Microsoft anticipates what will bring Windows Phone 8.1

Microsoft is including the next update of Windows 8 (Available next week) the company made two major announcements. First, it confirmed that it plans to offer free Windows (and Windows Phone) cost for devices with screens of 9 inches or less, including cell phones and other devices (the company referred specifically to the Internet of things).

The idea with this, of course, is to compete with Android, which officially has no cost. Any company can use the AOSP version of Android or if they want, access to all Google services-closed-made software to be certified by the company and into its ecosystem. In practice, all major manufacturers have made agreements with Microsoft to license several of its core software and graphical interface patents; Microsoft is supposed to earn between 10 and 15 dollars per Android device sold (in fact, at one time earned more with Android sales than from the Windows Phone licenses).

Why this does: to lower initial costs and attract more equipment manufacturers, or make those what are Nokia already and, way back, Samsung, HTC, etc. can sell their products at more competitive prices.

During BUILD Microsoft developer conference also confirmed that already has 400,000 apps in its store (just under half of those with Android or iOS); Nokia not yet completed the sale of its handset division to Microsoft, used the event to introduce the Lumia 930 smartphones (high end) and Lumia 630 (midrange / low). Lumia 930-The Full HD screen of 5 inches, 4 core chip at 2.2 GHz, 20 megapixel camera and Windows Phone 8.1, is confirmed in Argentina, but no specific dates yet.

Microsoft also gave many details on Windows Phone 8.1, the first major upgrade to the latest version of its mobile operating system. The developer version will be available on so soon, according to some leaks it is relatively easy to install on any phone; the official final release to the public will take a little longer, and will depend, in fact, in each country and operator.

It took a few years (and countless complaints from many users) but in the end of Windows Phone has its notification center: as Android, iOS and other operating systems, a panel at the top of the screen is displayed to show the latest notifications grouped by application-buttons and quick access to certain functions (turn on the Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, etc.).

And it has a keyboard similar to Swype or SwiftKey mode: it is possible to type by sliding your fingers on the keyboard, drawing the path that connects one letter to another.

REACH CORTANA (WITHOUT MASTER CHIEF)

Cortana, the digital assistant Master Chief in Halo is now the digital assistant user in Windows Phone 8 combines some ideas found in the Apple Siri and Google Now; verbal understands natural language queries (but only in English), provides predigested and bounded responses, and shows a series of thematic data calculated may be of interest to the user, as Google Now cards, and that generated based on its habits (how much will it take to get to work in terms of the places).

An interesting fact is that it is possible to define what records Cortana your habits and what not; another differential (for now) Siri or Google Now is that third-party applications can be integrated to search. It will be activated with the hitherto wasted little magnifying glass button.

MORE PERSONAL HOME SCREEN

It is now possible to define an image that will be distributed in the active tile operating system (the third party applications retain their color, apparently) and you can change the view of the lock screen; for example, by the diagonal text.

Access open Wi-Fi (which attempt to use before the 3G) and adds a tool to manage the content in the computer’s memory, which suggests that it can install applications on the microSD memory networks is simplified, although it is unclear.

Also changes the way it handles information that complements data showing contacts and image gallery; and Android, you can add sources (other files online) and a direct connection to these services; bypasses Microsoft servers.

Another change is the use of Skype (which is preinstalled on Windows 8.1 Update); If you find that you are on the phone with a contact you also have Skype offer to change the conversation to a video, and the synchronization of the tabs and history of Internet Explorer 11 between the phone and other devices with Windows 8 style Chrome or Firefox, key to these teams, which do not have these browsers.

An interesting announcement, but that Nokia did, in fact, is SensorCore: a tool to allow developers a more direct access to phone sensors to collect information (GPS, accelerometer, Bluetooth) minimizing the impact that can have on the battery. Depend on Windows Phone 8.1, but is only available for the 1520 Lumia, Lumia Icon, 930, 630 and 635 (and that are announced in the future).