windows phone 8

Upgrade to Windows Phone 8? Not so fast.

It's a phone-tastic episode today:

Microsoft's new Windows Phone 8 operating system will be in new Windows Phones this fall, but existing Windows users won't be able to get the full upgrade. That's because the Windows Phone 8 OS requires better hardware, like multicore processors and NFC support. The next OS will also have more enterprise-friendly features and Nokia's maps. (Maps are becoming a new battle ground in mobile phones.) However, current Windows Phone users aren't completely ignored. There's a slight upgrade coming that gives the live tiles in the home screen new … Read more

Carrier support a must for Windows Phone 8 success

Microsoft's new Windows Phone 8 devices will hit stores this fall. And support from carriers like Verizon Wireless will be crucial if the company stands a chance of competing with smartphone giants, Apple and Google.

Microsoft today took the wraps off Windows Phone 8, the next iteration of its mobile software for smartphones. Device makers Nokia, Huawei, Samsung and HTC have all committed to building Windows Phone 8 devices, Microsoft said. So far all four major wireless carriers, including Verizon Wireless, are onboard as well, which is good news for Microsoft. The big question now is how much support … Read more

Qualcomm confirms Snapdragon S4 processor for Windows Phone

Support for multi-core processors was one of the biggest pieces of news to come from Microsoft's Windows Phone 8 unveiling today. Qualcomm has just confirmed that it will supply its dual-core Snapdragon S4 Plus chipset to power future Windows phones.

The Snapdragon S4 is Qualcomm's fastest chip to date and goes up to clock speeds of 1.7GHz per core. It currently powers four of the U.S. market's fastest phones, the HTC One X, HTC Evo 4G LTE, HTC One S, and the Samsung Galaxy S3. Both phones earned CNET Editors' Choice awards, in part due … Read more

Windows Phone 8 upgrade catch may dash Nokia's U.S. dreams

commentary Microsoft's Windows Phone 8 operating system looks great. Too bad anyone who actually cared enough to buy a Windows Phone over the past two years will be left out in the cold.

Microsoft today unveiled Windows Phone 8 and confirmed old phones wouldn't be able to upgrade to the new version.

Chalk it up to another brilliant move by Microsoft: unveil a sparkling new version of its fledgling operating system, only to deny the very people who would want to use it.

Nokia will feel the heat the most. The company has bet its future on Windows … Read more

No Windows Phone 8 upgrade for current devices

Well, it's official.

Although Microsoft's newly unveiled Windows Phone 8 boasts exciting features like more customization options and integration with voice-over IP, one unpleasant suspicion we had about the new mobile OS has been confirmed: current Windows Phone devices won't be able to upgrade to WP8.

We've mentioned that possibility before here, here, and here. But we still can't help feel a bit disappointed and frustrated by Microsoft's confirmation today. … Read more

Windows Phone 8 OS opens up to multicore processors, NFC

Microsoft has just made its next-generation mobile operating system official, and Windows Phone 8 promises to get people talking with its hardware implications, mobile payments, and tighter relations to the Windows platform.… Read more

Windows Phone 8 shipping on new phones this fall

Windows Phone 8, the successor to its Windows Phone 7.5 Mango mobile operating system, will ship on handsets starting this fall, according to Microsoft.

Windows Phone 8, code-named Apollo, will feature support for multicore processors, NFC with a mobile payments wallet, and support for three screen resolutions and microSD card slots.

Furthermore, the next Windows Phone OS will share a common kernel with the PC version of Windows 8, which will -- again, according to Microsoft -- allow for easier cross-platform software development between all versions of Windows 8.… Read more

Join us Wednesday for Microsoft's Windows Phone summit (live blog)

Editor's note: This live blog has ended. To replay it, just click on this this link. Or read our related stories on what's been announced: "Windows Phone 8 shipping on new phones this fall;" "Windows Phone 8 OS opens up to multicore processors, NFC;" and " No Windows Phone 8 upgrade for current devices."

If you thought that Microsoft was done making news this week you'd be soundly mistaken.

Yes, it debuted its Surface tablet family at an event in Los Angeles only on Monday, but now on Wednesday, June 20, the … Read more

Google next up against Microsoft Surface

June is the perfect time for backyard barbecues, lemonade and tablet warfare:

Microsoft is taking tablets into its own hands with the Surface. And next week, so will Google. It's expected that Google will show off the Nexus tablet at its developers conference that begins next week. And some reports have Google's tablet launching in July -- which will likely be before the Surface hits stores.

The Surface boasts solid hardware, a kickstand and a cover that also serves as a keyboard. But how much will it cost? All we know is that the light version, using Windows … Read more

Microsoft expected to announce Windows Phone 8 tomorrow

Microsoft just pulled the wraps off its first tablet effort last night, and tomorrow, a different arm of the software giant could be preparing to do the same with Windows Phone.

A month ago, the above invitation arrived for a developers summit here in San Francisco.

This time, Redmond has been able to keep a fairly tight lid on its plans, but there are some rumors about what we can expect from tomorrow's all-day program.

Windows Phone 8, code-named Apollo, should headline the agenda. Microsoft has all but announced that future iterations of Windows Phone OS will support multicore … Read more