There's been quite a bit of talk about Windows Phone updates as of late, including a rumor about some upcoming minor "GDR" maintenance releases that are expected to be pushed out throughout 2013. Now we've got an idea of when the Windows Phone crowd can expect what will likely be a more substantial update. Microsoft has posted a job listing for a Software Development Engineer in Test for Windows Phone, describing the platform as "one of the most exciting challenges in Microsoft" and explaining that the Redmond firm that can help to identify customer issues, lead them to a resolution and help to work on major bug fixes.
Near the bottom of the listing, Microsoft says that now is a great time to join its Windows Phone team because it's currently wrapping up the current version of its mobile operating system and "getting ready for our next release targeting the holiday of this year." No real details of the upcoming release are mentioned, but Microsoft does say that it intends to continue to build momentum for Windows Phone in the market by introducing new hardware and "delightful user experiences." A screenshot of the job listing is available below in case Microsoft decides to yank it.
Microsoft has targeted the holiday season for its past two Windows Phone releases, pushing out Windows Phone 7 in time for the holidays in 2010 and launching the initial batch of Windows Phone 8 hardware in the final months of 2012. The company has been fairly quiet about its Windows Phone update plans for 2013, which we recently learned is intentional and attributable to Microsoft's new "shut up and ship" mentality, so it's nice to get a bit of information from this job listing about the next release of Windows Phone, even if the expected release timeframe isn't a total surprise.
In other Windows Phone update news, several Windows Phone 7.8 users have been reporting issues with their Live Tiles either not updating or consuming too much data after the 7.8 upgrade. Joe Belfiore, manager for the whole Windows Phone team at Microsoft, recently confirmed on Twitter that Microsoft has identified an issue with Live Tiles that don't update in Windows Phone 7.8. Belfiore went on to promise that Microsoft is working on a solution for the issue, but stopped short of offering up any other information, such as an ETA for the fix. Considering that Live Tiles are a major part of Microsoft's mobile platform, though, I'm sure that many Windows Phone 7.8 folk at glad to hear that the Redmond company is working to get those tiles flipping once again. We'll give you a shout once we've got more details on the fix.
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