You forget WP7 devices won't be updated to WP8. Besides, the person who gave me my WP7 phone won't be giving WP8 phones, and I really won't buy one just to check if the problems in WP7 are solved in WP8.

I was wondering when we would get Microsoft's take on the matter... Unfortunately I can't verify if this was really implemented as I only have WP7.8, can you please post something that is not speculation and instead is a clear confirmation that WP8 has USB mass storage support?

Why shouldn't they? Why are they asking for a standard access to a third party API when they don't follow standards, and even distort them for their own profit? Besides, what profit would Google have in changing their APIs to cater to an almost non-existing smartphone OS? Why not first focus on Bada or Symbian or RIM, which still have bigger market share than Windows Phone?

PS: I got an Android phone in the meantime. The WP phone was a gift, and it works well as my second phone - receiving calls and SMSs, basically working as a dumb phone.

No, but I can easily access the files I have on my Android phone, using either USB mass storage or standard MTP. No need to use a cloud service. And, an added advantage over WP7.x (never used 8) is that other cloud services work, with automatic synchronization of folders. On WP7.x you need to copy files by hand, at least with Dropbox and Box.

I haven't tried yet WP8, but 7.x doesn't support standard MTP, only a hacked non-compatible Microsoft variant.

BTW, USB mass storage isn't an anachronism, it is just the easiest way to transfer things; in Linux it just works, in windows it just works. MTP has too many quirks and one of my peeves with the recent android releases is that it is used by default, forcing one to resort to workarounds to get the device working in mass storage mode.

Maybe, just maybe, Microsoft shouldn't be complaining so much when they block or use non-standard protocols on their devices, in particular WP ones:

- Skydrive, the more or less standard way to get stuff in and out of Windows Phones, doesn't implement WebDAV in a open manner, making it difficult to use with Linux or BSD;

- The hardware search button in Windows Phone is tied to bing, and users can't change it;

- Windows Phone doesn't support standard protocols (standard MTP, USB file access) to access its filesystem, so it doesn't play well with Linux or BSD;

- Windows RT and Windows Phone specify a locked bootloader, so that users can't install anything else on their devices;

I could go on and on here, but these 4 examples should be enough... They really should fix their act before complaining that others aren't playing fair.