Confusion over Windows Phone 8 compatibility
Friday, April 20, 2012 - 12:02:10
There have been a number of conflicting reports emerging this week which concern whether or not the upcoming Windows Phone 8 operating system will be backwards compatible with current generation Windows Phone 7 handsets.
So far, Microsoft has remained cagey on this topic, although The Verge is reporting that a source has confirmed that WP8 will be reserved only for newer models, with no previous releases benefitting from the significant update.
WP8, also known as Apollo, will replace the current Windows Phone 7.5 Mango operating system, with many observers predicting that it will provide things like support for multi-core processors and high resolution displays, to help Microsoft-powered handsets keep up with the competition.
Of course this does not necessarily prohibit it from being backwards compatible, since Microsoft has been keen to preserve a clean, consistent user experience, which is not overly power hungry or obviously flashy.
TechRadar got in touch with Microsoft, with a spokesperson only going so far as to say that current Windows Phone 7 apps will be compatible with WP8 Apollo when it launches. This is potentially worrying, as it completely omits any kind of commitment to that all-important backwards compatibility.
While the issue of backwards compatibility is a sticky one, rival platforms like iOS and Android are usually ported to older models, after manufacturers and networks have had time to tinker and test out the software.
If WP8 Apollo is completely unavailable for WP7 handsets, then it would suggest that Microsoft has completely altered the minimum system requirements to a level not currently attainable on its partner devices. This could fragment the market by creating top tier WP8 phones and secondary WP7 phones, while also upsetting those who invested in the platform at the start of its life, with the expectation that updates would continue to flood in.
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