Microsoft have released the Windows Phone 8.1 Software Developers Kit, allowing devs the chance to see what new features will be coming in the Windows Phone platform’s next major update, due to be officially announced in April.
Some of the developers have taken to Reddit to share with the rest of us the new features which appear to be coming in Windows Phone 8.1, also known as Windows Phone Blue. The list below featured on Windows Phone Central:
– VPN
-Onedrive with integrated file browser (like on W8.1)
-sort apps by usage / install date…
-select multiple tiles
-better multitasking
-install apps on SD Card
-IE11 with WebGL and Normal mapping support
-separate volume control
-Bing smart search (same search as in W8.1)
-Xbox music and xbox video as standalone apps instead of the music+video hub (allowing more updates)
-Redesigned xbox game hub
-Facebook and twitter integrated more deeply into the contacts HUB
-better camera app (the same one as W8.1)
-Quick settings (wifi, bluetooth..) by doing a quick swype from the up
-Action Center accessed by doing a full swype from up to the bottom
-Silent notifications that go directly into the Action center
-Possibility to mark a tile as read by swyping it from the left
-“Cortana” smart agent doing the same things as Siri and Google Now and even more, data from foursquare
– auto updates for apps
– better backup
– better keyboard with swype
– 4 size of tile
-Bluetooth 4.0 LE
– feature to mirror Windows Phone screens to TVs or monitors (miracast ?)
Quite a healthy list of new features. The comments on Reddit suggest that a lot of features found on Windows RT will be intergrated into the 8.1. Windows Phone 8.1 will be available for all current devices running Windows Phone 8 (providing no carriers decide to block the update). Check out the Reddit post yourself by clicking HERE
[…] have been hearing a lot of news about Windows Phone 8.1 features lately, we covered a list of features revealed by the SDK on Tuesday, well now an even larger one has been compiled by developers Jeremy […]
[…] today we posted on the new features revealed in WP 8.1 SDK, you can see that post Here. Now WinBeta.org has posted a Video of Windows Phone 8.1 emulator, highlighting some of the leaked […]
Here is the complete list.. Almost same as above…waiting for this update but i am anxious about the update after Windows Blue!
Documentation confirms ALL current Windows Phone 8 hardware to get 8.1
Installing Apps in Micro SD cards
File Manager
VPN Support
WIFI Sense, Battery Sense, Data Sense, Storage Sense, Pod cast app
Recieve Text using 3rd Party App
There’s now a Mute-Unmute button on the navigation bar of the video player
Rebranding of Skydrive to OneDrive
the Music and Video apps have been separated out. combined Music+Video app has been removed
Swype Keyboard
Build-in Camera updates, this will include 3 modes. camera, burst and video
iCloud is included under account settings
IE 11
Youtube App
Greater cotrol over USB
COrtana
Action + Notification Centre
Deeper Skype integration
Deeper Facebook integration
Audio/video transcoding, Hardware accelerated
Media editing: audio and video; Audio effects, video effects; Slow motion video
Apps can capture audio/video from themselves
Stereoscopic 3d support
NEW Wi-Fi Direct, a Wi-Fi standard allowing direct peer-to-peer connections over Wi-Fi without an access point
Windows Phone 8.1 apps won’t run on 8.0 devices until they upgrade
Dev tools: SemanticZoom, DatePicker, TimePicker
PlayTo support
Single sign-in for apps (like on Windows 8) with Microsoft Account; sign in will persist across devices + apps with permissions prompt
YouTube Player including HTML5 video support (video playback doesn’t have to be full screen) And you get custom UI, so YouTube Closed Captions are in
File picker
Geofencing API for location-based reminders
Background tasks: Bluetooth signal strength, Chat message notification, Device connection change, Device use trigger, Gatt characteristic notification, Location, Push notification, Rfcomm connection, System event, Timer
Back button doesn’t terminate the app it only suspends them
Slide down to close apps
More efficient multitasking
NEW Navigation bar color selection
No more XAP, instead APPX
Filter through installed apps by usage/install date
Select multiple tiles when customising the Start screen [FALSE]
Internet Explorer 11 improved with WebGL and Normal mapping support
Separate volume controls for ringer, media, etc.
Bing smart search (similar search system as Windows 8.1)
Xbox Music and Xbox Video as standalone apps instead of the Music + Video Hub (allowing more updates to be pushed)
Redesigned Xbox Game Hub
Twitter integrated more deeply into the contacts Hub
Facebook account option REMOVED (updated)
Quick settings access (Wi-Fi, Bluetooth) by doing a quick swipe from the top of the screen
Action Center accessed by doing a full swipe from up to the bottom (separate from the Notification Center)
Silent notifications which go directly to the Action center
Possibility to mark a Live Tile as read by swiping from the left of said tile
Auto-updates for apps (just like Windows 8.1)
Better backup functionality
Improved keyboard
Bluetooth 4.0 LE (to non-Lumia Windows Phones)
Feature to mirror Windows Phone screens to TVs and/or monitors
new gesture-based keyboard
Pivots, now called Hub, have smaller title. More screen space!
Microsoft is definitely merging Windows Store and Windows Phone Store.
Why anxious about the following update?
WP gotta bring back the Podcasting app from WP7 days. Syncing with Zune just worked so well on the device.
not anxious about WP 8.1… thinking of what would be the next update from MS!