Nokia confirms Windows Phone 7.8 arrival

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As expected the update to Windows Phone 7.8 for handsets running 7.5 has begun to roll out with Nokia acknowledging the fact for its handsets in an official blog post. The post confirms that anyone with an unlocked Lumia 510, 610, 710, 800 or 900 can expect to see a notification for the update appearing sometime in February. Providing of course the user has notifications for updates enabled on their handset.

Although the update appears to have been around for quite a while, leading some to believe Microsoft was deliberately withholding it, the only excuse Nokia offers for its delay is that it has been released "following extensive software testing". 

Of course any devices that are locked to a contract will need to wait for the relevant carrier to issue the update. If reports that emerged earlier this week are anything to go by though this shouldn't be long. Several sources suggested that AT&T was going to start pushing it out to its Lumia 900s from the 30th.

It isn't just the WP 7.5 devices that Nokia is showing some love, the Portico update for Windows Phone 8 on its Lumia 820 and 920 was released at the same time. This brings with it a number of tweaks including better messaging, the ability to send a text message when an incoming call can't be taken and numerous other improvements.

According to WPDang, via Windows Phone Central, Microsoft officially launched the update at 18:00 GMT yesterday and will be pushing it out to all existing Windows Phone 7.5 users. This last part is a bit suspect as there have been a few indications that not all of the first generation of Windows Phones would be getting it. However it should become apparent which ones will and which ones won't be getting it within the next few weeks.