the heck...There are going to be a lot of mad blackberry owners here soon as RIM is getting ready to do this same thing.

I didn't know there were any blackberry owners anymore?

 

[Neutron]

Personally I think a company should support their phones with updates for 24 months since that's the length of commitments for cell companies when you buy a phone at a subsidized price.

 

[JAG72]

Personally I think a company should support their phones with updates for 24 months since that's the length of commitments for cell companies when you buy a phone at a subsidized price.

The problem is that you will never make everybody happy. Do you start the 24 months from the phones release or from the last day it was sold? If you have it from release date then most of the people that buy it won't have a full 24 months of updates anyways.

I personally think that Apple has done a really good job with this aspect. I know that some new features are not there but they do at least upgrade the devices over the life cycle of the phone.

 

[Ronnie-]

I agree. Apple has so far been the best at keeping their phones updated for a longer period of time.

However, they have what, three handsets that they currently are dealing with from the 3gs to the 4s?

Nearly all of their competitors (RIM is in their own boat here) have numerous different handsets, from different manufacterors, with different hardware configurations, and in some cases, different layover skins. It is not nearly as easy to do for google and WP, at least IMO.

 

[JAG72]

I agree. Apple has so far been the best at keeping their phones updated for a longer period of time.

However, they have what, three handsets that they currently are dealing with from the 3gs to the 4s?

Nearly all of their competitors (RIM is in their own boat here) have numerous different handsets, from different manufacterors, with different hardware configurations, and in some cases, different layover skins. It is not nearly as easy to do for google and WP, at least IMO.

I agree and that is one thing that Apple has going for it. Less devices the easier it is to support them for a longer period of time.

 

[Neutron]

It should be support for 24 months from the day of release.

 

[JamesJ]

I didn't know there were any blackberry owners anymore?

LOL, sad but true isnt it?

 

[JamesJ]

The problem is that you will never make everybody happy. Do you start the 24 months from the phones release or from the last day it was sold? If you have it from release date then most of the people that buy it won't have a full 24 months of updates anyways.

I personally think that Apple has done a really good job with this aspect. I know that some new features are not there but they do at least upgrade the devices over the life cycle of the phone.

perfect. seriously.

 

[jayn_j]

It should be support for 24 months from the day of release.

Sorry, I didn't realize your phone stopped working the day the new OS came out.

 

[Neutron]

Sorry, I didn't realize your phone stopped working the day the new OS came out.

It doesn't, but it's not just an OS upgrade that I was talking about. I'm talking about just plain support from the carrier.

 

[jayn_j]

OK, what sort of support? I have never had problems with basic phone servicability from Verizon with 20 years worth of phones (mostly LG). Now, I don't expect new apps to work on old phones, and it is a pleasant surprise when they do, but continuing to support the basic platform and core apps has never been a problem for me.