Category: Gabriel Aul

It looks increasingly likely that a new build of Windows 10 Mobile will be available for those on the Fast Ring in the Windows Insider program later today.  Microsoft’s Gabe Aul took to Twitter yesterday answering a pile of questions related to the next build for Windows Phone and PC with hints being dropped that a new build is imminent.

@Typhos666 So far so good. It has a couple of tile layout bugs, but I think the Fast ring crew will not mind those.

— Gabriel Aul (@GabeAul) May 14, 2015

Clearly this isn’t a commitment from Aul that a new build will be out today, but it is pretty close.

It has been 40 days since the first Windows 10 for Phone Technical Preview was released to Windows Insiders and unfortunately, there isn’t an update in sight.

Earlier this morning Microsoft’s Gabe Aul posted on Twitter about the updates now available for the Windows 10 Technical Preview for PCs and Tablets. In the thread of replies he was asked about an update for Windows 10 for Phone. Sadly the news was not good.

@mrmhk97 No news to share on phone build yet.

— Gabriel Aul (@GabeAul) March 24, 2015

Like the bemoaning that has happened on Windows 10 and the lack of updates, the natives are growing restless with Windows 10 for Phone at this point too.  Microsoft has made it clear that this summer we will see Windows 10 across all devices.  That means testing absolutely needs to get started in earnest across a wide range of Windows Phones.  We know that there will be more phones eligible to run the next update and we also know that the Partition Zipping for higher end phones was needed for it to be loaded onto these devices.  Regardless of this fact the need to get an update out on phones is becoming ever more critical to meet this summer launch date.

Microsoft’s Gabe Aul has taken to the Windows Blog site to offer up a great piece on the Windows 10 Technical Preview cadence and why dates are not broadcasted out to the public.  The article can be found here and I’m not going to waste your time by rehashing the entire post which is quite lengthy.  The article lays out in great detail the internal processes and testing schedules, the balance of too fast versus too buggy and why they don’t set dates (HINT: It is beta software so if they run into a showstopper internally, they will postpone a release.  They publish a date and miss it, the masses will revolt).  Again, give it a read.  It’s worth it.

What I will do however is say is that I understand the logic that Mr. Aul lays out in this post, particularly around show stopping bugs.  If you have a bug that gets out that crushes every PC it is installed on, you will have a huge problem on their hands.  Microsoft and many sites have pointed out that Windows 10 is in beta and it will be buggy.  Unfortunately a lot of people forget that when they are looking at a BSOD or worse, a corrupt boot sector on their laptop after installing the Preview.  Microsoft cannot afford that kind of misstep.  So they are taking their time.  The question however, is should they risk a little more, particularly on the “Fast Ring”?  I think so and here is why.

One of the biggest challenges-meets-disappointments with the first release of the Windows 10 for Phone Preview was the limited number of devices which were supported.  Adding to that pain was the lack of high end devices being supported.  As I’ve posted in my Initial Thoughts on the release, be careful what you wish for as it was and still is pretty rough.   That said, it looks like hope is on the horizon.

Microsoft’s Gabe Aul from the Windows Insider program has Tweeted this morning that the next release of the Windows 10 for Phone Preview will indeed support more devices.  In a reply to a question being asked on the subject, he replied with the following Tweet

@Medioholik @jainankit85 The next update will have support for more phones.

— Gabriel Aul (@GabeAul) March 5, 2015

While which devices will be included is not clear from the Tweet, it should be encouraging to Windows Phone fans that more support will be coming to more devices.