A few weeks ago Microsoft unveiled Windows Phone 8 to the world. The brand new OS is all set to replace Windows Phone 7 as Microsoft’s mobile offering. There’s a lot to love about Windows Phone 8 like the new NT kernel. What there isn’t to like so much is the lack of any upgrade path for current Windows Phone 7. So it’s effectively a reboot from Microsoft, yet again.
Not to leave current Windows Phone users completely in the dust, Microsoft is offering an interim update, Windows Phone 7.8 to current Windows Phone 7 users. The update will be available alongside Windows Phone 8 release. We already know it brings in the new start screen. But what about the rest of the features? While Microsoft has remained mum about it, here’s a list of features in 7.8 compared to WP8 according to a Russian website.
| Function | Windows Phone 7.8 | Windows Phone 8.0 |
|---|---|---|
| Browser | IE9 | IE10 |
| Skype | A separate application | Integrated |
| Voice commands | Yes | Yes, an extended set |
| DataSmart | A separate application | Yes |
| Bing Аudio | Yes | Yes, improved recognition TV |
| RCS-e | A separate application | Integrated |
| Cloud | OneNote, Office 365 | Synchronization of all content |
| Updated startup screen | Yes | Yes |
| OTA | No, only the notification | Yes |
| Visual Voicemail | Only for some countries | Yes |
As expected, there’s not a whole that 7.8 has to offer compared to 7. Skype still isn’t built in and you still get the old IE10. Windows Phone 8 is where the real magic happens. Newer IE10, integrated Skype experience, OTA update on the phone and a whole lot more.
It’s not looking pretty for those tying their hopes on 7.8. It’s effectively the same as Windows Phone 7 with a few added features like Data Smart. The fact is if you want a true upgrade, you’re going to have to shell out for a new phone.