14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft previously said that Windows 10 Mobile was projected to launch sometime in December, and since we’re already on the 11th, Windows Phone users expect a Christmas miracle at the very last minute and thus get the new operating system on their devices by the end of the year.
But according to Spanish carrier Movistar, the rollout of Windows 10 Mobile could launch on their devices in late January, and many are worried that the same could be the case for their own phones too.
In a post on Twitter spotted by WMPU, Movistar says the first devices would get Windows 10 Mobile at the end of January, so a number of Windows Phone models could actually have to wait even longer to receive the upgrade. This somehow confirms previous reports claiming that the release could take place in stages across the world.
The “no carrier” thing
Users might be disappointed to see carriers still having a word to say in the release of Windows 10 Mobile, given the fact that Microsoft was believed to be the one deciding when to update its devices running the new OS, but there’s an important thing to remember here.
Microsoft indeed managed to bring phones and PCs at the same Windows 10 version, but this is only for devices running Windows 10 already, so in the case of Windows Phone, carriers might still be the ones to decide when to offer the upgrade. The additional time needed for this to happen is because of validation and certification, hence the different dates (which we’re already used to from the previous firmware updates for Lumia devices, including the Lumia Denim rollout, which took nearly half a year).
In other words, devices that aren’t already on Windows 10 Mobile might need carrier approval, so the safest bet here would be joining the insider program to be among the first getting the final tidbits. Of course, Microsoft should also set things clear here and explain when and how Windows 10 Mobile is supposed to launch for existing Windows Phone models.