Microsoft’s Windows Phone 8.1 update should be available to download from April 14, according to recent reports.
The new OS was officially unveiled at Microsoft’s Build Conference earlier in the week, but no release date was forthcoming.
Now we’ve learned that users should be able to get their hands on a final version in less than two weeks time. Neowin recently published an engineering email from Microsoft claiming that the company would be releasing the Windows Phone 8.1 developer preview on April 14.
This might sound like an unfinished, exclusive version of the software, but it’s nothing of the sort. Microsoft’s developer preview initiative allows users to bypass the network operators and their often irritatingly sluggish update schedules and go straight to the source.
What’s more, anyone can make use of this developer preview facility, not just developers, though it does involve going through the early stages of signing up to be one.
All you need to do is register as a Windows Phone Developer (which will cost you $19) or sign up for Microsoft’s App Studio scheme (which won’t cost you a penny). Then, download the Preview for Developers app from the Windows Phone Store. You’ll now have access to Microsoft’s developer preview updates.
Windows Phone 8.1 brings some sizeable additions and improvements over Windows Phone 8. The biggest of these has to be Cortana, a voice-activated personal assistant with the combine capabilities of Siri and Google Now.
Then there’s the Action Center, which finally gives Windows Phone its own drop-down notification menu and settings shortcut toggles.
Those who don’t want to go through the process of signing up as a pretend developer, this initial rollout date should at least be an indication that Microsoft has almost finished ironing out those last Windows Phone 8.1 bugs.
Read more: Windows Phone 8 tips and tricks
Via: The Verge
