Windows Phone 8 update supports bigger and faster phones

Count Microsoft in on the giant phone trend.

When the latest Windows Phone 8 update hits devices at the end of the month, MIcrosoft's mobile operating system will get support for zippy quad-core processors and 1080p high-definition screens. That means Windows Phone devices will be able to sport five-inch, Apple (AAPL, Fortune 500) iPhone-like retina-grade displays. It also means that we'll eventually see a Windows Phone phablet.

The push for bigger displays also means that more live tiles can fit on the screen, and big phones running Windows Phone 8 will be able to add an extra column of tiles to its home screen.
In its previous iteration, Windows Phone 8 only allowed for slower dual-core processors and less-rich 720p screens. That meant Windows Phone devices couldn't participate in the move towards gigantic phones.
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