NOKIA LUMIA 900

NOKIA LUMIA 900 WINDOWS PHONE 7.8 UPDATE

A report by WPCentral states, “One of our eagle-eyed readers caught the Lumia 900 getting in on the action. The OS update is for RM-823, which is the international, non-AT&T version and has an OS version number of 8858 with the 12480 firmware. Windows Phone 7.8 is finalized at 8858 making this a bonafide official update.”

The website goes on to state that one of its readers had managed to download and flash his Lumia 900 with the new OS and states, “No Nokia features, just live tiles, Bing wallpaper, new colors, new boot screen, new wallpapers.”

These features are expected as part of the Windows Phone 7.8 package and the report adds that Nokia will most probably include the camera apps via the Nokia Collection when it officially rolls out the update to users.

Microsoft revealed some of the new features that come with the update, but the highlight comes in the last paragraph of the post on the Windows Phone Blog. Terry Myerson, Corporate Vice President, Windows Phone, stated, “We know you’re eager to get the Windows Phone 7.8 update, and we want you to know that we’re working closely with our hardware and carrier partners to get it tested, approved, and rolled out to as many devices as possible in early 2013. As we work to quickly get this in the hands of our loyal users, we’re also striving to deliver a high-quality release and ensure a smooth transition for our widely expanded services.”

Myerson stated that Windows Phone 7.8 not only features the new Start screen, which is used on Windows Phone 8, but also brings in a new range of features. He said that when he used the WP 7.8 update on his Nokia Lumia 900, it felt like using a completely new phone. Myerson stated, “Resizable Live Tiles totally change the way I do things, providing faster access to more of my favorite people, photos, and apps.”

Windows Phone 7.8 comes with more themes as well as an increased number of accent colours, which is now 20 in all. The new operating system also features new lock screen features such as the option to automatically display the Bing Picture of the Day and the ‘A1B2C3’ PIN/ password challenge to prevent accidental device wipes on phones connected to Exchange accounts.

He had also mentioned that there are a number of new apps that are coming to Windows Phone 7.5 and Windows 7.8 users. Apps such as Words with Friends and Draw Something are already available, while Angry Birds Space and Angry Birds Star Wars are on the way.

Myerson stated, “New models running Windows Phone 7.8 are beginning to launch in many countries around the world, strengthening the ecosystem by bringing more Windows Phones to more people. These devices will typically be sold at a range of lower price points, meaning there will now be Windows Phones for everyone’s budget and need. This is incredibly important for broadening the reach of Windows Phone across the globe and ensuring we have the right product for every market.”

The testing of the rollout of Windows Phone 7.8 is already underway and Microsoft has managed to increase its global service coverage by over 30 percent, extending it to 95 countries—a number that should continue to rise.