windows Windows Phone 8.1 update to bring Cortana into cars and app folders

sincity · July 28, 2014

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Exciting updates for Windows Phone 8.1 are just around the corner as Microsoft inadvertently spill the beans on some of the most prominent updates coming to its mobile OS soon.

Microsoft accidentally revealed its release notes for Windows Phone 8.1 GDR1, otherwise known as Update 1, on its Developer Center. One of the biggest changes is folders are finally being added. It's a little sad this long held iOS and Android feature has taken so long to implement, but it's finally here to let users better organize their app tiles.

The update also adds a Cortana entry into the phonebook, allowing users to trigger speech controls through the car's navigation system. This could be useful for activating speech on phones with cars that don't support the feature via Bluetooth.

One of the last big updates users will be able to take advantage of immediately is the added support for voice over a Wi-Fi connection in case customers have mobile plans with a tiny allotment of minutes.

Big screens, interactive covers

The premature release also reveals Microsoft is preparing Windows 8.1 for some of it's biggest devices yet. The update also adds support for screens 6.01-inches to 7-inches in size with a 1280 x 768 WXGA resolution.

Once the update takes, Windows Phone 8.1 devices with 1280 x 800 WXGA resolution screens will also become a possibility.

Windows Phone 8.1 GDR1 introduces the possibility of interactive case accessories. Like the covers made for the HTC One M8 and LG G3, these will allow Microsoft's mobile device's to display information on a phone screen even when a case is in use.

While aren't any interactive covers nor 7-inch Windows Phone devices, yet – new products could appear very soon.

Touchy touchy

Although the Windows Phone 8.1 update is not upon us yet Microsoft has released some new interactive lock screens to the current version of Windows Phone 8.1 with its Live Lock Screen beta.

These new fangled lock screens were first debuted at the Build 2014 and they replace boring swipeable pictures with rotating image locks and text that slips off the edge of the screen as users unlock their device.

Currently there are six themes all Windows Phone 8.1 users can access upon installing the app. However users might be better off sticking with the lock screens they already have as PC World reports many of them are still very buggy.

Supposedly the experience lags quite often while other users have reported the Live Lock screens cause their devices to crash repeatedly.