While Microsoft preferred to keep mum on news related to Windows Phone 8 OS and its compatibility to older generation WP handset, anonymous sources of popular tech blogs also doesn’t help much either. Couple of days back we saw two contradictory statements from two different Windows Phone blogs and as usual we refrained from covering the link-bait news.

Now pops in yet another news that Apollo is being tested on Nokia Lumia 800 handset. Even, MS_nerd hinted about the same by tweeting that interim testing of WP8 OS on Lumia 610 handset is going on. While the news seems to be too good to believe, chances are high that has some value in it. If MS Nerd to be believed then it is somewhat shocking to know that Apollo will be available to Lumia 610 since it doesn’t qualify to receive Apollo due to lower hardware. For now, it is safe to assume that it could be just a lab rat testing or we could possibly see a small subset, with limited functionality and limited apps, empowering old generation device. This news lending credence to earlier rumor by MS_Nerd that all Windows Phone users will eventually receive Apollo update in ‘some’ form.

Reverting back to the latest whisper in Chinese Windows Phone community, Microsoft is dog-fooding Apollo to Lumia 800. How different is WP8 interface you ask? Well, according to the poster there is no major overhaul in design but Internet Explorer is available in whole new avatar. Alongside drastic change in IE browser, more language support, orientation lock, folders options are available in this new major OS update. Windows Phone users often complaint about bereft customization support. Should whatever posted by poster even close to true, then we will get some form of customization in next iteration.

Folders has already been made available by homebrew users but inclusion of this option in OS is a very welcome move by MS. All these seems illusion hints at brighter future of the platform. Not to forget that Windows Phone 8 dubs to support better hardware compared to earlier version.

Source: WPXAP