Microsoft will end Windows Phone 7.8 and 8 support by 2014

Windows Phone 8 and 7.8 support will end in 2014 according to Microsoft’s support page, Windows Phone 8 will receive support till July 8, 2014 while Windows Phone 7.8 will gain support through September 9, 2014. With the recent announcement the Windows manufacturing firm seems to be following an 18-month support policy with its mobile operating systems.

There has been no clear upgrade path for Windows Phone 8 and with Microsoft ending support after 2014 there is some uncertainty. The firm has not been transparent in informing the users about the upgrades earlier, but seems to be taking a new path now. The company posted a table listing the time period of support for its mobile operating system.

The statement on the support page read, “Microsoft will make updates available for the Operating System on your phone, including security updates, for a period of 18 months after the lifecycle start date. Distribution of the updates may be controlled by the mobile operator or the phone manufacturer from which you purchased your phone. Update availability will also vary by country, region, and hardware capabilities.”

Considering the recent decision, Microsoft seems to be embracing the competition in the mobile operating system market. Apple releases a new variant of iOS every year and with users updating their devices every two years, Microsoft is apparently on the right track. The software giant has been pushing small feature updates since the release of Window Phone 8.

Microsoft has previously revealed that the next release of Windows Phone, code-named Blue, which is expected to be made available in the holiday season. What do you think about the firm’s 18-month support policy?