14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft published a partial list of changes for Windows Phone 8.1 Update 1 on its update history website, but only the most important new features and improvements were part of this changelog.
However, those who can’t live without knowing everything there is to know about Windows Phone 8.1 Update 1 and what it brings to the table will be pleased to learn that Microsoft has just released a more detailed version of the changelog.
Keep in mind though that this list of changes is aimed at OEMs and is full of technical mumbo-jumbo, so if you’re not one of those tech-savvy who have to know everything than you’re better off with the short list of changes released by Microsoft a few days ago.
Anyway, in order to make things easier for those who don’t have the necessary technical skills or the patience to read the full changelog, here is a quick rundown of the most important changes included in Windows Phone 8.1 Update 1.
First of all, the latest version of Windows Phone brings 1280 x 768 WXGA resolution support for devices with 6.01 – 7-inch displays. In addition, for smaller screens, WXGA 1280 x 800 resolution is now supported, but Microsoft mentions that the OS will render the UI at 1280 x 768 resolution and then display pillar boxes for the unused pixels.
Moreover, native qHD resolution is now supported in addition to scaling from HD or WVGA resolution to qHD. Also, the qHD (540 x 960 pixels) resolution is now supported on screens up to 6-inches and on phones that use the MSM8x12 applications processor.
Lots of browser optimizations have been done in the update as well, and Microsoft added C + G support for dual-SIM. OEMs have already received a comprehensive description of these improvements.
There’s a new lock screen snapshot API, which returns data about the contents of the default lock screen. OEMs who implement a custom lock screen solution can use this API to retrieve the default lock screen data, and then they can display this data on their custom lock screen.
The rest of the changes mentioned in the list are fully aimed at OEMs, so if you are not one of them, it might not be such an interesting read.
Still, in case you want to find out what other changes Windows Phone 8.1 Update 1 brings to the operating system, you can now check out the full changelog on Microsoft’s Developer website.