On Thursday, Microsoft has given itself more breathing room with Windows 10 Mobile. Windows 10 for PCs and tablets will roll out on July 29. But the mobile edition won’t be seen broadly until later this year, Gabe Aul, head of Microsoft’s Windows Insider program, said in a blog posted earlier this month.
Windows 10 Mobile Build 10149 is the latest preview edition for Windows Insiders. To elicit feedback from the user population, Microsoft has been regularly rolling out new previews, or builds, of Windows 10 for desktop and mobile devices. The Windows Insider program allows people to freely install and test each edition and offer their comments, questions, and criticisms to Microsoft to improve Windows 10.
Based on this latest build, Aul seemed confident about the state of Windows 10 Mobile. “We’ve been using this build internally for a few days and have really loved it,” Aul said. “It is faster, more stable, and more polished overall and has been lots of fun for us to see come together.”
Also See: Microsoft gearing up to launch of high-end Windows 10 cell phone in India.
So, what are some of the new features in the Windows 10 Mobile preview? We are discussing here:
Microsoft’s new Edge browser is now officially known as Edge, rather than by its older Spartan tag. Edge displays the address bar at the bottom in this build, a change based on feedback from Windows testers, according to Aul. There’s also an option to view websites in either mobile view or desktop view.
Microsoft has also tidied up the overall look of Windows 10 Mobile. In previous builds, many Live tiles pinned to the Start screen would appear blurry. Now the screen is clearer and crisper. Certain controls, such as volume control, have new icons. Aul also touted the latest build as “more responsive to use.” He conceded that more work has to be done but was happy about the progress made in this build.
Also, See: HTC 8X gets access to Windows 10 Preview.
The Cortana voice assistant sports a few improvements, especially in its Notebook, an area used to store settings and other user information. Using the Notebook, you can now set up Quiet Hours, a feature that sends any incoming phone calls to voicemail to not disturb you. You can also now tell Cortana to send an email in one fell swoop by including the recipient’s name, the subject, and your message in one single voice command.
Another request made by Windows Insiders was to add a virtual flashlight feature to Windows 10’s Action Center. And Microsoft has complied with that request in the latest build, letting you turn your phone into a flashlight. The Photos app has been updated to be more reliable and also now supports animated GIFs. And you can now automatically upload your camera roll photos directly to your OneDrive online storage.
