A Redditor claiming to be a 15-year veteran at Microsoft who works on the Windows kernel platform and has sat a few doors down from Satya Nadella in years past is showing off a bunch of features of Windows Phone 8.1 and hinting at what we can expect from Windows Phone 8.2, or whatever the next update is called.
We've already been up close and personal with Windows Phone 8.1 in both official and unofficial contexts, but for those looking to glean extra features, this is a good place to go. Take it all with a grain of salt, especially since the source doesn't work directly on Windows Phone, but he did just recently delete his Reddit account, which suggests this might get him in hot water. In any case, here are some of the key takeaways from the AMA.
Software update cycles are apparently going to be a lot faster, with feature updates every 6 - 8 months, and really major OS updates every year or two. The source suggested we won't see anything akin to a file manager until after Windows Phone 8.1, which is probably one of those major OS updates he's talking about. He expects Windows Phone 8.2 or 9 to launch in 8 - 10 months and that "OMFG you are going to pop a boner" when we see what's included.
There's apparently a password you can give out to Inner Circle so that they can get through your Do Not Disturb mode with text messages. So, if they say "knock, knock" in a message, for example, you'll get a ping on your phone even if you're set to mute notifications. You can also set DND to go on hiatus if an important contact calls three times in a row.
Though Skype is the only real video option for answering calls right now, we can expect support for other video services in the future.
The music app can now read downloaded music you own, create a playlists, and add Xbox Music to the same playlist seamlessly.
You won't be able to change the default SMS app until at least Windows Phone 8.2. Speaking of messaging, there's no more Facebook in the messaging hub, though one could imagine it being added later. A new Facebook app is being written by Facebook apparently, so that's something to look forward to.
Xbox One is adding background tasks and music in about six months, which is good news for anyone trying out the universal Microsoft-made Spotify app that is supposed to be launching in a few weeks.
The source hinted that they had an "interesting plan" on how to close the gap in search between Google and Bing, though it's an uphill battle with Google's brand recognition. Unfortunately, he couldn't go into too many details there.
Hit up the source below to dive into all of the information. He's an entertaining guy to listen to, if nothing else.
Source: Reddit
