14 DAY TRIAL // With the unveiling of Windows Phone 8.1 earlier this week, many are already wondering what exactly will be coming their way in the next version of Microsoft’s mobile OS, and some info has emerged online today.
In a Reddit AMA, a Microsoft employee who claims to be an engineer in the Windows Core team, has shared some details in the next version of the mobile OS, while also talking about some of the enhancements and new capabilities that Windows Phone 8.1 was announced with.
One of the enhancements that are set to become available in the next version of the OS is multiple options for video calling.
In Windows Phone 8.1, the video calling capabilities will be available through Skype, though it seems that the upcoming Windows Phone 8.2 or Windows Phone 9 (it remains to be seen how Microsoft will call it) will allow people to use other video apps as well.
At the same time, it appears that Microsoft is planning on allowing users to change the default SMS service, tough no specific info on what it will be all about has been provided as of now.
The software company is also planning on allowing users to better manage data on their devices through a web interface. At the moment, backups for SMS messages, for example, are made automatically, but only texts from the last 10 months are restored.
An official Facebook application is also expected to arrive on the mobile platform, coming from the social network itself. A new Spotify client is also planned for the OS, and should be a universal app, available on Windows and Xbox as well.
According to said Microsoft employee, Windows Phone 9 will be great, though he did not unveil specifics on it, suggesting that he didn’t have insight into the matter.
However, he did say that Windows Phone users should expect new versions of the mobile OS much faster than before. The next update is set to arrive sometime in October-December, and will be part of the previously unveiled ‘Threshold’.
Apparently, the Redmond-based software giant is working on changing its approach regarding the release of new platform iterations, and that it aims at adopting a 6-8 months cycle for major updates.
Users will see a series of bug fixes, security enhancements, and the like being delivered to them in the meantime, but new features and major improvements will be pushed out only in about 6 to 8 months, as WMPoweruser points out.
However, it seems that this update schedule does not include major OS releases, as they are planned for a 12-24-month cycle. This should apply to all of Microsoft’s Windows products, he also said.
Microsoft was slow with the delivery of new Windows Phone versions in the past, but things are set to happen much faster than before moving forth.
No official confirmation on any of the above has been provided as of now, and we don’t expect such info to be offered for about half a year or so, but more leaks might emerge in the meantime, so stay tuned.