14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft has just announced that the next major upgrade for Windows Phone 8, GDR3, will be pushed to current smartphones in the coming weeks.
The long rumored and recently confirmed GDR3 upgrade will now be called Update 3, Microsoft says in an official statement. Keep in mind that Update 3 will be included by default on all Windows Phone devices that will be announced on October 22 at Nokia World 2013.
Microsoft has also announced that it will offer early access to Windows Phone 8 Update 3 Preview for free to Windows Phone developers, but Paul Thurott claims that anyone can gain access to this preview of Update 3 beginning later today.
According to Microsoft, “Windows Phone Preview for Developers program, which officially launches later today, gives app builders early access to our operating system updates so they can verify that their apps work as expected on the new code.”
In order to be able to download Windows Phone 8 Update 3, you need to meet one of the following requirements: your phone is “developer-unlocked,” you are a registered Windows Phone Store developer, or you are a registered Windows Phone App Studio developer.
However, those who don’t meet any of the following requirements can pay $19 (€14) for the development program membership. If you don’t feel like paying this amount, you can use an App Studio account, which, as Thurott points out, is free.
Obviously, in case you already own a “developer edition” handset, you don’t need to do anything of the above, as you meet one of the requirements announced by Microsoft.
For more details on how you can gain early access to Windows Phone GDR3 Update Preview, head over to Paul Thurott's blog.
Keep in mind though that this update only includes the Microsoft portion of the update, so don't expect to receive the firmware and drivers that are specific to a certain device.
It's also worth mentioning you will need to have firmware build 8.0.10322.71 installed on your device in order to qualify for this upgrade.
As for the rollout of the Windows Phone 8 Update 3 to current smartphones, Microsoft states that the deployment initially “kicks off in the coming weeks and will continue over several months. Specific timing depends on a number of factors including your carrier and phone model.”