HTC announce that the HTC 8S will never get the WP8.1 update 1

[macoman]

HTC has announced on their support forums that, after much discussion with Microsoft, that the HTC 8S does not meet the hardware criteria for the Windows Phone 8.1 GDR1 Preview.

HTC does not reveal the issue, but I suspect it may be related to the small amount of internal storage (only 4 GB) on the handset.

In better news however HTC has also said that they will start pushing out the WP8.1 GDR1 update to HTC 8X users, after some time, to assess the stability of the device with the OS.

While Microsoft has done an excellent job bringing the software to the cheapest Nokia Lumia, the HTC 8S was always designed as a cheap handset, and as such the expectation of multiple future updates may be limited.

Source: http://wmpoweruser.com/htc-announce-that-the-htc-8s-will-never-get-the-wp8-1-update-1/

[Studio384]

The suspeted issue here, the 4 GB storage, in nonsens, there are enough devices with 4GB that do get the update. Another note, the post on the forums is about the Windows Phone 8.1 Update Preview for Developers, not about Windows Phone 8.1 Update itself.

[Dutchie64]

Well.... that sucks b*lls for the people who have one. That's something I would expect in Android 'cheap phone' land. No offence to ppl running Android phones ;-)

 

I hope the new WP8.1 HTC phones will comply to MS 'standards', so this will not happen again. Fragmentation sucks, it's bad enough there's 512mB+ apps. Run everything on all, I would say :-)

 

Edit: Studio384 is right, it's the DP that is mentioned. Still, it would be bad if the proper update would be ignored.

On the other hand, after my woes with the HTC HD2 and software updates, I'll never buy another HTC phone in my life :-\

[Daedroth]

Well that sucks, and I guess it confirms my move away from Windows Phone at the end of the year. I was hoping to apply the 8.1 update to my HTC 8S to see how it was, and then make an informed decision on whether to stick with the OS. Now it looks like that decision has been made for me, as I can't afford to get a new phone just to test it! Sure, I play with another phone that does have 8.1, but I want the experience of knowing what its like in day-to-day use. As I've found that Windows Phone 8 bugs me on day-to-day use, but to use as a one of it's great.

 

HTC have annoyed me already anyway. The power buttons on multiple of their handsets, across the Windows Phone and Android range have very flimsy power buttons. I've known a few people, including myself where the power button simply stops working. 

[macoman]

My mother use a Lumia 520 and is the cheapest phone on the Lumia and she is rolling on Windows Phone 8.1 Update 1, it also have 4GB of space. That's why I will never buy any other brand than Nokia or whatever Microsoft decide to rename in the future.

[Studio384]

My mother use a Lumia 520 and is the cheapest phone on the Lumia and she is rolling on Windows Phone 8.1 Update 1, it also have 4GB of space. That's why I will never buy any other brand than Nokia or whatever Microsoft decide to rename in the future.

The 520 has 8GB of space.

[macoman]

The 520 has 8GB of space.

My bad, i thought it has 4GB... Nevermind... Thanks for the respond.

[FloatingFatMan]

I thought MS guaranteed all WP8 devices could update to future releases?

[jakem1]

I thought MS guaranteed all WP8 devices could update to future releases?

 

They did although I suppose it must ultimately be up to OEMs.  We don't know that the 8s won't get the update when it's released to the general public though. Only that it can't update as part of the DP.

 

I never really understood why people bought the 8S or the 8X when Nokia's phones and support were so much better. 

[FloatingFatMan]

Indeed.  Well, if they can't update after it hits general release, that's not going to do MS's rep any good at all, especially after the stab in the back with WP7/7.5...

[jakem1]

Indeed.  Well, if they can't update after it hits general release, that's not going to do MS's rep any good at all, especially after the stab in the back with WP7/7.5...

 

Perhaps but I think most sensible people will realise that there's only so much that MS can do and that ultimately it's HTC's fault.  This sort of thing will just drive more people to Nokia.

[FloatingFatMan]

Perhaps but I think most sensible people will realise that there's only so much that MS can do and that ultimately it's HTC's fault.  This sort of thing will just drive more people to Nokia.

 

Or another OS, such as iPhone.