Although Microsoft has announced its Windows Phone 8 mobile operating system, only a few of the key details were revealed, with some kept back for added intrigue. There have been murmurs for a while now with regards a screenshot function, and now details have emerged portraying just how such a feature will work.
Having the ability to take a screenshot is extremely useful, and is a bread-and-butter feature of iOS. One can freeze-frame any area of Apple’s mobile ecosystem by tapping the home and sleep buttons simultaneously, and Windows Phone 8 will also include native support for a similar system.
Windows Phone 7 devices don’t allow users to take screenshots, but WP7App.de has managed to activate the screenshot feature within the SDK which just leaked into the wild. Since it’s found in the SDK, there are no guarantees it will make the final cut – it could easily be omitted if not deemed necessary or ready for the end user. Still, in its current state, it looks as though WP8 users will need to press the Windows and Camera buttons contemporaneously in order to achieve a screenshot.
The process of hitting two hardware buttons mirrors the iOS system, but the way in which subsequent screenshots are stored is altogether more organized than the method seen on the iPhone, iPad and iPod touch. Within the photos hub, screenies will be dropped into a separate folder, making it easier for users to differentiate between actual images and simple screen captures.
With Windows Phone 8 arriving at a time when iOS and Android have both been out for quite a few years, the Redmond company can really capitalize on the plusses and minuses of both respective ecosystems. With a beautiful Metro UI, live tiles and other unique quirks, it already has a lot going for it, and if it can also take some of the positive elements of the so-called Big Two while solving some of their limitations, it certainly has a decent shot at becoming a serious contender in mobile space.
From a hardware point of view, the tech world waits anxiously to see what Nokia comes up with. Many other manufacturers are getting involved with WP8 including Samsung, Huawei and HTC, but the Lumia range from the Finnish company is easily the most anticipated. The first batch of Lumias are expected to be announced on 5th September, so anybody with a vested interest in the mobile market should pencil that particular date in their diaries.
(via WPCentral)
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