Windows Phone 7's Big Update Not For JanuaryWindows Phone 7's Big Update Not For January

A lot of sites, this one included, have been reporting since November that Microsoft was planning to release a big update for its new platform, including the much anticipated copy and paste feature. It is pretty obvious as this point that January will come and go with nary an update in sight.Way back in October, Microsoft's Andy Lees confirmed that copy and paste would be coming the platform and it would happen in "early 2011." Of course, early doesn't equate to January but that date stuck, at least in online reporting.

In early December, developers got a preview of the update and it included copy and paste, as well as some smaller updates. A January release didn't seem unreasonable. Because Microsoft never really committed to January, no one would get too upset if the real release was February, or maybe even March. I am not sure that being 25 percent through the year constitutes "early" but I'll give them the benefit of the doubt.

I wouldn't count on March though. On Wednesday, Microsoft's Greg Sullivan said the update would be coming "in a few months." That rules out February as that is "next" month. Technically March is a "couple of months" away, not a few. Are we really looking at April for this?

Apple released the iPhone 4 in June. The 4.0.1 update was released in July and in August 4.0.2 followed. These were minor bug fixes, but fixes nonetheless. In September, a semi-major update was released as 4.1, which included the Game Center and HDR pictures. November then brought us 4.2 and earlier this month, the beta for 4.3 was released. Apple is averaging one update every two months or so. That keeps the user base excited and the platform fresh.

Windows Phone 7 is now four months old without so much as a bug fix. For some, being unable to connect to a WiFi router with a hidden SSID is a show stopper. This was discovered by users very early on and it remains unfixed. Copy and paste of course is still missing in action.

I don't care what language was used when the update was first discussed, no one ever thought it would be six months later, or more, before it was released. To stay in the game, Microsoft not only needs to have a compelling OS, which according to 93 percent of current owners, it does. It also needs to move at the same speed as its competitors to keep user's desires for more features and less bugs satiated.