Nokia starts pushing out Windows Phone 7.8 to Lumia handsets

Nokia has started to roll out the Windows Phone 7.8 update to all its smartphones currently sitting on Windows Phone 7.5.

Handsets confirmed for the upgrade so far are the Lumia 510, 610, 710, 800 and 900, with Windows Phone 7.8 arriving over the coming weeks on all the handsets.

Nokia told TechRadar: "The Windows Phone 7.8 rollout started last night in the UK, so people started getting notifications from operators; it's a phased rollout throughout February, but should be finished by the end of the month."

Annoyingly you'll have to dig out your USB cable, turn on your computer and fire up the Zune desktop software to get Windows Phone 7.8 downloaded and installed on your handset, as over-the-air support only arrived with Windows Phone 8.

Pontificating Portico

It's not just the older Nokia handsets in line for a treat, as the Finnish firm has also confirmed the Portico update is on its way to its Windows Phone 8 devices – namely the Lumia 820 and Lumia 920.

"With Windows Phone 8 Portico update it's the same thing, it's already available from a few networks, so both 7.8 and Portico for Windows 8 started today," a Nokia spokesperson told us.

Portico brings with it a number of enhancements including improvements to the messaging system, the ability to send text replies when you can't take an incoming call, tweaks to the IE browser, improved Wi-Fi connectivity and plenty of others.

The Windows Phone 8 Portico update will be available over-the-air, so there's no need to scrabble around looking for a charger.