Windows Phone 7.8 is likely the swansong of major updates for first and second generation Windows Phone hardware. Windows Phone 8 is exclusive to the new hardware from Nokia, HTC and Samsung, so it was a pleasant surprise when Windows Phone 7.8 was announced, bringing not only the Windows Phone 8 Start Screen, themes and ringtone support to Windows Phone 7 hardware, but other (as of yet unknown) Windows Phone 8 functionality and features.
Even though Windows Phone 8 has already arrived in stores, details around Windows Phone 7.8 and its release have been scarce. Now it seems that the update has actually hit the magical RTM build. At a recent Microsoft and Nokia developer event in Singapore, a Nokia employee who wished to remain anonymous said Nokia's head of developer relations in the Asia Pacific region told the audience that Windows Phone 7.8 went RTM earlier this week.
If this is true, and we can only stress if as this is only a rumour, we could expect to see the update sometime in the next few weeks. This would go against what had previously been said by Microsoft, however, as they stated the update would arrive in Q1 2013. The same tipster also added that IE9 would be the default browser for WP7.8, as IE10 takes advantage of certain hardware acceleration that Windows Phone 7 hardware can’t support.
So, however true the information the anonymous Nokia employee provided is, it’s good to think that the Windows Phone 7.8 update is almost ready to arrive, even if it is next year. It is only 45 days until January 1.
Source: WPCentral | Image courtesy of XDA Developers
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