Windows 10 Mobile is Coming to the Lumia Icon … But Only via Preview Builds

Good news, Lumia Icon users: Microsoft revealed this week that it will indeed support the Windows 10 Mobile upgrade on your favorite smart phone. However, that support is only for Insider Preview versions of the OS.

You may recall that Microsoft began shipping the Windows 10 Mobile upgrade to exist Windows Phone 8.x handsets back in March. At that time, the list of supported devices included just 16 models, all of which were high-end or very recent devices, a far cry from Microsoft’s original promises.

Many took issue with the phones that were left off the list, and not just because of the broken promises: Why, for example, was the Lumia Icon left off the list when the virtually identical Lumia 930 was included?

We may never know for sure—I blame Microsoft’s broken relationship with Verizon, the only carrier to offer the Icon—but with fans complaining incessantly, Microsoft’s Gabe Aul finally indicated on Twitter that the software giant was reevaluating that decision.

Now, he has good news.

“Good news for Lumia Icon owners: Icon will be supported for Windows 10 Mobile Preview builds from the Dev Branch in the near future,” he wrote on Twitter. “Yay!”

That “Dev Branch” bit means that Icon users can’t simply go to Phone Update and Settings and just upgrade to Windows 10 Mobile. Instead, they will need to join the Windows Insider program and install preview builds. (To date, that has not been supported either.)

When asked whether support for the normal, shipping version of Windows 10 Mobile would be offered eventually, Aul didn’t rule it out, but it’s not happening yet.

“Can only confirm support for Previews at this point,” he confirmed.

If you’re not familiar with the Insider Program, please read Windows 10 Mobile Tip: Upgrade to Windows 10 Mobile Right Now for more information. But you should also know that many Windows Phone 8.x users do not like the new OS and wish they hadn’t upgraded. Another of my articles, Tip: Downgrade from Windows 10 Mobile on a Windows Phone 8.1 Handset, will tell you how to go back to the previous OS version.