14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft is expected to launch the Windows Phone 8.1 update for those who own compatible devices. Unfortunately, there’s no telling when exactly Windows Phone enthusiasts will be able to upgrade their smartphones to the latest version of the operating system.
We reported yesterday that Nokia Lumia 925 owners in Finland claimed that they had successfully captured the highly anticipated update, as part of a pilot project.
Later on, reports of Windows Phone 8.1 availability in Argentina started to emerge, as folks using the same Lumia 925 model confirmed that the update had started to roll out for their devices.
However, it appears that Windows Phone 8.1 is still unavailable in any other country except for Finland and Argentina. Earlier today, news about Vodafone Australia currently testing Windows Phone 8.1 for Nokia Lumia 925 surfaced online as well.
Although the mass rollout of Windows Phone 8.1 hasn’t kicked off yet, things are starting to move and judging by the latest info, we suspect that Microsoft is about to start the deployment of the update in just a few days.
The newest hint at Windows Phone 8.1’s imminent release is the fact that the update has been recently listed by Microsoft on its update History webpage, along with all the new features that users who upgrade will get.
According to Microsoft, Windows Phone users should look for the following updates: 8.10.12359.845, 8.10.12382.878, 8.10.12393.890, or 8.10.12397.895. Depending on the smartphone, country and carrier, you might receive one of the four variants listed.
Microsoft also confirms that the update will contain Cortana, which will only be available in the United States, initially. Obviously, if you really want to use Microsoft’s intelligent personal assistant, there’s a workaround that will make it work.
Furthermore, Microsoft lists most of the improvements added in Windows Phone 8.1, including support for dual-SIM, the option to automatically update apps, separate volume controls, additional columns for Start screen, support for installing apps on SD cards and many more.
Even though this doesn’t clear up an exact release date for Windows Phone 8.1, at least it’s an indication that Microsoft is preparing for the mass release of the update.
If you want to be prepared for the release of the upgrade, make sure you have around 1.5GB free storage space on your phone. Also, keep in mind that it usually takes between 15 and 30 minutes for the upgrade, but depending on how much data you have stored on the phone, it can take even 60 minutes.