A few weeks shy of the Windows 10 release date on July 29, Microsoft unleashed Build 10136 of the upcoming operating system's mobile version. The release is in beta mode or exclusive to participants of the Windows Insider Program.
Nonetheless, the pre-final form provided hands-on experience of the key upgrades that Microsoft will pack with the Windows 10 Mobile once it is out later this 2015. Foremost of the enhanced features are the expanded Cortana capabilities and significant camera boosts.
Cortana
Microsoft's vaunted digital assistant just padded up on the services it can deliver to mobile device users, according to PC World. In Build 10136, the Siri and Google Now rival is now able to provide the latest information on stock market news, foreign exchange and even the weather.
Cortana can also aid in some areas of navigational concerns as the latest beta build has activated by default flight and travel tips. The likelihood is these features will stick with the necessary tweaks for the Windows 10 Mobile final cut.
Camera
In the shooting department, stability and performance upgrades have been provided via the Lumia Camera Beta app. As the name implies, this bump mostly concerns Microsoft-made Lumia phones, rendering them more feature-rich than ever.
A related boost will also be noticeable on the Photo app. The application has been redesigned for better reliability with the additional feature of instantly zooming in on images by mere double-tap gesture.
Other improvements
Build 10136 also brought in the following fixes and feature upgrades:
- Fixed lock screen freeze
- Correct scaling of Start screen background
- Fixed MMS reception issues
- Optimized for one-hand feature
The latter, PC World said, is quite similar to the Reachability feature that Apple had introduced with the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus that slides down the screen interface for one finger to easily reach and tap into function keys. This feature is triggered by hold-pressing the Start button.
Windows 10 Mobile, as already announced by Microsoft, will not rollout with its desktop and tablet counterparts on July 29. The likely release date for the mobile OS is around December 2015, Microsoft's Gabe Aul told PC World.