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Windows Phone 8.1 – complete list with changes

After Windows Phone 8.1 SDK Preview leaked last week, many new features have been revealed and most of them will probably go to the final version for consumers expected in summer 2014. Here is a full list of possible new features in WP8.1 put together:
- Notification Center – also called Action Center, accessed by swiping from the top of the home screen
- Separate volume controls for ringtones/notifications and music/media
- Wi-Fi Sense – Sharing secure WI-Fi Networks with contacts if they have Wi-Fi Sense. It is an evolution of the current Data Sense originally planned to arrive as a separate update in Windows Phone 8
- Data Sense – carriers can control users’ data sense remotely
- Battery Power Sense – track your battery power and consumption
- Operators can install apps – once a SIM card is activated, operators can install certain apps. This is an improvement of the current SIM card interaction
- Important Updates – new updates are divided into two categories following the Windows 8 patterns – normal and important. Important updates are usually connected with security issues and bug fixes.
- Emails and pictures download – there is a new option allowing users to change the download patters of emails and set the whole parts of them (not the first 20kb) to be downloaded automatically.
- Encrypted and signed e-mail support – designed for business users as some of them requires signed and encrypted emails.
- Set default SMS app – Users can set an app to show SMS notifications by choice. Apps like Skype and Viber will be able to take over the SMS, allowing customers to use just one messaging app for multiply services
- Enterprise enrolled phones can have their passwords changed and remotely locked – part of new management features with improved support for enactment and policy download.
- Swype-like keyboard functionally – a new keyboard option allowing users to enter text by sliding a finger around the keyboard.
- Geofence monitoring support – third party apps can request the system to notify them if the device enters or exits a defined area. The new feature can be used for simple location based notifications or complex location tracking.
- Office Lens – an add-on to Office allowing people to use the camera to capture content which can then be converted with OCR software.
- The phone will have to update to the latest version before you can restore it to factory settings
- Update apps automatically – create to help users avoid problems connected with running out-of-date apps
- Update apps when only on Wi-Fi – created to minimize cellular data usage
- App Suggestions by location – users will see recommendations for relevant apps based on their location
- Manual App Update checks – lets users force a manual check for an update
- Video Calling Support – better integration with third-party apps
- Password protected Office document support
- Trusted app list for NFC
- In-call speech commands
- Double-Tap to unlock your phone – a feature currently available for Nokia Lumia Devices. It lets users unlock their phones using double tap on the screen.
- Double Tap to Power Off
- Quiet Hours – users can set a period of time when the device doesn’t play sounds for incoming calls, notifications and messages.
- Notification if charger isn’t of adequate power
- Screenshot button combination changed to Power + Volume Up
- Apps on SD Cards are only allowed from ONE originating phone – safeguards platform’s security model by not tolerating swiping SD cards to run apps on other devices
- Voice Narrator for Accessibility
- Search Button will open Speech – on the current WP version, Speech is activated by holding down the Windows button.
- New Email sync options with accordance to usage patterns
- Change the size and amount of tiles on your start screen
- Wallet supports tickets and membership cards.
- App Syncing.
- Backups to include application data – improved backup function as the current only back up the app list but not the app data
- Screen Reader – possible text-to-speech for apps
- Screen Recording – it could be just emulator and not available in the consumer version
- Inner Circle of contacts – users can set Inner Circle for up to 40 favorite contacts
- Favorite photos by tapping a heart icon – make favorite photos easier
- Virtual SmartCard support – allows third party apps to create entirely software based SmartCards
- Google Contacts and calendar support, with multiple calendars
- Weather in calendar
- Week view in calendar
- Burst camera mode, including auto-deletion of bursts
- New camera layout
- Bing smart search
- Podcast app powered by Bing, full featured
- Internet Explorer 11
- Start screen backgrounds
- Kid’s Corner – Password won’t be displayed
- Navigation bar for phones without physical keys on the front
- Set default Voice Navigation app for the OS
- Swipe down to close apps in multitasking view
- Xbox Music and Xbox Video are standalone apps