The Windows Phone might be on its way out, but that hasn’t stopped Microsoft releasing an upgrade tool for the Lumias and other such devices.
The Redmond-based tech giant have released a new tool for Windows phone users which lets them update their devices via their PCs.
The new over-the-cable (OTC) Updater tool supports the Windows Phone 8.1 and Windows 10 Mobile, and moves updates from a PC to a user’s device.
Beforehand, when a Windows Phone 8.1 or Windows 10 Mobile user went to update their phone, they’d have to download and install each individual update.
It meant that as a backlog of updates piled up, updating a Windows phone could become a very laborious and tiresome process.
It may have meant that some users would opt out of updating their device entirely, which could leave them vulnerable to security risks that get patched.
But the new OTC Updater app brings any devices up to the latest version of OS as long as it’s plugged in directly into a Windows PC.
The Windows phone needs to be connected to a PC via USB, unlocked and in airplane mode to use the updater.
The Windows device recovery tool could previously serve this function, allowing users to jump straight to the newest update.
However, Microsoft altered the functionality of the app which meant it now restores users to the OS version that the device originally shipped with.
As a result, the OTC Updater is now the only way for a Windows phone to user to go straight to the latest supported version of Windows 10 Mobile.
The new OTC Updater app was detailed in a new post on the Microsoft website, which outlines the system requirements and install instructions.
The news comes after Microsoft finally admitted its Windows Phone operating system is dead – making the launch of a Surface-branded smartphone extremely unlikely.
Vice President of Operating Systems Joe Belfiore revealed the company is no longer developing new features or hardware for Windows 10 Mobile.
Belfoire broke the news in a series of tweets.
Microsoft will continue to release bug fixes and security patches for its Windows 10 Mobile users, but will not launch any new features.
“Of course we’ll continue to support the platform.. bug fixes, security updates, etc,” Joe Belfiore tweeted. “But building new features/hw aren’t the focus.”
The Corporate Vice President also revealed that he had switched away from Windows Phone to a rival mobile operating system.
“As an individual end-user, I switched platforms for the app/hw diversity. We will support those users too! Choose what’s best 4 u,” Belfiore tweeted.
The news came after Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates revealed he now uses an Android smartphone, instead of Windows Phone.
“As an individual end-user, I switched platforms for the app/hw diversity. We will support those users too! Choose what’s best 4 u,” Belfiore tweeted.
The news comes as Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates revealed he now uses an Android smartphone, instead of Windows Phone.