3 ms·

Microsoft shafts HTC phone users

12 points by ableal 17y ago

ableal 17y ago
Microsoft has decided that users of Windows Mobile 6.X devices, including HTC's just-launched HD2, will not be allowed to upgrade to its Windows 7 Phone OS. Ouch for the HD2 owners, who had read rumours to the contrary. Well, there's http://wiki.xda-developers.com/index.php?pagename=HTC_Leo http://wiki.xda-developers.com/index.php?pagename=HTC_Leo
- DougBTX 17y ago
  Also with too many buttons? Or is the photo just a pre-release version?
  - ableal 17y ago
    HTC Leo is the HD2 (Leo is a sort-of-unique codename, sometimes the same device is marketed under different names). What I meant is that there are alternate ROMs "cooked" by other developers, which may allow for things like running Android ... That may be an out for people who got an HD2 (nice hardware) in hopes of good evolution on the WinMobile front. Seems the HD2 was good enough to demo the new version, but is getting kicked to the kerb.
rbanffy 17y ago
I hope it's still possible for them to upgrade to Android ;-)
- ableal 17y ago
  It would be nice if soomeoone (am I being too subtle ;-) released a ROM to make that possible. Seemed to me the HD2 was the best-specced touch-screen/no-keyboard hardware released to date.
javery 17y ago
This shows Microsoft is really trying to follow Apple's playbook here and stick with very strict hardware specifications. Honestly it's probably a smart move, if you don't think the hardware is perfect for the device then don't let users run it on there. Because if they did upgrade and there were less than optimal things they would complain and blame MS.
- nailer 17y ago
  > "Microsoft is really trying to follow Apple's playbook here and stick with very strict hardware specifications." FTA: "the HD2 meets many of the criteria laid down in Microsoft's 'Chassis 1' specifications. After all it has a 1GHz Qualcomm processor, a high-res capacitive touch display, a 5 megapixel camera and 3.5mm headphone jack. However it turns out that the phone has five buttons instead of the three blessed by the Vole's CEO Steve Ballmer." The HD2 is more than capable of running WinMo 7. In fact, if you loved WinMo, the HD2 would be (and still is) the phone to buy. Microsoft is sticking it to the fans who really love their stuff here (I work with a lot of Windows professionals and they're the hardcore WinMo fans - most of whom control the messaging environment in their offices).
  - javery 17y ago
    If you read this article [1] (which is where I think the other sites are getting their quotes) then it sounds like its more than just a couple buttons: "There could be more to this than just the sin of having two buttons too many, however: Tony Wilkinson, Business Operations Director for Microsoft Australia, told APC that “there are some hardware components that the HD doesn’t have”." So there are apparently valid hardware reasons to not allow an upgrade. 1. http://apcmag.com/microsoft-no-windows-phone-7-upgrade-for-windows-mobile-6x-devices.htm http://apcmag.com/microsoft-no-windows-phone-7-upgrade-for-w...
  - sp332 17y ago
    http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/27/exclusive-lgs-windows-phone-7-series-early-prototype-unveiled http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/27/exclusive-lgs-windows-pho... The first Windows 7 phone has more than 3 buttons.
AndrewDucker 17y ago
Have previous Microsoft phones been upgradeable to more recent versions of the OS?

12 points by ableal 17y ago

Microsoft has decided that users of Windows Mobile 6.X devices, including HTC's just-launched HD2, will not be allowed to upgrade to its Windows 7 Phone OS. Ouch for the HD2 owners, who had read rumours to the contrary. Well, there's http://wiki.xda-developers.com/index.php?pagename=HTC_Leo http://wiki.xda-developers.com/index.php?pagename=HTC_Leo

DougBTX 17y ago
Also with too many buttons? Or is the photo just a pre-release version?
- ableal 17y ago
  HTC Leo is the HD2 (Leo is a sort-of-unique codename, sometimes the same device is marketed under different names). What I meant is that there are alternate ROMs "cooked" by other developers, which may allow for things like running Android ... That may be an out for people who got an HD2 (nice hardware) in hopes of good evolution on the WinMobile front. Seems the HD2 was good enough to demo the new version, but is getting kicked to the kerb.

rbanffy 17y ago

I hope it's still possible for them to upgrade to Android ;-)

ableal 17y ago
It would be nice if soomeoone (am I being too subtle ;-) released a ROM to make that possible. Seemed to me the HD2 was the best-specced touch-screen/no-keyboard hardware released to date.

javery 17y ago

This shows Microsoft is really trying to follow Apple's playbook here and stick with very strict hardware specifications. Honestly it's probably a smart move, if you don't think the hardware is perfect for the device then don't let users run it on there. Because if they did upgrade and there were less than optimal things they would complain and blame MS.

nailer 17y ago
> "Microsoft is really trying to follow Apple's playbook here and stick with very strict hardware specifications." FTA: "the HD2 meets many of the criteria laid down in Microsoft's 'Chassis 1' specifications. After all it has a 1GHz Qualcomm processor, a high-res capacitive touch display, a 5 megapixel camera and 3.5mm headphone jack. However it turns out that the phone has five buttons instead of the three blessed by the Vole's CEO Steve Ballmer." The HD2 is more than capable of running WinMo 7. In fact, if you loved WinMo, the HD2 would be (and still is) the phone to buy. Microsoft is sticking it to the fans who really love their stuff here (I work with a lot of Windows professionals and they're the hardcore WinMo fans - most of whom control the messaging environment in their offices).
- javery 17y ago
  If you read this article [1] (which is where I think the other sites are getting their quotes) then it sounds like its more than just a couple buttons: "There could be more to this than just the sin of having two buttons too many, however: Tony Wilkinson, Business Operations Director for Microsoft Australia, told APC that “there are some hardware components that the HD doesn’t have”." So there are apparently valid hardware reasons to not allow an upgrade. 1. http://apcmag.com/microsoft-no-windows-phone-7-upgrade-for-windows-mobile-6x-devices.htm http://apcmag.com/microsoft-no-windows-phone-7-upgrade-for-w...
- sp332 17y ago
  http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/27/exclusive-lgs-windows-phone-7-series-early-prototype-unveiled http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/27/exclusive-lgs-windows-pho... The first Windows 7 phone has more than 3 buttons.

AndrewDucker 17y ago

Have previous Microsoft phones been upgradeable to more recent versions of the OS?