The popularity of the iPhone has affected the smartphone market in numerous ways. One of those ways has apparently been changing the way people perceive the operating system of a phone. For the most part, prior to the iPhone, this was seldom a concern. Occasional updates for BlackBerry OS were seen, but it was very rare that people ever bothered to update their phone's firmware or even thought it was necessary. Those who wanted to run an updated version of Windows Mobile, for instance, usually found themselves with no other option but to buy a new phone.
But with the enormous number of iPhone users all receiving updates, it seems that some Windows Mobile users feel left out. As a result there have been some complaints about Microsoft's upgrade policy for Windows Mobile, with people asking the company to make Windows Mobile 6.5 available to existing hardware, not just new phones. Users want to make phones upgradeable rather than just replaceable. Of course, Microsoft is in a different position compared to Apple or RIM. The latter two have control of both hardware and software, whereas Microsoft is rather limited in the hardware department.