Windows Phone 8.1: New details, reveal at BUILD 2014

By George P
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George P Global Moderator

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Tom Warren has posted some more details on Windows Phone 8.1.  Sources who are in the know say that 8.1 will have a notification center that users will access by swiping down from the top of the screen just like in iOS and Android.  Similarly a shorter swipe from the top will give you quick settings so users can turn things on and off like WiFi etc.
 
Cortana will be in as well, a mix of Google Now and Sir.  Multiple volume controls are also in 8.1 finally so you can set ringer and media to different levels.  One big change is that they're going to be splitting out music+videos from the OS and making them separate Xbox music and Xbox video apps so they can be upgraded more often.  The team is also looking at doing the same with more apps while also allowing third parties like Facebook and twitter to modify the people hub more, probably other social networks as well.
 
They're expecting MS to reveal 8.1 at BUILD in April.

http://www.theverge.com/2013/12/16/5215484/windows-phone-8-1-features-notification-center-cortana

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Grand Master

George P Global Moderator

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Nice, but for the love of God, can somebody please make them include timed profiles.

That's one more thing people are asking for so it could be in as well.  These are just the things we are hearing about so far but they are big ones.

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George P Global Moderator

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Oooh, I'm excited. This is better than I was expecting, too :)

 

What are timed profiles?

  Timed profiles allow you to set different settings for different times.  For example you can set the ringer off from 11PM to 8AM while you're sleeping and then it will go back to you normal setting and so on.

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George P Global Moderator

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:wacko: why april 2014..

  There is also a update for Windows 8.1 that is coming at the same time that will bring the APIs closer together from what people are saying.  This is what's adding to it it seems.

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FiB3R

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  Timed profiles allow you to set different settings for different times.  For example you can set the ringer off from 11PM to 8AM while you're sleeping and then it will go back to you normal setting and so on.

Yep. I'm always missing calls because I have forgotten to take my phone off silent, first thing in the morning.

 

While this may be my own fault, it's a feature that phones have had since the dawn of the universe, and I want it back, God damn it :angry:

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George P Global Moderator

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Some more info from WPCentral.

Other features Windows Phone Central can exclusively reveal that are either coming to Windows Phone 8.1 or that are actively being worked on including micro SD card support for installing apps and games. This feature is especially important for low-cost devices, like the Lumia 520, where internal storage is limited to just 8 GB (and less than 5 GB actually available).
 

The notification center can also be accessed from the lock screen by swiping down, swiping up still unlocks the phone.

 

The default camera app will be updated to match the one from Windows 8.1.

 

First part apps will allow users to swipe their live tile left to clear it's tile count/notification without having to open the app.

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George P Global Moderator

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Small update, Tom Warren just tweeted that the quick access settings option in 8.1 is customizable.  Users can pick what settings they want there unlike in iOS etch.

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BajiRav

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Nice, but for the love of God, can somebody please make them include timed profiles.

I'd be happy if they just copied Windows 8.1's notification settings panel.

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George P Global Moderator

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WP8 is supported by MS for 18 months, maybe more now.  The first ones to hit the market and everything since should all be covered and upgraded without issue.  I expect to see a 8.1 preview for the Dev program at build in April.

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LittleNeutrino Veteran

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WP8 is supported by MS for 18 months, maybe more now.  The first ones to hit the market and everything since should all be covered and upgraded without issue.  I expect to see a 8.1 preview for the Dev program at build in April.

 

If so that would be fantastic.

 

I am not really sure what to expect with the notification panel other than i can have notifications for apps i do not have pinned to my start screen which would be nice. Right now i have a few apps that the only reason i have them pinned is to see when there is a notification as i do not check them often.

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elangab

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I want to get excited, but I know how it will go... they will show some features, state something about it being ready in "Summer 2014", making sure not give any specific date. Then, it'll only get installed around Q4 2014 for current gen WP8 devices.

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psionicinversion

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Will WP8 devices be able to update to 8.1? I have a WP7.5 device and was going to go get a Lumia 1020 today..

 

Yeah it will be, WP8 was a different kernel to wp7 pretty much and had its minimum specs set by MS that were higher than what the wp7 devices had and needed stuff on the SOC's that no WP7/7.5 device had so from WP8 onwards you should just be able to keep upgrading no problem

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LittleNeutrino Veteran

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I have the dev preview of Windows phone 8 GDR3 (Update 3) and i remember when they announced the dev preview they stated that it will be shipping out to most phones in December. And so far the official release has only been shipped to 2 existing phones and shipping on 2 others. no other phones have received their official updates for it yet.

 

that being the trend so far i expect to see Windows Phone 8.1 around august or so. if not later.

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primexx

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I have the dev preview of Windows phone 8 GDR3 (Update 3) and i remember when they announced the dev preview they stated that it will be shipping out to most phones in December. And so far the official release has only been shipped to 2 existing phones and shipping on 2 others. no other phones have received their official updates for it yet.

 

that being the trend so far i expect to see Windows Phone 8.1 around august or so. if not later.

 

Weirdly Nokia is being the late one this time. Probably haven't finished their Black update. They haven't even updated their updates webpage yet.

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Yusuf M. Veteran

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I'm hopeful that some big changes are coming to Windows Phone but they better not be late. Things are looking better with the developer preview program.

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