Nokia has officially started rolling out the Windows Phone 7.8 update to its Windows Phone 7 Nokia Lumia handsets.
Confirmed earlier in the month, the Windows Phone 7.8 update will begin rolling out today, with Nokia promising on its blog that all Nokia Lumia Windows Phone 7 handset users will receive the updated OS within the first three weeks of February. According to the Finnish phone manufacturer, the exact date will depend on operator approval and the Windows Phone 7.8 update undergoing “extensive software testing”.
Bringing devices more in line with their follow-on siblings, the Windows Phone 7.8 update will benefit users by offering a host of new Windows Phone 8 OS features, including a refreshed home screen where the user can customise their UI by resizing their Windows Live Tiles.
Other customisation improvements include a doubling of the colour scheme options to 20 and the option to have the Bing Image of the Day as their lock screen wallpaper. Improved security features allow a user to protect their handset against accidental pocket unlocks and provides a useful children’s zone that keeps the phone kid-friendly whilst protecting a user’s personal emails under lock and key.
Windows Phone 7 Nokia Lumia handset owners will also be introduced to Internet and Bluetooth sharing features, as well as image heightening via apps like Camera Extras, Nokia City Lens.
Releasing a helpful video depicting the Windows Phone 7.8 update features and how to get the OS update on a Nokia Lumia handset, Nokia seems proud to announce the Windows Phone 7 update despite backlash that they wouldn’t be receiving the full Windows Phone 8 OS. Handsets due to receive the Windows 7.8 upgrade include the Nokia Lumia 710, Nokia Lumia 800 and Nokia Lumia 900.
When a Nokia Lumia device is ready to be updated a notification will appear on-screen and users will have to connect their handset to their PC via Zune or using the Windows Phone app for Mac to download the Windows 7.8 OS. The handset must be already running Windows Phone 7.5 Mango to be eligible for the update.
Are you excited for the Windows Phone 7.8 update? Do you think it will give the Windows Phone 7 handsets a new lease of life? Let us know using our Facebook and Twitter feeds or the comments section below.
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Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.