Windows Phone 8.1

Note – This is our 2nd post on Windows Phone 8.1 leaks

Yesterday saw a lot of info leak about Windows Phone 8.1 courtesy of the SDK releasing to developers. It did not end there and the leaks took the form of Screenshots and there are many of them. Let’s have a look at them plus more info.

Here we go

  • Native sharing is seeing a change in WP8.1. Users can no longer share to multiple networks at a go. Dedicated apps will have to be downloaded & used for sharing except Facebook Blue which is built in to Windows Phone.

WP8.1 image 44

  • Users must tap the ‘search button’ twice to activate search – this is to prevent accidental pressing. This holds true in full-screen apps whereas at other places single tap will work (contextual as it is said).

WP8.1 image 41

  • New Emulator Skin

WP8.1 image 43

  • ‘Separate volume controls’ for Ringer + Notifications and Media + Apps.

WP8.1 image 42

  • Xbox Music app in WP8.1 has version 2.2.267.0 (against the current 1.5.2720.0)
  • Project your devices screen on TV, Monitor or Projector

WP8.1 image 40

  • New Calendar view

WP8.1 image 39

  • ‘Photos’ app also sees a change in UI (now you can swipe to albums, favorites etc)

WP8.1 image 37

  • No ‘SkyDrive’ album integration in ‘Photos’ app. You need to open the app to access it.

WP8.1 image 36

  • Bing News app with Sync option across devices with Microsoft ID.

WP8.1 image 35

  • Share Contract (1st image), after clicking Social Networks (2nd image)

WP8.1 image 34

  • Battery Power Sense in action

WP8.1 image 32

  • ‘Messaging’ app settings (ability to download messages, ability to select the default messaging app – this is interesting)

WP8.1 image 31

WP8.1 image 30

  • Podcasts app (1st image), Podcasts app settings (2nd image)

WP8.1 image 29

WP8.1 image 28

  • Clock now looks bigger on Lockscreen

WP8.1 image 27

  • Tabs are removed in IE11 (we will have to wait till Apr for the final changes)

WP8.1 image 26

  • However you can press & hold the links in to new tabs in IE and can access them via App Switcher

WP8.1 image 16

  • Contextual Volume control (you can’t see ‘Ringer + Media’ in Music player)

WP8.1 image 25

  • IE11 will feature the ability to Download stuff from over the Web

WP8.1 image 24

  • Windows Phone 8.1 will come to all existing WP8 devices

WP8.1 image 23

  • ‘Advertising Id’ under settings (purpose not yet known)

WP8.1 image 21

  • Keyboard settings (3 images) (actually nothing new in this build)

WP8.1 image 20

WP8.1 image 19

WP8.1 image 18

  • Photos tile setting (select what appears on your homescreen)

WP8.1 image 17

  • Vibrate while ringing’ & ‘Vibrate while in silent mode

WP8.1 image 15

  • ‘cellular + SIM’ settings (Data connection now having toggle for ON/OFF )

WP8.1 image 14

  • ‘About’ under settings

WP8.1 image 13

  • Debug info

WP8.1 image 12

  • Language settings

WP8.1 image 11

  • Now disable ‘location icon’ in settings & presence of Geofence monitoring

WP8.1 image 8

  • Bing News at version 3.0.xxxx in WP8.1 unlike the current version 1.0.xxxx

WP8.1 image 7

  • Use of NFC for payment

WP8.1 image 6

  • Cortana voice shows ‘Microsoft Kate’

WP8.1 image 5

  • A look at the supported resolutions & how navigation bar can be activated on all of them

WP8.1 image 45

  • On screen buttons & the arrow to hide them

WP8.1 image 4

  • Navigation Bar settings (check ‘Allows apps to automatically show or hide the Navigation bar’ .. cool)

WP8.1 image 3