In 2016, we wave goodbye to Windows Phone, because Windows 10 is going to arrive on your PC and your phone. Windows 10 is already here for your computer — and we’ve got all the details you need — but smartphone owners have to wait a little while longer to receive the new software.
Expect to wait a little longer for the update
If you currently own a Windows Phone 8 or 8.1-powered smartphones, odds are that you’ve been eagerly expecting to finally get your Windows 10 Mobile update this December, as previously promised by Microsoft.
Unfortunately, in an updated statement obtained by ZDNet, Microsoft confirmed that the Windows 10 Mobile update has been pushed back to early 2016. “The Windows 10 Mobile upgrade will begin rolling out early next year to select existing Windows 8 and 8.1 phones,” reads the statement. The company did not mention a specific rollout date, nor did Microsoft reveal the reasoning behind the delay.
Of course, if you own a phone with Windows Phone 8 or 8.1, you can just sign up for the Windows Insider Program and receive the Windows 10 Mobile update that way. We map out exactly how you can do that later on in the article.
Microsoft decides which Lumias get Windows 10
Microsoft surprised and dismayed many Windows Phone users when it did not announce the update schedule for older Lumia smartphones to Windows 10 Mobile at its big event. In mid October, the company told Windows Mobile Power User that it will decide when older Lumia phones get the update.
“Microsoft is working closely with mobile operators to leverage their testing and our flighting to meet and exceed current quality bars,” Microsoft said. “We will use their input but will decide when to send the updates out based on input form Mobile Operators and our Windows Insiders.”
Microsoft also acknowledged that obviously, it’s ideal to push the update out to as many Windows Phone users as possible and to do so as quickly as possible. “The optimum way to ensure our customers are running the best Windows is to get them the latest updates for Windows 10,” Microsoft added. “Delivering Windows 10 as a service means we can offer ongoing security updates, new features and capabilities – we’d like to make sure people can get access to the latest Windows 10 updates as soon as they are available.”
The long and short of it seems to be that Microsoft will send the update out to Windows Phone users, and carriers will not be in charge of the rollout. Theoretically, this should ensure that Windows 10 Mobile reaches older Lumias more quickly, but only time will tell.
Earlier on, Microsoft replied to queries on Facebook regarding the update schedule. Microsoft said it would bring Windows 10 to several Lumia smartphones in December, but ultimately proved false. As to which Lumia phones will be compatible with Windows 10, Microsoft stated that “it is our ambition to make an upgrade available for majority of Lumia smartphones running Windows Phone 8.1,” adding that 8GB of internal memory will be required for the update.
Microsoft also revealed the first smartphones it’ll update to Windows 10. The list appeared on the official Windows 10 Mobile preview page, stating the Lumia 430, Lumia 435, Lumia 532, Lumia 540, Lumia 640, Lumia 640XL, Lumia 735, Lumia 830, and Lumia 930 will “receive a free upgrade when available.” If your Lumia phone isn’t on the list, then don’t despair just yet, Microsoft may confirm more in the future.
In the meantime, you can check out the Lumia support account on Twitter, and Microsoft’s FAQ page on Windows 10 Mobile upgrades.
New build 10080 adds Windows Store and many apps
Microsoft used its Universal Windows Platform code to make a new app store for its phones. The store looks an awful lot like the one you’ll find on your PC, if it’s running Windows 10. You can browse and buy apps or software through the beta store with credit, gift cards, and PayPal. The carrier billing service Microsoft mentioned at its Build conference isn’t available yet, but it should come soon.
In the store, you can also buy Movies and TV shows right now, but music remains unavailable. However, the new music app is now available, and it gives you access to the music you’ve got on the phone, as well as the songs stored on OneDrive. The overall look of the app has been streamlined, too. Microsoft added a video previewing app, as well, which lets you see all the movies and shows you have.
Finally, the camera app, Xbox app, and universal Office apps are included in the new build. You can read all about it on Microsoft’s website.
Windows Insiders can download the Windows 10 Technical Preview now
Microsoft’s Engineering General Manager Gabriel Aul tweeted that the Windows 10 Technical Preview arrived on February 12 for Windows Insiders to test. The latest update is live and can be accessed via the Windows Insider app. If you’re registered as a Windows Insider and your phone is on the approved device list — which now includes many Lumias and the HTC One M8 for Windows — simply follow these steps:
- Although there’s a long list of known issues in almost every build, there are always many new features added.
You can find more info about the new build on Microsoft’s website. There’s still no news on the update’s release date to the general public.
Some phones with 512MB RAM may get some Windows 10 features
At this point, Microsoft has yet to issue a full list of devices that will support the Windows 10 preview for mobile. One enterprising Twitter user asked Microsoft Engineering General Manager Gabriel Aul if Windows 10 will work on Windows Phones with just 512MB of RAM onboard. Aul answered that some devices will low RAM will be supported in the first preview for Windows 10.
He didn’t say which devices in particular will be included, nor did he clarify whether support will be extended to those devices beyond the first preview. Shortly thereafter, Microsoft’s Corporate Vice President, Operating Systems Group Joe Belfiore tweetedthat the company is working hard to get Windows 10 on Lumia phones with less RAM, but cautioned that some of these devices may not get the Windows 10 feature set.
In his tweet, Belfiore references one of the most popular Lumia phones ever made, the Lumia 520, which just happens to have 512MB of RAM. It’s unclear which features these low-RAM Lumias will receive, if they get the Windows 10 update at all.
Cool new apps and a refreshed design
Microsoft only gave us the briefest of sneak peeks of Windows 10 on mobile devices at its launch, but now that the Technical Preview is available, we know a lot more about it. Among the new features are an audio recording app, new context menus, keyboards that you can center to the right or left side of your screen, an updated alarm app, and a fuller notification menu.
Most of the changes are slight, but they should help make the overall Windows experience smoother on smartphones. The keyboard positioning feature in particular will come in handy with the larger Lumia phablets. There’s also a new notification center, quick action settings, and other key design improvements in core apps. Voice controls are also much improved and you can now ask Cortana to search for things for you.
Windows 10 will feature a brand new, universal Photos app, so it runs across the phone and the PC in the same way. Images will be formatted to appear correctly on all devices. It’ll work using OneDrive, and photos uploaded from your phone will sync locally on other Windows 10 hardware. Cleverly, the Photos app will aggregate all pictures and remove duplicates or multiple images from burst mode shots, for a simple, single view.
An Auto Enhancement mode will be activated by default, offering features including red eye removal and brightness adjustment. Manual settings will let you adjust all these settings. An Albums feature automatically makes collections from your pictures, and the same feature will eventually organize your music.
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