Late on Thursday, Microsoft surprised Insiders with another release of Windows 10 Mobile, build 10149. This update comes after just one week from the last one, demonstrating their rapid ability to iterate on builds.
The bigger story here though is the quality of this build. If you follow me on Twitter, you may have noticed me singing the praises of this release. For the first time, Windows 10 Mobile feels like it has left that 'alpha' stage and is now a true beta. Sure there are quirks here and there but many of the core features are working and working well. Even better is the speed and responsiveness of the OS, which at times now feels faster than Windows Phone 8.1.
Hands-on Video
After spending much time with the 10149 build, we have cobbled together my top five favorite features of this release. This hands-on video should demonstrate all the areas in which Microsoft is making progress with the OS, and it should also quiet the naysayers who think Microsoft's Mobile story is doomed. Quite the contrary, in my opinion.
At this pace, Windows 10 Mobile should be an outstanding OS in a few months' time.
In the video, I touch upon things like the new animation, quality of the core apps, and of course Microsoft Edge.
Ready for Everyday Use?
Easily the question I get asked most by people pertains to joining Windows Insider. Specifically, Is Windows 10 Mobile 10149 ready for daily use? Should you install it on your primary device?
These are tough questions to answer for a few reasons:
- For me, it is running very well on my Lumia 1520. However, I have not tried it on every device out there
- People's opinions of what bugs are acceptable vary. I may not find a broken feature important, yet you may rely on it daily
- Unforeseen issues may affect you that have not affected me, see for instance the Blue screen problem (see our Recovery Article)
Having said all of that, yeah, I do think this release, for the most part, is fine to use. This advice assumes you are okay with occasional bugs, glitches, or parts not working fully. See our 'What's broken in build 10149' article for more info.
One tip I can pass along is it is probably best to disable Glance or at least Glance Backgrounds for relevant phones. I have found this to drain the battery quite a bit, even in standby.
The Future Looks Bright
In talking with various people on Twitter or reading feedback, in general, build 10149 looks to be an important turning point for Windows 10 Mobile. I think we can look to this moment and say this was when it started to get real good.
If you are still interested in testing Windows 10 Mobile and want to help shape its future through feedback, you may wish to start with this release (or the next).
I cannot guarantee that your upgrade and user experience will be the same as mine, but hopefully it will. Many people have noted that hard resetting after the update or doing a clean install helps the best.
Remember, if you do sign up or need more information, just jump into our Windows 10 Mobile forums. There are many users like you and plenty of people who can answer questions (but search first, as someone has already likely asked!). Remember, if you are already registered to leave comments, you are already registered to post in the forums.
- Windows 10 Mobile Forums at Windows Central
Stay tuned for more Windows 10 Mobile coverage in the coming days.
