Microsoft has detailed the new features of Windows Phone 8.1 Update 1 with Lumia Denim. Currently, the only few devices which come with the latest operating system is the Lumia 830, Lumia 730, and Lumia 735. But as previously announced, several other devices will also be receiving the update by the end of this year. Of course, how soon you will receive the update on your phone also depends on your phone’s OEM and carrier which more often than not do delay the update.
Lumia Denim update, however, will be exclusively available to Lumia handsets. But, fret not, users with Windows Phone handsets will be able to enjoy the features introduced with Windows Phone 8.1 Update 1, considering their manufacturers roll it out on time.
Windows Phone 8.1 brings a handful of new features to Windows Phone devices including the personal digital assistant Cortana to more regions. With the latest update, Cortana is now available in the UK and China as Beta. Users in Australia, Canada and India will also be able to enjoy it as public alpha. It’s not just new regions, Microsoft has made some improvements to Cortana in the US as well, including an improved natural language, car kit integration via Bluetooth for contacts, snooze reminders, and calendar improvements.
Furthermore, users can now create Live Folders on their Start screen, managing multiple apps in a single folder, a feature which is available on rival operating systems for some time now. All you have to do is drag an app over the other to create a folder, it’s that simple. Other features include apps corner, SMS merge and forwarding and much more. Here are rest of the Windows Phone 8.1 Update 1 features as detailed by Microsoft:
- Cortana – available in the UK and China as a Beta; India, Canada and Australia as a public Alpha; plethora of improvements for US version.
- Live folders – If you prefer to keep your apps or games organised, you can now put them into folders.
- Apps Corner – Create a customised Start screen, where only specific apps or games are accessible.
- SMS merge and forwarding – Select individual text messages to either delete them out of a messaging thread, or to copy and past them into a new message in order to forward them.
- Snooze Times – It’s now possible to customise the snooze time within the Alarm app.
- Consumer VPN – Maintain privacy and security when using data while connected to public Wi-Fi hotspots or even with your home Wi-Fi.
- Mobile Web Site improvements in IE – Connect and browse even faster with improved downloading speeds on mobile websites.
- Store Live Tile (US only) – The Store Live Tile displays featured apps and games that are the most popular in the Store, or most relevant for you.
Combined with these, Lumia Denim update offers more features that are exclusive to Lumia handsets. In the latest update, Nokia Camera is rebranded as Lumia Camera, and offers improved performance. It offers several other imaging-related enhancements such as ‘Moment capture’ which allows users to capture 4K videos, Auto HDR and Dynamic Flash, improved performance and algorithms to capture impressive images in low light condition, and more.
Furthermore, the Glance Screen also comes with MSN Weather, or MSN Health & Fitness data, in addition to time and date, notifications and application data.
You can check out the complete list of Lumia Denim features from the via link below.
Further reading: Denim, Lumia, Microsoft, Update 1, Windows Phone, Windows Phone 8.1