Windows 10 for Phone To Get Faster Updates in Project Milkyway
If there is one completely broken and painful process with Windows Phone 8.1 today it is the upgrade process, particularly those locked to carriers. This is a sore subject for many Windows Phone users because it takes seemingly forever to get updates. The latest Lumia Denim update is classic example. AT&T took 10 weeks after it was released finally offered it on the Lumia 1520 while the Lumia 635 still hasn’t seen the update. Verizon never released Lumia Cyan for the Lumia Icon (Lumia 93) and instead did a rollup with Denim just a few weeks ago. Countless posts have been made on Windows centric sites on the subject and to say it is broken is, well, an understatement. Microsoft has recognized this and is apparently trying to fix it in Windows 10 for Phone. Under a project by the name of Project Milkyway, the company is outlining an update process that will take from 4-6 weeks from the time an update is announced to the time it hits your phone. Interestingly, OEMs and carriers are still part of the process which has been a lot of the challenge. I outlined a way I think Microsoft could bypass them entirely but appreciate it too has challenges. While no specifics were given on how Microsoft would encourage them to speed things up, the Project Milkyway outline they presented today at WinHEC in China seems to be trying to change the current status quo with Windows 10 for Phone.