Windows Phone 7.8 update confirmed for late-January

Microsoft’s Windows Phone 7.8 update will arrive at the end of the month, according to O2’s Twitter account.

It’s an interesting turn because Microsoft still hasn’t officially announced its plans for the update yet.

O2’s official UK Twitter account responded to a user message asking about the update for a Nokia Lumia 800.

O2 said: ‘Hi there, the 7.8 Windows Phone update will be released by the end of January and will be available via Zune.’

We assume O2 is talking about Xbox Music here, which has now taken over from the company's older Zune software. 

The update will introduce some of Windows Phone 8’s new features to older models running Windows Phone 7, such as the Nokia Lumia 800 and Lumia 900, the HTC Titan and Radar and other handsets from Samsung, LG and ZTE.

These features will include the new Xbox Live services such as Xbox Music and Xbox SmarGlass as well as interface changes for more customisation, Live Tile re-sizing and more theme colours.

Update: At time of writing new word has emerged from Microsoft, the official Windows Phone Colombia Facebook page has just posted that the update will rollout from January 31.

GSMArena reports having hands-on time with the build and lists a set of feature changes it has found so far:

• ‘Resizable Live Tiles
• Bluetooth File transfer
• Bing Picture for Lockscreen wallpaper
• New theme colors
• Wi-Fi tethering
• You can set Google as default search provider in Internet Explorer
• New boot screen
• Office 14.5
• Updated system and Nokia exclusive apps
• Ringtone maker (also available in the Marketplace)
• Counters app (also available in the Marketplace)’