It has long been rumored that Windows Phone 8 will be getting a brand new update that will improve the overall performance and functionality of the new mobile OS. Finally, the update's coming and it's dubbed 'Portico.'

Previously touted as Apollo+, the update is expected to hit all the devices running the Windows Phone 8, and was revealed just a week ago. The OS update is rumored to be announced this February during the annual Mobile World Congress in Barcelona and it will reportedly consist of various small patches, fixes, and additions to Windows Phone 8.

Dubbed “Portico”, this label will continue the well known Microsoft tradition of Windows Phone operating system codenames to end in the letter “o”, if history is of any indication with NoDo (7.x), Mango (7.5), Tango (7.5 Refresh), and Apollo (8.0).

However, Windows Phone Central has now learned from a known and trusted source that this update is being referred to not as Apollo+ but ‘Portico’.

“The label is evidently keeping in the Microsoft tradition of Windows Phone OS codenames ending in -o, including NoDo (7.x), Mango (7.5), Tango (7.5 Refresh) and Apollo (8.0),” a Windows Phone Central report states. “We’re unsure if the name was chosen for its meaning, although the concept of a portico being an extension on a house certainly fits the idea behind the update, which is thought to augment the capabilities of Windows Phone 8.”

As mentioned earlier, the update was initially known as Apollo+ and a tweet published by renowned Twitter account @Football4PDA also stated: “MS is going to roll out update for WP8 which is called Apollo+ in Q1 2013.”

At the time, a report from The Verge stated that Microsoft “is preparing to include VPN support in Windows Phone, a missing option since the reset of Microsoft's mobile OS efforts, that will allow corporate users to connect to work systems — this feature may make it into the first Apollo Plus update.”

Also, a proposed Wi-Fi connection fix was also planned to let connections always remain on, alongside some audio improvements.

Unluckily, not much is currently known about Portico, mostly due to the random changing of priorities with the development team, as well as well maintained secrecy.