Huge list of Windows Phone 8.1 features leaked

The Windows Phone 8.1 SDK is turning out to be a gift that keeps on giving. While rumors of Windows Phone 8.1 features had been circulating long before the SDK was released. We got our first true confirmation when a huge list of Windows Phone 8.1 features were revealed by the developers testing the SDK.

Yesterday we saw several new features of Windows Phone 8.1 photo mode, password management in IE 11 and more revealed.

Today a couple of developers have put together a huge list of features which Microsoft has been planning for their mobile platform, which lets us know how busy the dev team has been to build upon the groundwork laid down with Windows Phone 8, back in late 2012.

[NOTE] Please keep in mind that there is no guarantee that all of these features will make their way to the final version of Windows Phone 8.1 when it eventually makes its way to the end user.


Windows Phone 8.1 new feature changes

• Sharing secured WI-Fi Networks with contacts if they have Wi-Fi Sense. They don’t get to see the shared password though
• Social notifications will now show up in Action Center by swiping from the top of the screen
• Operators can now control Data Sense limits remotely
• Operators can also install certain applications once a SIM card is detected
• Along with normal updates, there are now “important” updates.
• Options to always download emails and pictures within them
• Encrypted and signed e-mail support
• Change default SMS app. You can also change which SMS app will show notifications.
• Enterprise enrolled phones can have their passwords changed and remotely locked
• “Write, when I swipe through letters”. That should be self-explanatory
• Geofence monitoring support. Geofence is a boundary around a place of interest to you. Location services can monitor geofences to tell your apps when you’re entering and leaving them. This would be really good for IFTTT
• Office Lens support. Will scan in documents and screens
• The phone will have to update to the latest version before you can restore it to factory settings
• Option to update store apps automatically
• Option to update store apps when only on Wi-Fi
• App Suggestions by location
• Manual Update checks
• Password protected Office document support
• Trusted app list for NFC that will remove the need for asking whether you want to open a particular app.
• In-call speech commands. You’ll be able to say “Call XXXXXX”.
• Double-Tap to unlock your phone (Feature from Lumia devices on Amber Update and newer)
• Quiet Hours
• Double Tap to Power Off
• Notification if charger isn’t of adequate power
• Screenshot button combination is now Power + Volume Up
• Chkdsk for SD Cards essentially
• Apps on SD Cards are only allowed from ONE originating phone. If it detects that apps from another phone are installed on the SD Card, then it will ask to delete those first
• Voice Narrator for Accessibility
• The Search button will be the new way to open Speech instead of the Start button (Since the newer phones will have the start button on screen)
• New Email sync options with accordance to usage patterns (i.e. If you get a lot of mail on particular days and if you don’t check mail every day).
• Change the size and amount of tiles on your start screen.
• Wallet supports tickets and membership cards
• App Syncing
• Backups now include application data (ABOUT TIME)
• Screen Reader functionality (Maybe Text-To-Speech for apps?)
• Screen Recording functionality
• Inner Circle of contacts. Up to 40 contacts can be in the inner circle.
• You can favorite photos by tapping a heart icon
• Virtual SmartCard support

Quite Hours is one of the features expected to make its way to the Windows Phone 8.1 update. Quiet Hours refers to a set period of time where a user won't be bothered by Notifications. Perfect for your bedtime.

Interestingly it looks like the double-tap to wake feature from Nokia is making its way into the core Windows Phone system. There is also a new double-tap to off feature reportedly making its way to the platform.

Office Lense support is an interesting feature which will let you scan a document using your phone camera and import it into Office. This should be useful both to regular and business users.

There is even a reference to a new swipe keyboard in WP 8.1. Apparently this is an augmentation of the stock keyboard where users can drag their finger to type, giving users an optional method of input. It should not be mistaken for the Swype keyboard for Android and/or support for third party keyboards.

Windows Phone 8.1 is shaping up to be a huge update to the platform. Leave us a comment and tell us which of the features you are most excited about.


source - WPCentral