14 DAY TRIAL // Yesterday, Redmond-based software giant Microsoft started rolling out the Windows Phone 8.1 Update 1 for users enrolled in its Preview for Developers program, offering them a taste of the latest new features and enhancements included in the platform.
Some of the main improvements that the first major update for Windows Phone 8.1 arrives with include App Folders, enabling users to group applications on the Start Screen into folders, as well as an updated Xbox Music experience.
Moreover, the new platform iteration arrives with Apps Corner, some additional privacy and security enhancements, among which the option to send data over a Virtual Private Network (VPN), and a Live Tile for the Windows Phone Store.
One of the most appealing changes brought by this update, however, is the fact that users in more markets out there can now take advantage of Cortana, the digital personal assistant that debuted in Windows Phone 8.1 back in April.
Users in China and the UK can now enjoy Cortana in a beta flavor, while those living in Australia, India and Canada have access to an alpha version of the assistant.
As Microsoft announced last week, the new update has been automatically delivered to the owners of devices running under the Windows Phone 8.1 Developer Preview OS version.
Those of you who have such a device should receive a notification informing you of the availability of the update, and you will be able to download and install it immediately.
Of course, you can also manually check on its availability, through heading to Settings > Phone updates. One thing that you should know, however, is that you will need to have the Preview for Developers app installed on the handset, and you will also need to be logged in for the update to appear.
Windows Phone 8.1 Update 1 will see public availability, though only in a matter of months, which means that those without a Developer Preview handset will need to wait longer for the official upgrade to arrive.
Users who want to get it today, however, can do so, as long as they sign up for the developer program mentioned above (though they won't need to actually start building applications).
To get started with it, they will simply need to head over to the Windows Phone App Studio website and register with their Microsoft Account. The registration is free and poses no risks to the handset.
Next, they will need to go to the Windows Phone Store and download the aforementioned Preview for Developers application, install it, and then sign in with the same account credentials used on the App Studio portal.
After logging into the app, you should enable Preview for Developers, and then head to Settings > Phone updates to manually check on the availability of Windows Phone 8.1 Update 1.
The update is fairly large and should take several minutes to download, depending on your connection (downloading it via a Wi-Fi network is recommended). The installation process should not take longer than 10-15 minutes, depending on the handset.
One other thing that you should keep in mind is the fact that Windows Phone 8.1 Update 1 Developer Preview is still pre-release software, which means that you might encounter a series of issues with it. And don’t worry, the final OS flavor will be delivered to you as well, once it is made available.