Avid Windows Phone users not content with the months-old Windows Phone 8.1 release are already lining up to download Windows Phone 8.1 Update 1 developer preview. But as this is not the official release and still a beta version, some folks are hitting road bumps on their way to Windows Phone glory.
HTC 8S and 8X owners hoping to grab 8.1 Update 1 are currently stuck waiting on their phone manufacturer to roll out new drivers for their devices, WP Central reports. Microsoft’s support FAQ does warn that some users won’t be able to download the update due to driver issues and will have to wait until the official update is available.
Microsoft’s Windows Phone chief Joe Belfiore also recently took to Twitter warning that a very small percentage of users may run into error 8018830f when updating. Belfiore says the issue can’t be fixed with a second attempt at updating and seems to be related to low system storage. Right now, the only fix for people confronted with this error is to sit tight and wait on Microsoft to address the issue.
Folks seeing error 8018830f on update- we’re looking into it, thx for letting us know. Its a very small %, so the rest of you keep going!
— joebelfiore (@joebelfiore) August 4, 2014
Microsoft makes it very easy for Windows Phone enthusiasts to grab the latest update since you only need to register as a developer, which is free of charge. The advantage of doing it this way is you get to skirt carrier and manufacturer rollout schedules, which can often take weeks or even months after an official release. Many people, in fact, are still waiting on Windows Phone 8.1 itself, which is packed with all kinds of goodies such as the Cortana personal assistant.
The downside is you can sometimes run into trouble with preview software.
Windows Phone 8.1 Update 1 does have a few niceties, such as folder support for the Start screen, Cortana improvements, and a beefed up version of Internet Explorer 11. But as our own Mark Hachman said in his recent Windows Phone Update hands-on, the improvements are “nothing earth-shattering.” Not only that but the software can sometimes suffer from slower response times and the occasional freeze up. But those are the risks you take with downloading software with a preview tag on it.
If you’re facing issues downloading the latest Windows Phone update, it may be worth waiting for the official release in the coming months instead of diving into the preview.