Windows Phone 8.1

[George P Global Moderator]

When it comes to video playback on Windows Phone, especially YouTube, things can get a little complicated. We won?t rehash the whole Google-Microsoft tiff over an official app again, but what we can share with you is some details about how Microsoft worked really hard on Windows Phone 8.1?s HTML5 video capability.

 

We recently spoke with a Microsoft developer who worked on IE 11 HTML5 audio/video features, including all the details of the modifications. They?re quite significant, and we?re confident that once you learn about them, you?ll be even more excited to pick up the 8.1 bits in the coming weeks.

 

Windows Phone 8.1 now features an upgraded browser, Internet Explorer 11, which has a significant amount of enhanced video handling. Sure, third party YouTube apps will have their role e.g. for more advanced tasks, but the new video player in the browser will offer a playback experience akin to the desktop. Here are the improvements:

 

Internet Explorer 11 HTML5 video and audio capabilities

 

Inline Video and Full Screen Video Playback ? Videos embedded in websites can be played directly, without ?blowing up? to full screen, allowing users to continue to read the site while the video continues. That?s useful for sites like CNN or YouTube, where reading comments and details could be beneficial. Alternatively, users can tap the full screen button to regain that experience and site and content providers can make full screen playback the default.

 

New Controls ? Videos will pause and keep their place if you switch tasks/apps. Before, your position was lost. There?s another highly requested feature: scrubbing. Users can now slide to a particular position in the video.

 

Audio and Video playback behind the lock screen ? Yup, you can now lock the screen and still have the audio play. You can even do this for sites like Grooveshark (html5.grooveshark.com). However, if you minimize the app (aka task switch away), the video/audio stream will pause.

 

Universal Volume Control Integration ? Similar to the above new feature, you can still have access to the video/audio controls when on the Lock screen for playback. You can even switch songs on a site like Grooveshark without unlocking the phone.

 

http://www.wpcentral.com/windows-phone-81-improved-youtube-experience?utm_source=wpc&utm_medium=twitter

 

Some pictures at the source.

[LittleNeutrino Veteran]

i am very excited for in line video viewing, so when i am on a page that supports video playback i am not pulled out of that page and pushed into a full screen video all the time.

[Brandon H Supervisor]

god MS is making me want a WP more and more (the tipping point would be if Pebble started fully supporting it)

[Crimson Rain]

i am very excited for in line video viewing, so when i am on a page that supports video playback i am not pulled out of that page and pushed into a full screen video all the time.

Yes, it has its use but I prefer full-screen on these tiny screen phones...

[George P Global Moderator]

god MS is making me want a WP more and more (the tipping point would be if Pebble started fully supporting it)

 

With the changes they're bringing to 8.1 and APIs and so on I think we'll see an acceleration in support for WP this year.  2013 was just the start for it all I think.

[Bertch]

god MS is making me want a WP more and more (the tipping point would be if Pebble started fully supporting it)

 

 

With the changes they're bringing to 8.1 and APIs and so on I think we'll see an acceleration in support for WP this year.  2013 was just the start for it all I think.

 

I still have my original Samsung Focus from the beginning, I can't wait to update my phone and start using WP8.1.

[Sir Topham Hatt]

 

What phone is that in the pic?

[jakem1]

I think it's the Lumia Icon which is only available in the US.  The 930 will be similar and will be released in June.

[George P Global Moderator]

Yeah, it's the Icon, notice the Verizon logo.   The 930 is similar to it but not quite, there's changes to the design a bit here and there IIRC.

 

The Lumia 630/635 has the biggest changes so far, like software keys and no dedicated camera button.