Microsoft has finally revealed the major update to their Windows Phone 8 Mobile Operating System, so its time for us to take a look at what Windows Phone 8.1 has managed to achieve and what is it still missing ? Below we have compiled a list of all new additions, along with it you can find the major features that hold it back against its two major rivals Android and iOS as they are still missing.
List of all New features in Windows Phone 8.1
- Action Center to hold all of your notifications, plus customizable quick toggles
- Cortana virtual assistant at your command
- Universal Search
- Start background on all of your tiles
- Customizable number of tiles per row – four or six
- Internet Explorer 11 with better UI, faster page load, in-private browsing, tab sync across devices and Reader mode
- New Dialer app with Speed Dial, shortcuts to contact, and call time
- Built-in Facebook with deeper integration, real-time notifications
- Redesigned status bar
- Quite Hours mode for control over your notifications at night or events marked as busy
- Move/install apps on SD card
- Automatic app updates in Store
- VPN support
- Wi-Fi Sense
- Better sound control with separate scrubbers for Notifications/Ringer and Apps/Media
- Better multi-tasking with suspend mode
- Camera burst mode, customizable viewfinder
- Swype-like keyboard
- Battery Sense app
- Storage Sense app
- New Music and Video apps
- Podcasts app
- Better backups with app data sync
- App data syncing across devices
- Customizable lockscreen and glance screen notifications
- You can change the default SMS app and the default SMS notifications
- Support for QHD displays, dual-SIM and fingerprint scanners, on-screen buttons
List of Major features still missing from Windows Phone 8.1
- System-wide file manager (Now present “Files”)
- Options for more quick toggles
- Battery percentage on the status bar (Battery % in Action Center)
- Richer app catalog
- Cortana is some way behind Android and iOS rivals