Microsoft has outlined some of the surprisingly extensive new features coming with the first Windows Phone 8.1 update.
Windows Phone 8.1 itself only started rolling out to compatible handsets within the last month or so, but attention is already turning to Update 1.
Microsoft has chosen to explain some of what that update will entail over on its developer website. Perhaps the most notable addition to Windows Phone 8.1 with Update 1 is folder support, which was rumoured last month.
This will enable users to drag one tile on top of another to form a folder containing both applications. It appears to work much like the similar offerings on iOS and Android.
Another new feature to be included in Windows Phone 8.1 Update 1 is smart case support. Such cases are already in use by Android manufacturers such as LG and HTC, and can do things such as wake a phone when opened or display key information in a small window.
Microsoft is planning to allow Windows Phone manufacturers and developers to support such cases on the platform.
The new update will also optimise Window Phone 8.1 to run on the 7-inch form factor favoured by compact tablet manufacturers. With the recent confirmation that Microsoft had indeed cut the Microsoft Surface Mini relatively recently, this allow Windows Phone to make up for the shortfall in ultra-portable Windows tablets.
Perhaps related to that, Windows Phone 8.1 Update 1 will also support the 1280 x 800 scree resolution. Elsewhere, it’ll feature a Cortana phonebook entry that enables users to trigger speech in their car, and several other handy new features.
We don’t know when Windows Phone 8.1 Update 1 is being released as yet, but it could arrive with developers as soon as next week.
Read More: Nokia Lumia 930 review
Via: The Verge
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Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
