The update will be rolled out in the coming weeks for several months

Oct 14, 2013 12:53 GMT  ·  By

Microsoft has officially introduced Windows Phone 8 Update 3 and has confirmed that it will start the rollout of the upgrade in the coming weeks and will continue over several months.

The Redmond-based company has also announced the Developer Preview Program, where devs will have early access to a preview of this major update, beginning later today.

Windows Phone 8 Update 3 includes lots of new features and improvements that Microsoft was kind enough to explain in a pretty long blog post.

Most of these improvements have already leaked and are now confirmed by Microsoft, while some smaller tweaks are completely new to us.

One of the most important changes included in this update is support for much bigger screens and higher resolutions. This means that smartphones that support full HD (1080p) resolution will be able to display larger Start screens with room for six Live Tiles across instead of four.

Furthermore, Windows Phone 8 Update 3 adds support for more powerful hardware, like the Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 chipset.

Driving Mode is another feature that will be integrated within Windows Phone devices once Update 3 is applied.

It works with a connected Bluetooth device and is designed to limit notifications on the lock screen, such as texts, calls, and quick status alerts, until you reach destination. The feature can be set to send customized replies to people that contact you while you’re driving.

Next in line is Improved Internet Sharing, which will allow users to turn their Windows Phone 8 devices into mobile hotspots without having to enter a password or enable the Internet Sharing feature.

There are also a handful of new accessibility features that include a screen reader, which will make it easier for the visually impaired to operate the smartphone.

Other small improvements have been added as well, such as more customizable ringtones, new rotation lock option, better storage management, App switcher to quickly close apps, Wi-Fi access out of the box, and better Bluetooth.

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Windows Phone 8 Update 3 screenshots
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