Windows Phone 8.1 is due to hit the scene very soon, and judging by the recent spate of leaks and information regarding the software update, we have some significant improvements to look forward to. Following on from yesterday’s report that a revamped, Swype-like keyboard would offer dramatic improvements as far as typing is concerned, the new notification center, dubbed ‘Action Center,’ has been given a video demonstration.
The jump from Windows Phone 8 to 8.1 infers a substantial, but not necessarily significant update. However, given that Microsoft has a new CEO on board and a fair amount of catching up to do in the mobile industry, this is shaping up to be much more than a rudimentary improvement, and with a brand new notification center having today been showcased, WP8 users have much to look forward to.
We had already seen screenshots of the new Windows Phone 8.1 notification center thanks to a leak early on last week, but now, courtesy of the guys over at UnleashThePhones, we have a brief glimpse of the new feature in action. Although the clip is only 40 seconds long, it’s still enough to give us a general idea of how the Action Center will play out, and unsurprisingly, it’s somewhat similar to the corresponding notifications systems on both iOS and Android.
Accessible through a downward swipe gesture, you get your standard toggles like Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Airplane mode and such, and just below these settings sits the customizable notification system.
As most will have become accustomed to on other platforms, the new infrastructure offers accompanying sounds and banners, allowing one to prioritize those notifications worthy of interrupting the task at hand, and those that can perhaps be overlooked until later on.
The feature does look as though it needs a few tweaks and enhancements before it can be deemed ready for prime time, but with almost six weeks until BUILD 2014, Action Center is looking very promising indeed.
The BUILD developer conference kicks off on April 2nd, and as well as giving us a tour of Windows Phone 8.1, should also offer insight into Windows 9, or Windows 8.2 – the next big release of the major, flagship edition of the Redmond’s Windows software.
(Source: UnleashThePhones)
You may also like to check out:
- Windows Phone 8.1 Has A Swype-like Keyboard Baked Right In, Gets Demoed On Video
- New Windows Phone 8.1 Features Detailed: Start Screen Wallpapers, Notification Center, Browser Tab Syncing, On-Screen Buttons And More
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