Yes folks, it is finally here. After numerous delays, Microsoft announced on Thursday that it will be rolling out Windows 10 Mobile to existing Windows Phone 8.1 devices. Unfortunately as of now, not all Windows 8.1 devices will be getting the new update. Only a select few smartphone users will be able to enjoy the new features for now.
The company is starting the update rollout with the following 18 phones: Lumia 1520, 930, 640, 640XL, 730, 735, 830, 532, 535, 540, 635 (1GB), 636 (1GB), 638 (1GB), 430, 435, BLU Win HD w510u, BLU Win HD LTE x150q and MCJ Madosma Q501.
The update has come after a number of delays. The initial plan of the company was to start updating existing handsets to Windows 10 in December 2015 which was pushed back due to technical problems. It was then delayed again from February to March and finally now we are getting the updates.
If you want to upgrade your smartphone to Microsoft’s latest OS, you can download the Windows 10 Upgrade Advisor app from the Windows Store. The app will let you know if an upgrade is available for the device. If yes, follow the instructions from then on.
The Redmond giant has also recommended the following steps to ensure a problem-free upgrade:
- Plug your phone into a charger to make sure it doesn’t run out of battery during the upgrade.
- Connect your phone to a Wi‑Fi network. Because of the size of the update, a Wi‑Fi connection is required for download and installation.
- It’s a good idea to back up your settings, apps, photos, and text messages to the cloud before installing the update. To set up backups, on Start Start icon, swipe over all to the All apps list, and then select Settings Settings app icon > Backup, and then follow the instructions.
- Free up enough storage space to download and install the update. You can use the Upgrade Advisor app and it will recommend files, such as videos or photos, that you can move to OneDrive or an SD card, if you have one installed. You can also connect your phone to a PC and move your files there. After the upgrade, you can move files back to your phone if there’s enough space.
The company isn’t upgrading all Windows Phone handsets to10 as it wants to avoid any degradation in user experience. Here’s what the company had to say about this:
This list includes a limited set of Windows Phone 8.1 devices and does not include some devices that are currently running Windows 10 Mobile in the Windows 10 Mobile Insider program. As Windows 10 delivers significant new innovations, many older devices are not able to successfully upgrade without an impact on the customer experience. Our goal is to only offer the Windows 10 upgrade to devices that we are confident can continue to deliver a good customer experience.
According to speculation, more devices will soon follow. But which ones will get the upgrade is anyone’s guess. There are many new features that make Microsoft’s new firmware an operating system to die for. These include a new Start screen, an improved Cortana, better Live tiles, wider app support, Windows Hello and Continuum (last two require specific hardware).
