Microsoft opens Windows Phone 7.5 update to 50 per cent of devices

MOBILE SOFTWARE MAKER Microsoft has opened up its Windows Phone 7.5 (WP7.5) deployment to 50 per cent of existing Windows Phone 7 handsets.

Last week Microsoft started randomly selecting devices to receive Windows Phone 7.5, codenamed Mango. Apparently the deployment has been going so smoothly that Microsoft decided to open it up to 50 per cent of eligible handsets.

Eric Hautala, general manager of Customer Experience Engineering at Microsoft said the firm hasn't opened it up to all devices because it is still collecting and analysing installation data from smaller mobile operators. He assured Windows Phone users that random device selection was needed in order for Microsoft to receive high quality installation data.

"I know some of you have questions about how Windows Phones are selected to receive the update. Put simply, it's done totally at random, with absolutely no preference for carrier, model, or country. Random sampling is an important engineering technique to accurately measure quality and pinpoint issues early," said Hautala.

Microsoft's phone update tracker shows that all major UK mobile operators are sending out updates, however T-Mobile is holding back updates for the Samsung Omnia 7 to do further testing.

So far Microsoft's WP7.5 update has gone without any major hiccoughs. If Microsoft can deliver the update to most devices within a few weeks of first release, then it will score something of a victory against Google's Android operating system. µ