Over 8,000 votes for Petition to bring more hardware-independent upgrades to existing Windows Phones

We’ve probably all heard the rumors by now that all we’ll be getting with Windows Phone 7.8 is a new Start Screen.  While that Start Screen is pretty sweet, that’s a very, very small bone that MS is throwing to us.  If you feel that they should be able to push us more of the hardware-independent features of Windows Phone 8, perhaps you’d like to check out this petition, brought to Microsoft by Simon Luk, an/the administrator of WeLoveWP.HK.

Myself, if they will not push more than the Start Screen, that’s one thing; but if they CAN NOT, they need to tell us WHY.  The problem with silence is it makes a very large vacuum, and vacuums get filled with rumors, many of which have absolutely NO basis in fact and are simply speculation.  MS can silence these with a few words.  That’s the least that they can give to those of us who hung in through Windows Mobile, then Windows Phone, and are still fans.

The petition text follows:

Bring new features of WP8 that can be supported by WP7.5 hardware to WP7.8!

20th June, 2012 has been one of the darkest days in the history of Windows Phone.

On 20th June, 2012, Microsoft announced Windows Phone 8, the next generation Windows Phone platform. At the same time, Microsoft broke the bad news to existing Windows Phone users – WP8 will not be available for existing WP devices to upgrade. Instead, Microsoft showed their “commitment” to current WP users by delivering WP7.8, which is just basically WP7.5 with the whole new Start Screen of WP8.

Are current users satisfied? Furious WP users are shouting in the Internet. Microsoft, what do you think?

Microsoft, you might think that the existing WP user base is just so small, so you can dumb us anytime you think it’s appropriate. You might think making current WP users angry is no big deal because WP8 must make a huge success, attracting all the consumers to buy your devices. Please, Microsoft, stop and think. Who are the existing WP users? We, the current WP users, are your loyal customers and fans. What you are doing with WP7.8 – barely adding a new Start Screen – is just an insult to us.

Being WP fans, we know that WP8 needs a new kernel. We absolutely understand the fact that our existing devices cannot get WP8 due to huge work for kernel and drivers re-writing. On the new kernel for WP8, we, WP fans, are totally on your side. I am sure most of the existing users, who wish WP having a better future, can accept the fact that WP8 apps cannot be supported in WP7.8 due to kernel incompatibility issues. However, it does not mean that it justifies for WP7.8 just having the new Start Screen of WP8.

Although they are still not officially announced, many features of WP8, including IE10, Skydrive Integration, Xbox Music & Video, DataSmart, whole-new range of languages and IME supports, etc, have been revealed by different parties. Many existing WP users will love to have these new features on their WP7.8 devices. We believe that some of the above features do not require high grade hardware. Indeed, Microsoft, we can assure you that you will **** most if not all WP users off, if you deliberately leave these “upgradable” features off from our WP7.8 devices.

We are your loyal WP supporters. We were always happy to introduce our friends to buy WP7.5 devices. Provided that WP7.8 only brings the new Start Screen without other new features from WP8 which are supported by existing hardware, we just cannot help but tell our dear friends – Do not buy a WP. Word of mouth is of paramount importance in selling smartphones. Please do not embarrass us and yourself. Act quickly and give confidence to the existing WP users; and we will let the whole world know WP is always worth buying.

Microsoft, please bring new features of WP8 that are supported by existing WP7.5 hardware to WP7.8. Do not let your loyal WP fans down.

Simon Luk
Administrator
WeLoveWP.HK

Do you agree?