Developers leak Windows Phone 8.1 SDK, reveal new features

YouTube Player

For our total coverage, head to Windows Phone 8.1 SDK leak - All y'all demand to know!

Windows Phone 8.i, codenamed 'Blue', is a forthcoming major update for Microsoft's mobile platform. While we're anticipating an declaration at the company's Build 2022 conference in April, with new hardware arriving in June, already Microsoft has released the SDK to developers and we're seeing some leaks appear on Reddit, pointing at a handful of new features in the eight.ane update.

The leaks published by developers who take early access to the SDK evidence signs of farther unity between Windows Phone and Windows 8.ane, which Microsoft has previously hinted at. Both JavaScript and HTML is touted equally being supported for app evolution, enabling developers on the desktop+tablet OS to bring across compatible content for smartphone consumers to enjoy.

Some obvious changes have been jotted down, including the rebranding of SkyDrive to OneDrive, not to mention the ability to gear up and configure connections to Virtual Private Networks (VPN). A number of other changes take reportedly been implemented in the SDK, making multitasking easier with the removal of "10 to close" and allowing users to swipe down on each app tile (much like Windows eight.1) – the back button no longer closes apps, but suspends them.

New File Picker

Here's the listing of features noted past the developer with Windows Phone 8.one SDK access:

NEW Sound/video transcoding, Hardware accelerated
NEW Media editing: audio and video; Sound effects, video effects; Wearisome motion video
NEW Apps can capture sound/video from themselves
NEW Stereoscopic 3d support
NEW Wi-Fi Direct, a Wi-Fi standard allowing direct peer-to-peer connections over Wi-Fi without an access bespeak
NEW Windows Telephone 8.i apps won't run on 8.0 devices until they upgrade
NEW Documentation confirms ALL electric current Windows Phone 8 hardware to get eight.1
NEW Dev tools: SemanticZoom, DatePicker, TimePicker
NEW PlayTo support
NEW Single sign-in for apps (like on Windows eight) with Microsoft Account; sign in will persist across devices + apps with permissions prompt
NEW YouTube Player (see lede epitome) including HTML5 video support (video playback doesn't have to be total screen) And you become custom UI, so YouTube Closed Captions are in
NEW File picker (see above image)
NEW Geofencing API for location-based reminders
NEW Background tasks: Bluetooth signal strength, Chat message notification, Device connection modify, Device use trigger, Gatt characteristic notification, Location, Push notification, Rfcomm connectedness, Organization outcome, Timer
NEW Slide downwardly to close apps
NEW Navigation bar color selection
NEW USB choices
NEW Updated camera layout, similar to Windows 8.ane (meet photo beneath)
Back button doesn't terminate the app
No more XAP, instead APPX
VPN (Virtual Private Network)
OneDrive (previously SkyDrive) with integrated file browser (but like Windows 8.1)
Filter through installed apps by usage/install date
Select multiple tiles when customising the First screen [Imitation]
More efficient multitasking
Ability to install apps on inserted SD Cards
Internet Explorer eleven improved with WebGL and Normal mapping support
Separate book controls for ringer, media, etc.
Bing smart search (similar search organisation as Windows eight.1)
Xbox Music and Xbox Video every bit standalone apps instead of the Music + Video Hub (allowing more than updates to be pushed)
Redesigned Xbox Game Hub
Twitter integrated more deeply into the contacts Hub
Facebook account option REMOVED (updated)
Quick settings access (Wi-Fi, Bluetooth) by doing a quick swipe from the top of the screen
Action Centre accessed past doing a full swipe from up to the bottom (separate from the Notification Center)
Silent notifications which get directly to the Action center
Possibility to marking a Live Tile as read past swiping from the left of said tile
Motorcar-updates for apps (merely like Windows viii.1)
Better backup functionality
Improved keyboard
Bluetooth 4.0 LE (to non-Lumia Windows Phones)
Characteristic to mirror Windows Telephone screens to TVs and/or monitors

Things not included in the SDK:

Cortana
Activeness Heart + Notification Center
new gesture-based keyboard

A final interesting annotation is how Windows Phone is referred to as WinPRT.

Windows Phone 8.1 Browser

Nosotros haven't been able to confirm the above list, and so be sure to have each entry with a grain of salt. That said, it'southward looking likely Windows Phone 8.i volition be an impressive update, bringing beyond much anticipated functionality. Reddit user DDReaper compiled the sweet list, taking everything from other threads and bundling everything in a easily digestible experience.

Source: Reddit; thanks to everyone who tipped us!

New camera app layout

New: USB Connections, Nav bar color, swipe downwards to close apps

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