Microsoft launched the public preview version of Windows 8.1 nearly a month ago, but that doesn't mean it wants current Windows 8 app developers to wait until the final RTM version is released to start adapting their app to the new operating system version. Today, Microsoft offered some helpful hints to give Windows 8 app makers a way to take advantage of the new features in Windows 8.1.
The highly technical post on the Windows App Builder blog says that as far as templates are concerned, Windows 8.1 does away with the LayoutAwarePage class for navigation Process Lifetime Management in favor of splitting up its default view model, handled navigation, and maintained state features, which Microsoft says gives developers a a more customizable model. The SuspensionManager class is still around for Process Lifetime Management, but Windows 8.1 also adds the new NavigationHelper class.
The blog also goes over some changes in the styles and data templates for Windows 8.1 apps. There are two new item templates for the preview versions, the Hub Page and the Settings Flyout, in addition to all of the other item templates that are available for Windows 8 apps. The blog also offers up the specific Windows 8.1 changes for app makers so they can remove the old components from their Windows 8 apps.
Source: Microsoft | Image via Microsoft
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