14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft is now giving the final touches to a new technical preview build of Windows 10 for phones, but in the meantime, leakers around the world have no sleep and provide us with a plethora of screenshots allegedly showing what we could all get when Redmond presses the release button for the new version.
This time, Chinese website ITHome has published a collection of screenshots without actually providing a build number, so it's hard to say if they are part of a new build or they were actually included in an older version that Microsoft tested after the release of the first public one.
Interestingly, they do reveal a bunch of new features, including the new smart dialer and fresh settings, but it's too early to tell whether these were just supposed to be internally tested by the Softies or they could be shipped to registered insiders too.
Spartan also included
One of the features that are shown in these screenshots is the brand new Spartan browser, which will be offered on all Windows 10 devices when the new OS is ready.
Spartan is Microsoft's replacement for Internet Explorer, the old browser that will finally get the ax when Windows 10 hits the market. Spartan will be available as a universal app, so it'll be pre-installed not only on smartphones but also on PCs and tablets running Windows 10.
On phones, Spartan will come with a similar feature package, and these screenshots confirm that Microsoft is working to integrate Cortana personal assistant right into the browser in the same way it demonstrated in January, during its Windows 10 event at the Redmond headquarters.
Cortana will be used for performing a number of tasks faster, such as searching the web, and the very same options will also be offered to phone users. Right now, it's not yet clear whether Cortana integration is ready for the next build or not.
According to Microsoft itself, an additional one week of work is needed for the release of a new preview build for phones, so expect it to arrive in early April.
