Live tiles only update when home screen is open?

[congusano]

So basically if I get a notification that I have an email, or I see on my lockscreen that I have 7 new emails, as soon as I swipe up to see my home screen, only then does the live tile for my email start increasing numbers to show the new emails.

For example, if i go to bed and read all new emails, the tile has no number in my email tile.

I wake up and the lock screen shows 7 new emails. I swipe the screen up and I see that right away, my email tile still has no numbers indicating new emails and very quickly it seems to process the emails and the number then shows 7.

Is that normal behavior (long time IOS user, first time Windows Phone user)?

 

[gsquared]

That is by design. WP7 was the same way. It will show notification on the lock screen but only update tiles once the phone is unlocked. There are some live titles that will update while the phone is locked (ie: Weather Channel app).

 

[jmerrey]

If a live tile updates but nobody is around to see it, does it really update?

 

[philpeeps]

That is by design so in addition to the number, there is a visual cue as to what is changing by having the number count up (or down in the battery app). I think it is a pretty nice, unique feature.