Microsoft Resumes Windows Phone Update After Problems

Microsoft is again updating Samsung’s Windows Phone 7-based smartphones, after technical problems forced a halt to the program, it said in a blog post on Wednesday.

The update was initially announced on Feb. 21, and doesn’t provide any new features, but rather improves the software update process itself, according to Microsoft.

However, after some users of Samsung phones ran into problems, Microsoft decided to temporarily suspend the process.

The problems have been pinpointed and fixed, the blog post said, but it didn’t detail what the issues were. At the same time, Microsoft has continued to update Windows Phone 7-based smartphones from other vendors.

Microsoft apologized for the delay, and said it will continue to look for ways to improve the update process.

The next big test will come soon. In March, Microsoft is supposed to start rolling out the first major upgrade of Windows Phone 7 since the operating system was launched in October last year. That will add new features such as copy and paste and faster application performance.

It is critical that upgrades go smoothly, and don’t cause pain and inconvenience to users, according to Pete Cunningham, principal analyst at Canalys. In this case, the problems reflect badly on both Samsung and Microsoft, he said.

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