Don’t Expect to Upgrade Current-Gen WinMo Phones to Phone 7

As we saw when Windows Phone 7 was first unveiled, Microsoft is looking to take a completely new direction with the OS. The company is also looking to make the end product better by issuing a tight set of specs for all Phone 7 handsets. Because of this new approach to the hardware, older Windows Mobile phones will not be upgradeable to Phone 7, as they won’t meet Microsoft’s newly implemented spec demands.

Even the HTC HD2, which appears to meet many of Microsoft’s more rigorous Phone 7 standards (1 Ghz Qualcomm, high-resolution capacitive touchscreen, etc.), will not be Phone 7 eligible because it features five hardware buttons instead of the three mandated for Phone 7 devices. Apparently, it also lacks some other necessary hardware components.

 Natasha Kwan, General Manager for Microsoft’s Mobile Communications Business in the Asia-Pacific region put it simply: “Because we have very specific requirements for Windows Phone 7 Series the current phones we have right now will not be upgradable.”

Well at least WinMo users get a fancy, new name for their software. [via APC Mag]