Windows Phone platforms and updates

Question

I got handed the task to create a Windows Phone app and i am trying to figure out if i should target 7.0 or 7.1?

Since i don't have a Windows Phone, i don't know how and if the updates are available to all mobiles?

Reading on this page: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/hh202996(VS.92).aspx just shows that the 7.1 is not compatible on 7.0 (nothing new).

So my question is, can ALL mobiles that uses Windows Phone 7.0 upgrade to 7.1? or is it like Android (like my Samsung Galaxy S) that can't be upgraded past 2.3.3.

Answer 1

Here is an Official Microsoft Blogpost which makes it clear that, Microsoft officially stopped marketplace support for 7.0 devices.

So you don't need to worry about Windows Phone 7.0 and go ahead developing for 7.1

Answer 2

You should target 7.1, that's were the vast majority of users are. As far as I know, all devices running 7.0 can be upgraded to 7.1, not 100% sure of this though.

In one of my apps, from more than 4000 users, none are running pre-Mango software.

Answer 3

Another point to note is that devices running 7.0 can no longer connect to the marketplace.

You could build an app that uses 7.0 as these apps will run fine on 7.5 devices but there are lots of lovely extras in 7.1 that you'll probably want to make use of in your app.
Building an app that uses version 7.1 of the SDK will not affect who can use your app. ;)

Answer 4

there is no need to think or worry. just go ahead with 7.1 since all existing phone support 7.1 aka mango. and the marketplace is already closed for 7.0 hence forcing users to update their phones.