[ad#ad-1]As rumored and technically promised, Windows Phone 8.1 is available and ready for download today with through the Preview of Developer app program. This update brings a host of new features that brings Windows Phone to par with its competitors.
- Action Center
- Start Screen Wallpaper
- Cortana
- Flow Keyboard
- New Calendar
- New Stock Camera App
Browser
- Internet Explorer 11
- IE 11 to save and remember your password for websites
- JavaScript and HTML for app development
- Upload files through Internet Explorer 11
- Tabs now show up individually in multi-task window
- WebGL and Normal mapping support
- YouTube Player including HTML5 video support
Apps + Store
- Apps can capture audio/video from themselves; be limited for copyright concerns
- App and Game data stored on SD cards
- 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
- App Suggestions by location
- Backup of App + Game data to OneDrive (if developer enabled)
- Facebook app comes with OS, updates independently, hooks into OS
- Filter through installed apps by usage/install date
- Manual Update checks
- New Store design and features
- Option to update store apps automatically
- Option to update store apps when only on Wi-Fi
- Single sign-in for apps (like on Windows 8) with Microsoft Account; sign in will persist across devices + apps with permissions prompt
System
- Bluetooth 4.0 LE
- Chkdsk for SD cards to ensure card health
- 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
- Miracast, PlayTo, mirror and project via wireless display or USB-out
- Mouse and keyboard support (HID)
- Stereoscopic 3D support
- The phone will have to update to the latest version before you can restore it to factory settings
- Trusted app list for NFC that will remove the need for asking whether you want to open a particular app
- Virtual SmartCard support
- Wallet supports tickets and membership cards
- Windows Phone 8.1 apps won’t run on 8.0 devices until they upgrade
