WP7 'phantom data use' culprit IDed as Yahoo! mail

The Windows Phone "phantom data use" culprit has been identified, and it while we knew it was a third-party, we didn't know how big of one. It was Yahoo! Mail.

In fact, Windows Phone Secrets, through its own investigation, had already determined that Yahoo! Mail was sending about 25x as much data as it needed to the phone; the Microsoft statement issued later in the day simply confirmed that result.

Microsoft said that they and Yahoo! have identified a fix, which will be rolled out in the "coming weeks." In the meantime, Microsoft suggested the following workaround:

1. On the Start screen of Windows Phone 7, click on the arrow at the top right
2. Choose “Settings” from the app list
3. Choose “email & accounts”
4. Choose “Yahoo! Mail”
5. Click on the setting under “Download new content”
6. Select a less frequent setting. If you are using the default setting (every 2 hours), change this setting to ‘manually’
7. Click on the setting under “Download email from”
8. Select a shorter time range. If you are using the default setting (the last 2 weeks), change this setting to ‘the last 7 days’

Microsoft officials also acknowledged there is a problem with the Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync (EAS) e-mail synchronization protocol that may be affecting a "small percentage" of Windows Phone 7 users. Examples of email services that could be affected include Outlook and Gmail. The immediate workaround for the problem is to delete any mail that appears “stuck” in the outbox. Microsoft said this problem will be fixed in a “near-term end user update from Microsoft.”

Just when that "near-term end user update" comes is a question. Microsoft was supposed to release its first big update to Windows Phone in January, and it is now February. Additionally, a recent report by NPD showed that Windows Phone was actually outsold by the creaky Windows Mobile in the U.S. during Q4 2010, not a good sign.

Via: Windows Phone Secrets, All About Microsoft