Microsoft angers Windows Phone 7 users with change to software update process

Microsoft has angered users of its Windows Phone 7 operating system by announcing it will stop providing detailed information on updates and remove the obligation for carriers to push updates when requested.

Eric Hautala, the firm's general manager for customer experience engineering, said in a blog post that due to the platform's growth Microsoft would not provide the information or update the firm's dedicated mobile blog any longer.

"As we continue our growth, we won't be individually detailing country, model and carrier details on the Where's My Phone Update? site any longer," he said.

"And instead of my weekly blog posts, the official Windows Phone web site will be the primary place for news and information about our updates."

Hautala also announced that Microsoft would be changing the way updates are pushed out, allowing carriers to request the update when they choose, rather than being forced to provide the update when required.

"This week we started to make a new Windows Phone update, 8107, available to many Windows Phone customers. The update, available to all carriers that request it, is part of our ongoing maintenance of Windows Phone," he said.

Users on the blog expressed their dissatisfaction with the situation, with one saying the system "could be the single thing that drives me away from Windows Phone" with another adding it was "not acceptable at all".