14 DAY TRIAL // Following the official release of Windows Phone 8.1 as a Developer Preview version on April 14, Redmond-based software giant Microsoft announced a series of updated applications for the OS, and one of them is now available in the form of Xbox Music build 2.5.2842.
The updated Xbox Music app was confirmed last week, but Microsoft made it available for download only yesterday.
Windows Phone 8.1 Developer Preview was announced with Xbox Music build 2.5.1330 packed inside, and the new flavor of the software is set to provide users with a nice range of enhancements when compared to that release.
Some of these include full Cortana integration, which comes with the possibility to play Playlists by name, as well as a series of user interface enhancements, designed to improve animations and transitions between UI views.
Additionally, the update brought along better messaging for encountered errors, such as unplayable content in collections, along with a variety of stability fixes, including some for the black screen issues that users have been reporting on.
According to Microsoft, this is only one of the updates that the Xbox Music application for Windows Phone 8.1 is set to receive during this year.
In fact, the company has already announced plans to push out new flavors of the software every two weeks, and has provided some info on what users can expect from it next.
According to a post on the Xbox Music website, Microsoft will continue to focus on the stability and performance capabilities of the application with the next updates, and will also add support for Playlists that include more than 100 songs.
The app will also receive background initial sync of local and cloud content, along with Fast Forward/Rewind by sliding progress bar in a song, better load times for long lists through better list virtualization.
What’s more the company will also focus on UX layouts on buttons and metadata in now playing so as to ensure that space is best used, and that better interaction is provided.
The mobile application will also receive support for Swipe Gesture to Advance on Now Playing, as well as for Live Tiles and Transparent Tiles. Design & Layout improvements for faster access to content are also planned, along with support for Kids Corner.
Additionally, the Xbox Music app in Windows Phone 8.1 is set to receive a series of other user interface enhancements, such as search result grouping, creating new Radio Stations, improved Network status messages, Blue UI language alignment, and more.
In the meantime, owners of devices already running under the Windows Phone 8.1 Developer Preview should head over to the Windows Phone Store to download the Xbox Music 2.5.2842 app iteration.