Nokia begins its Windows Phone 7.8 upgrade rollout

Talk of Microsoft finally deploying Windows Phone 7.8 has been building to a crescendo -- and we're glad to confirm it's more than just noise. The more customizable home and lock screens, Marketplace improvements and numerous under-the-hood upgrades are rolling out to all of Nokia's Windows Phone 7.5 devices, starting today and continuing through February. The company hasn't confirmed who goes first, although AT&T's Lumia 900 is believed to be part of the earliest wave. Other upgrades will depend on carrier timing, if you're using a locked phone, but the plan to push 7.8 is still good news for those who've wanted to keep their early Lumias as current as possible.

[Source: Engadget]

Microsoft Unleashes New SDK So Older Apps Work With Windows Phone 7.8

Microsoft on Tuesday made a new Windows Phone SDK available to developers so their WP7.1 and 7.5 apps will play nice with Windows Phone 7.8. Basically, the biggest aspect developers will need to tweak is adding support for adjustable Live Tiles, which is a hallmark feature of Windows Phone 8 and Windows Phone 7.8.

The upcoming update to 7.8 isn’t as feature packed as WP8, which resides on devices such as the Lumia 920 and HTC 8X, but it’s certainly a nice addition for older handsets. Hopefully this means that Windows Phone 7.8 will be made widely available soon.

[Source: TechnoBuffalo]

Windows Phone 7.8 upgrades appear on Nokia's servers for all eligible Lumias

Lingering concerns that Nokia might not upgrade all its Windows Phone 7.5 roster to 7.8 might have just been put to rest. Just a day after updates for the Lumia 510 and 800 were caught on Nokia's servers through NaviFirm, updates have also been spotted for those devices that didn't make the initial cut: the Lumia 610, 710and 900 have all appeared, each with numerous region-specific updates in tow. Their existence still doesn't constitute a formal update, so be aware that you're gambling with your phone's health if you install them without any word from Microsoft or Nokia. Suffice it to say that full availability is clearly getting close -- and that it's less probable any Lumia will be left behind.

[Source: Engadget]

Nokia leak suggests there's something between Windows Phone 7.8 and 8

Owners of older Windows Phones who expect to run out of railroad after 7.8 could actually have some cause for hope -- meager though it may be. A leaked slide, said to originate from a 25-page Nokia roadmap sent to WParea by an anonymous tipster, points toward at least one more update after Windows Phone 7.8 lands. However, it's clear that whoever drew up the slide isn't fully in the know, since the mystery version is simply described as "7.x.". Meanwhile, the official Russian Windows Phone Twitter account has also kept the wheels rolling by promising 18 months of support for 7.8. We can't exactly vouch for this either, since the tweet appears to have been deleted, but it does suggest that those last-year Lumias will keep chugging on for a good while longer.

[Source: Engadget]