I was just reading Jason Langridge’s blog (Microsoft’s Mr. Mobile) about a bunch of devices that have had announcements about the availability of an upgrade from Windows Mobile 5 to 6. One of the announcements was for the very cool HTC TyTn. But, apparently the upgrade is only available to HTC e-Club members who claimed someplace in or around the EU as their homebase. If you joined as a US-based member, no update is available. I’m guessing it has something to do with FCC clearances or some other such red-tape type reason. Fair enough.
But, it made me wonder what people think about regarding Windows Mobile devices and whether or not an upgrade is available. For example, I bought a T-Mobile Dash after the WM6 upgrade was announced for it. But, there is little hope for a WM6 upgrade for my i-Mate K-JAM. And, there is no hope for an upgrade for my T-Mobile SDA. Dell used to be pretty good about providing an upgrade path for at least one generation. HP was pretty spotty. For example, the iPAQ 2215 (the last iPAQ I bought with no plans to ever buy another HP iPAQ device) never had an upgrade path.
If your device is less than, say 24 months from its release (not necessarily when you purchased it), do you expect an upgrade path for it? Just wondering.
Comments
3 responses to “How to you Feel About Windows Mobile Upgrades?”
Yes – and like unto yourself I was bit by the ipaq 2215 upgrade fiasco and swore off the brand until I was sucked in by the shiny hw6800 series. Once again HP gave me the shaft… Even if it is unintentional, it does damage the Windows Mobile brand in my mind when the vendors pull stunts like this – particularly when some offer the upgrades and some don’t.
AKIMAN: I don’t know about the various localized HTC web pages. However, the various support telephone numbers on the english language page are found at: http://www.htc.com/support/care_hotline.htm
I bought an HTC Tytn from a shop in London a month ago and have been using it since then in Turkey without difficulty. Having heard about the release of WM6 for Tytn I tried to download it as an HTC Club Member . However , I was unsuccessful. Why ? ( I wish I could write this to HTC proper , but they have no e-mail !? )
AKIMAN