Windows Phone 8.1 update rollout set for first two weeks of July
Alexandra BurlacuThe Windows Phone 8.1 update is apparently set to start hitting Windows Phone 8 devices very soon, in the first half of July.
Microsoft unveiled its new Windows Phone 8.1 back in April, but the software update has yet to roll out to existing Windows Phone (WP) devices. New handsets running the latest OS have already started to arrive and some developers have access, but most WP users are still waiting to receive the upgrade for their current Windows Phone 8 devices.
In late April, all signs pointed toward an update rollout set for this month, and even a Microsoft executive said at one point that Windows Phone 8.1 would roll out to existing devices by the end of June. More information surfaced later indicating that the update would start rolling out on June 24, but the date has passed and no update arrived. The June 24 date still appears on official Microsoft support pages and the company's website, but it now seems that the update will arrive in the first half of July.
When asked about the update rollout, Microsoft's India Twitter account replied that Windows Phone 8.1 will become available in the first two weeks of July for existing Windows Phone 8 users.
It remains unclear at this point, however, whether this timeframe refers to the Windows Phone 8.1 release in India, or to a global rollout. On the other hand, even if it's just for India initially, it shouldn't take too long before it spreads to other regions as well.
Windows Phone 8.1 is a notable step forward for Microsoft's mobile operating system, bringing some neat improvements and new features for a superior experience. U.S. Windows Phone users will also get access to Cortana, Microsoft's new digital assistant and answer to Siri and Google Now, but the feature will not be available to other regions at first.
If the new timeframe provided by Microsoft India turns out to be accurate, Windows Phone 8.1 should finally start rolling out soon, in two weeks tops. We'll keep you up to date as soon as we hear more about it, so stay tuned for more information as it becomes available.
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