Microsoft may be forcing the hand of developers, with the latest rumours claiming that the future Windows Phone 8 developing tool will not be made compatible with Windows 7, nor with earlier versions.

The statement comes from Sun Yi, a China Telecom executive, who urged users to adopt the Windows 8 Release Preview - the only Windows version that is currently compatible with the Apollo SDK.

"Windows 8 Release Preview Escrow 8370 is now available for download. Essential for all WP8 developers. Both the Developer Preview and Consumer Preview released previously does not support the development of WP8 apps (Apollo SDK cannot be run on Windows 7)", said Sun Yi.

It was already thought that Windows 8 and its mobile version would share the same kernel, and stronger evidence proving this theory has since arrived. However, Microsoft may be stepping on thin ice here, forcing developers to install an unfinished operating system in order to code future applications.

Moreover, once the new desktop OS arrives and the Release Preview will be discontinued, these devs will also have to abandon previous versions and pay for Windows 8.

Although Microsoft has managed to maintain decent hype surrounding WP8 Apollo, this comes as a significant blow, following earlier rumours claiming that no existing handset will be upgraded to Windows Phone 8, not even Nokia's Lumia 900.

Speculations aside, Microsoft is expected to clarify the situation next month, during the annual Developer conference.

Source: Weibo (translated by Google)