In defense of Microsoft and the 'NoDo' update

Some carriers blame MS for NoDo bottleneck (Image - 0)

Permit's start with some disclaimers. Get-go of all I am a Windows Telephone fanboy, so I may be slightly biased toward Microsoft. Secondly I am a Windows Phone fanboy, and I want my update right the heck now. Now that nosotros've got that out of the way, let's move on.

Comparing NoDo to Froyo

There has been much debate/discussion/discontent well-nigh the so-called NoDo update for Windows Phone 7. Microsoft showtime mentioned bringing copy and paste to Windows Phone 7 at the launch upshot in October, stating that the feature would exist made available in 'early 2022.' In January at CES Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer stated:

"Over the adjacent few months we volition be delivering a series of platform improvements that evidence we are taking feedback to heart in an effort to proceed to raise the products we release. The updates will be released automatically and will include a few changes."

The "official" announcement of the update itself wasn't until the Microsoft keynote at Mobile World Congress in Feb. Ballmer stated that the update would exist released in 'early March.' At the finish of February, Microsoft announced that they would be releasing a pre-update to prepare Windows Phones for NoDo; complications followed, specifically for Samsung devices, causing Microsoft to temporarily halt the update. Microsoft communicated that the NoDo release had slipped to the '2nd one-half of March' in guild to iron out the wrinkles in the update process.

So to recap, hither is a quick timeline:

2/xiv/2011 – Microsoft officially announces NoDo
iii/10/2011 – NoDo delay announced
3/23/2011 – NoDo deployed to developer (carrier unlocked) handsets
TBA/Varies – NoDo Deployment to consumer devices

From the official announcement of the update to NoDo being pushed to developer devices in five weeks and two days, fifty-fifty with a delay due to bug fixes in the later stages. At present let's compare that to Android 2.2 (a.k.a Froyo). Proceed in mind that Android has been around for a couple of years, and Windows Phone 7 is new to the party.

5/xx/2010 – Froyo officially announced
six/29/2010 – Google Nexus One receives official Froyo build
8/three/2010 – Verizon Motorola Droid update
viii/10/2010 – Sprint EVO 4G update
9/22/2010 – Verizon Samsung Fascinate updated
10/xiii/2010 – T-Mobile MyTouch 3G updated
10/22/2010 – Verizon Droid 10 updated
xi/2/2010 – Verizon Droid Incredible updated
1/21/2011 – T-Mobile Samsung Vibrant updated
ii/21/2011 – Sprint Ballsy 4G updated
2/23/2011 – AT&T Dell Streak updated
2/25/2011 – AT&T HTC Aria updated
2/25/2011 – AT&T Samsung Captivate updated
TBA – T-Mobile MyTouch Slide update
Never – Sony XPERIA X10 update

The primary comparison that I desire to depict here is the time between the "official" annunciation to the signal when it hit developer devices. The time between May xx and June 29 is five weeks and five days; three days longer than it took Microsoft with the NoDo update. I would assume that information technology takes more than a few months for the core of these updates to become through the code/testing cycle. Information technology seems that Microsoft has been adequately upwardly-front with what their plans are, almost to a fault.

I should also notation that Froyo didn't kickoff hitting consumer devices until over a month after it was on the developer handsets. Now this isn't exactly an apples-to-apples comparison, equally Android is something of a wild west when it comes to bundled software and OEM/carrier customization. Microsoft should be able to turn NoDo out to consumer devices faster than a comparable Android update, simply because Microsoft is fairly strict on what customizations tin be washed and uses a standard hardware chassis. Just the fact remains, information technology's reasonable to allow some time for carriers and OEMs to test the update on their hardware and networks.

Some other thing I want to point out pertains primarily to people who are looking to purchase a new Windows Phone, and are concerned about the update schedule. If you lot look at that Android schedule again, the first ii devices to receive Froyo were (and are) two of the most popular Android devices. Lesson learned: more pop/better selling devices are more likely to become an early update, especially if at that place have a power OEM/Carrier combination behind them. Verizon and Sprint pushed the Droid and EVO 4G incredibly hard, and those sales give them incentive to go along the maximum amount of customers happy with the least amount of work.

On the other hand

Many would debate (correctly) that Google shouldn't be the standard nosotros are viewing Microsoft confronting, information technology should be Apple. WPCentral readers are savvy plenty to recognize the differences between Apple and Microsoft's mobile strategies. Obviously Apple tree controls the hardware and software aspects of the process, so at that place is a definite advantage at that place. Microsoft's biggest trouble right now is that both Apple and Google clearly offer more features on their respective platforms. If Microsoft is going to be competitive against Android and iOS, they need to be beating both companies in the update realm, something that they clearly aren't doing.

All indications would lead us to believe that NoDo was originally scheduled to exist released in Jan, and Microsoft insider Paul Thurrott has stated repeatedly that he knows for a fact that NoDo was "finished" in Dec. Apparently there have been delays that oasis't been explained, and to a indicate that's ok; but Microsoft's playing take hold of-upwards hither, and a two or iii calendar month delay on a relatively minor update is unacceptable.

The most frustrating part of this whole discussion is that the part of the process where Microsoft is completely declining in getting the update to consumers is the part where carriers get involved. I haven't seen any indication of a carrier explicitly 'blocking' NoDo, though Microsoft has said that carriers will exist able to cake updates for a single bike. Really though, consumers don't differentiate between a blocked update and a delayed update.

I for ane am more concerned with how the "Mango update" is affected, subsequently this year, and I'm not encouraged by the NoDo delays. If Microsoft has this much trouble with an update that includes very few actual improvements, what are nosotros supposed to expect for something that completely changes major portions of the platform?

In determination

As I said at the kickoff, I am a Windows Phone fanboy, and I desire my updates equally bad as anyone. Nobody wants an update that is buggy and unstable. Microsoft hasn't made whatsoever promises and then delayed an unreasonable corporeality of time. They never said that NoDo would be released to all devices in March. But Microsoft's got a perception trouble, and they've had it for a while. The merely way to set up that perception problem is to deliver on the promises they brand, and start offering a feature set up that is competitive with electric current market leaders.

Nosotros'll exist keeping our ears to the ground just like the balance of you, and we'll keep you posted on any developments equally they hit. Until so, enjoy 1 of the about innovative devices on the market. And delight, keep harassing your carriers!

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