Nokia says they are doing 'more than enough' for Lumia users

[Shawn Knight]

Microsoft kicked off their Windows Phone Developer Summit yesterday by detailing several new features in Windows Phone 8 and filling in some of the blanks surrounding the existing mobile phone operating system. Specifically, Microsoft confirmed that handsets like the Lumia 900 would not be compatible with the new OS due out later this year.

Instead, legacy hardware will be upgraded to Windows Phone 7.8, an OS that will deliver some fresh features like a new Start Screen interface. This admission sparked some debate as to whether Microsoft and Nokia are doing enough for existing Lumia owners. In search of more answers, The Verge recently sat down with Nokia’s Kevin Shields to get some answers.

In a nutshell, Shields feels that Nokia is doing more than enough, pointing out that most customers probably aren’t aware of the upgrade roadblock. He further notes that anyone that walks into a store and buys a Lumia 900 is getting a great offer on a product that has a long lifetime of innovation.

During yesterday’s event, Nokia announced a new set of apps and updates coming to Lumia phones in the US and China in the near future. The Camera Extras app includes burst shooting, an action shot mode and a panorama mode while the Play To app helps users stream photos and videos to any DLNA device, such as a Smart TV, PC, Mac, PS3 or Xbox 360. Both of these features should be available by the weekend.

Counters and Contact Share allow the user to monitor phone usage and share contacts, respectively. Both will be available to those in the US next month.

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https://www.techspot.com/news/49095-nokia-says-they-are-doing-more-than-enough-for-lumia-users.html

 

[lawfer]

As much as not being able to get WP8 on my Lumia 900 bothers me, they are right. Windows Phone 8 is a different beast; we are talking about the use of the Windows NT kernel, and the WinRT programming platform. It is a big jump.

During the Summit, Joe Belfiore said that he knew from the start Windows CE would not be enough long term, that it was good at the time to keep performance high, and hardware costs low as the OS was very efficient. But now was the time to change things up, and now is that time.

A lot of angry customers are using the iPhone 3GS as a case to "prove" there's no legitimate reason for MS to block WP8 from WP7 devices. And they are wrong. Here's why:

iOS and Mac OS are NOT the same thing. Although they share the same Darwin components in which OS X is based on, their relation is not as direct. With me so far?

Ok, Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8 are (literally) the same thing.

Well, they are not the same exact OS, but they share the same core building components. Their way is a lot more convergent than iOS' and OS X's case, as iOS is fundamentally a mobile OS. What they are doing with Windows Phone 8 is, essentially, responsibly scaling down the Windows NT for mobile devices.

The comparison, then, would have been fair if desktops PCs ran on Windows CE, but they do not. And in case you think Windows CE is a scaled down version of Windows NT, then you are wrong. They really only share the name.

It is, thus, understandable to see iOS being supported on older hardware; the OS was specially designed for that purpose. Windows NT is not. "Big Windows" is essentially being scaled down to properly run on the ARM architecture and that, my friends, is bigger than than you may realize:

Technically, you could say Windows Phone 8 will be the first "desktop" OS on a phone.

 

[R3DP3NGUIN]

Well I'm not that fussed with my Lumia 800 not being able to upgrade to WP8 (I'm on a contract so I cant upgrade for 14 months anyway). I would be happy if WP7.8 gets a VPN client update.

 

[Butch]

This is exactly why I returned my Lumia 900. No upgrade path. I liked the phone and I am looking forward to the Win8 phones but they need ensure me that the upgrades to the OS are controlled by Microsoft and not the carriers (like Android). In the mean time, I will continue to reluctantly use my HTC One X until I know more about the new Win8 phones. If I'm not convinced I'm going with the iPhone5 because at least I know I'll get the latest OS when it's released.

 

[Guest]

I think it's fair enough comment, it's the same situation as Android pretty much. You don't have to throw your phone in the bin just because a newer version exists with an upgraded OS. Just look at how many Android users are still happily using Gingerbread, and even the number of new phones still being sold with it rather than ICS.

 

[Jibberish18]

The MAIN thing that bothers me is, why would developers want to develop for Windows Phone 7 anymore when Windows Phone 8 is coming out? To me, it seems as if Microsoft pretty much killed theWindows Phone 7 market from this moment. Just like many tech oriented consumers say they will not buy a Windows Phone 7 phone now, I'd imagine many developers are probably saying they won't develop for Windows Phone 7. Am I thinking correctly? Because I did read that any apps made for WinPhone8 won't be backwards compatible.

 

[Guest]

You don't get marketshare by obsoleting a device a couple months after it came out. Lumia 900. I have one in my desk drawer.

 

[Guest]

Nokia's response is like having the engine fall out of your car after having it for 2 months and the manufacturer saying, "We're so sorry about that, here's some Duct tape to hold back in place until your lease runs out or you have the cash to buy a new one." REALLY people...NOKIA has no wiggle room left. They just burned what bridges they had with customers. Their CEO can turn the lights out now, cause they will shutter the doors after this "Oooooops"!

 

[Guest]

Only 7% of Android phones are running the latest version of the operating system, 4.0 ICS. Why is that not the headline of every article written for the last SIX MONTHS (when ICS was released). Brand new android phones are being sold right now on verizon with Android 2.3!!! Write about that...

 

[Guest]

You're wrong. Is not different that ICS specific apps not running on Gingerbread and iOS 5 apps that use features not available in older phones not working. They should develop for WinPhone 7 if the API they need is there and all customer will be able to use the app.

 

[Guest]

I will start by saying I do not have a Windows Phone or Nokia. I'm waiting to see what they come out with and see if the products interest. But, I do have to wonder about the the timing of some of these decisions. Why would a developer create apps for Windows 7, 7.8, when Windows 8 is about to be released. Apps take time to develop, so wouldn't a developer focus their time and effort towards the lastest phone OS? So why would I purchased a Nokia 900? Maybe I am wrong, but I have those concerns.

 

[Guest]

When you buy a device, you buy that device for the features it has at the time that you buy it. The phone is fully functional and works as advertised. I certainly hope people didn't buy the phone for what the phone couldn't yet do, with the hope that magically it could do some special additional things at some arbitrary future point. That's absurd.

 

[Guest]

Well said ... I felt the same way. If the phone function properly when you bought it then why complain? Beside, Nokia does offers update some of the features that came with WP8 onto the current WP7. Android users (me) eagerly want to switch OS due to the fact that the initial Donut, Froyo OS is not up to expectation. However, Ginger version did well enough that I don't even care about ICS any more.