Windows Phone 8.1 Developer Preview has been out for quite some time now and one key feature of the update is an improved Internet Explorer browser. In a new blog post today, Microsoft is highlighting all the new features that come with Internet Explorer 11 on Windows Phone 8.1.
“You may have been hearing bits and pieces of news about IE11 on Windows Phone 8.1, and we’re excited to share the full scoop on user experience improvements with you today! Our team has been laser focused on delivering a massive upgrade to four key areas of your browsing experience: quick site access, fast and fluid browsing, safety and privacy, and accessibility,” Microsoft stated in an official blog post. Internet Explorer 11 comes with support for high contrast mode, Narrator, and an override switch to allow zooming into all Web pages.
Internet Explorer 11 is jam packed with a vast amount of improvements, including quick site access, which showcases your most frequently visited websites on the address bar as well as a prediction on which site you will likely go to when you type in the address bar. There are also unlimited tabs, allowing you to do more. You can even easily access the refresh button, which in the past was a pain to access immediately. You can also pin sites as a Live tile to your home screen, just like the functionality on Windows 8.1.
“We are excited to announce that Internet Explorer 11 will sync your browsing data across phone, tablet, and PC. This includes your favorites, history, passwords, and open tabs. You can now quickly pick up where you left off when you switch devices, and finally say goodbye to emailing yourself links!” Microsoft added.
On top of these features, Internet Explorer 11 features in-line video playback, Reading View, the ability to remember passwords, the ability to swipe to go back and forward, and saving downloaded files. Internet Explorer 11 is also the first mobile browser to introduce anti-phishing protection with SmartScreen Filter as well as the added DoNotTrack signal. If privacy is your concern, you can launch tabs in private as well.
“We brought DataSense to IE on Windows Phone 8 to enable up to 40% more browsing with the same amount of data, and no noticeable difference in the browsing experience. This time, we are introducing High Savings Mode, which downloads only the most important pieces of the Web site and heavily compresses images,” Microsoft added.
Assuming you have Windows Phone 8.1 Developer Preview up and running, how do you like these new improvements to Internet Explorer 11?
