Microsoft may update their older devices (well, once we moved to WP8 anyway, WP7...

allegory · on Sept 16, 2014

WP7 was a different OS (CE vs NT kernel). The NT kernel wasn't portable to a couple of the SoC's they used on those devices. I suspect that's why it went and jumped.

You're right though about carriers. I always buy non-carrier locked devices here in the UK for that precise reason. Nokia sell "country variant" devices which are usually updated first.

brudgers · on Sept 16, 2014

Microsoft upgraded WP7 to WP7.8 Mango when WP8 was released. It backported many of the new features to existing devices. including my Dell VenuePro.

mhurron · on Sept 16, 2014

So Windows Phone is updated at the will of the carriers as well? Basically the only way to get updates to your smart phone is either -

1. iPhone 2. Custom Rom and you're on your own.

leen · on Sept 19, 2014

> So Windows Phone is updated at the will of the carriers as well?

You can register for the Preview for Developers program [1] and get timely OS updates regardless of the carrier.

With the 8x the lack of updates is an HTC issue tho as far as I know. They look to roll out 8.1 on some of the 8Xs in October [2].

[1]: http://www.wpcentral.com/preview-for-developers

[2]: https://twitter.com/htc/status/509409362100879361