With Microsoft Colombia having confirmed Windows Phone 7.8 – the last major update to the original Windows Phone 7 platform – will begin to roll out at the end of January, the US giant has now pushed the OS out to developers.

The Windows Phone 7.8 SDK enables developers to get to grips with how the updated platform will run on WP7 handsets, with the change to the way Live Tiles function of particular note.

As such, Microsoft is advising developers to update their apps to take advantage of the update, which brings Windows Phone 8-style functionality to the now ageing OS.

Update urges

"As you evaluate the new 7.8 update for the Windows Phone SDK, consider refreshing your existing 7.x apps," details Microsoft in an email to developers.

"We recently outlined on the Windows Phone Developer blog some simple tips to make it easy for you to add Windows Phone 8 Live Tile functionality to your 7.1 app so that when it is run on a Windows Phone 7.8 or 8 device, it 'lights up' the new templates.

"While you're in the process of updating your apps, make sure to take advantage of the widest audience possible for your app. We now reach consumers in 95 markets; if you haven't already, visit Dev Center and submit your current Windows Phone 7 apps for worldwide distribution to ensure you are ready for new phones running Windows Phone 7.8 and 8."



Though Windows Phone 7 devices will – when the update rolls out to consumers – look very similar to their Windows Phone 8 counterparts, WP8 apps cannot run on WP7.

Conversely – and perhaps confusingly – WP7 apps will run on WP8, however, with Microsoft having broken with its original smartphone platform in order to build its successor around the Windows kernel, enabling greater ties with Windows 8.