14 DAY TRIAL // Cortana is not the only option that first launched on Windows Phone and is then making its debut on the desktop, as Microsoft is also preparing to bring the Storage Sense tool in Windows 9 as well.
Leaked screenshots that reached the web this week revealed quite a lot of new features, including multiple desktops, a notification center, and the brand new Start menu, but it appears that some other options are also available and accessible through menus with less exposure.
This is the case of Storage Sense, a feature that’s already available on Windows Phone 8.1 and gives users valuable information regarding the way apps and files are eating up their phone’s storage.
The feature is included in the Metro PC settings screen, but it’s not yet clear whether Microsoft is also implementing new tweaks to better adapt the feature to the desktop.
What is Storage Sense?
Storage Sense was implemented in Windows Phone to provide users with a details overview over their smartphone’s storage space, showing details as to how much space the install apps, games, music, videos, photos, podcasts, and operating system files are taking up on the device.
On Windows Phone, Storage Sense is at the core of several important other features that enable users to keep their data secure, helping them back up files, free up storage on the device by moving items to an SD card or by uploading them to OneDrive, or simply delete stuff based on the information offered by the app.
Needless to say, the very same role could be performed on the desktop as well, although some other features and a better integration with OneDrive are also very likely.
At this point, Storage Sense in Windows 9 is only accessible via the Modern UI, but a link in the desktop Control Panel could also be introduced in a later update.
Expected to debut in Windows 9 preview
Storage Sense is very likely to make its first public appearance on a desktop operating system later this month as part of Windows 9 preview, as the feature is also there in testing builds and doesn’t seem to be locked for those who deploy these early tidbits.
Word has it that Microsoft will indeed restrict access to a number of new features in Windows 9 preview, but from what we’ve heard, Storage Sense isn’t one of them.
Storage Sense could play a much more important role on tablets, and given the fact that a preview of Windows 9 RT could launch in early 2015, don’t be too surprised if Microsoft keeps it away from our eyes until then.