Windows Phone 9 - General thread (read 1st post!)

[Mario92]

What do you think Windows Phone 9 will bring for future of mobile Windows? Of course, Windows Threshold is starting to get some known new features (nothing official except sort-of official Start Menu and windowed Modern UI apps) but what's new for WP9?

I find marriage between Windows RT and Windows Phone interesting. Moving forward we see more and more apps in both Windows Store and Windows Phone store. Windows 8 apps scale well (smallest Snap dimension are almost perfect with Windows Phone screen estate) and Windows Phone apps are getting support for greater resolutions (FullHD and allegedly 2K with alleged WP8.1 GDR2).

It is easier for developer to add new features on less capable yet more optimized platform (WP) than reducing footprints and cut off features on more bloated platform (Windows RT and desktop NT-based OS).

Visual Studio CTP 14 has some references for ONECORE and kernelx.dll (Xbox One) so things are already getting pretty well developer-wise. I wouldn't be surprised if Sept 30th will unveil WinTP, VS support for Xbox One (also TP) and some details around WP9 (Windows Phone Threshold).

• Coming in 2015
• All WP8.x devices can run it
• International Cortana support
• App Snap on >5" devices
• RTM together with Windows 9
• .NET Native is default runtime
• Notification LED support (even though it's supported in WP8.1 GDR1)
• USB OTG functionality

• Will definitely not launch rainbows and have "Seems faster" boot animation
• Daniel Rubino will not replace Cortana

Possible hardware restrictions (that would prevent existing WP8.x devices do update):

• Low internal memory (4GB or less)
• Low RAM size (512MB)
• CPU core number (dual core)

• Windows RT and Windows Phone merge

• Nothing yet

SURVEY LINK

 

[Mallikarjun Patil]

Re: Windows Phone 9 - new clean slate or refining WP8.x?

I think there is multi windows option will be there and about size 10 inches is quite larger

 

[Mario92]

Re: Windows Phone 9 - new clean slate or refining WP8.x?

App Snap is very tricky to achieve on Windows Phone. Why?

Because apps are suspended when running in background. With app snap view WP would run two app instances at the same time which was never the case before. One reason more to believe this part will be ported from "big" Windows.

This is one concept what is possible:

Of course, this would be usable on bigger devices like L1520. However, WP8.1 GDR1 supports up to 7" devices which would be even more awesome with this option.

 

[jojoe42]

Re: Windows Phone 9 - clean slate or refining WP8.x?

I reckon WP9 might be such a huge refinement that it almost looks like a clean slate. Sorta like iOS 4 to iOS 5 or iOS 6 to iOS 7. There will be a heck tonne of changes, I'm really hoping for some more integration between WP9 and Windows 9 (cough Continuity cough) now that MS has done all the groundwork to do so.

 

[brankog1991]

Re: Windows Phone 9 - General thread

I hope there'll be a ton of new features. For example adding of cellular data act to action center , multiple windows , even more stability , removing stutter when getting back to start screen , better push notifications , making a new app for counting your calls and messages - something like data sense.

A lot of things can make WP9 great. They should just read our forums.

 

[TechFreak1]

Re: Windows Phone 9 - General thread

Well given that windows phone is to be merged with RT, I am interested what the UX would look like on RT tablets.

As Windows on ARM is here to stay and it is not going anywhere, which is why I don't think we will see any windows phone running on Intel SOC's in the near future. Not to mention they will upset Qualcomm who is the biggest "silent" partner MS has.

 

[TaichiSurface]

Re: Windows Phone 9 - General thread

so the question is when will it be announced. I'm very skeptical that it will be announced on September 30th where they announce Windows 9.

Hopefully soon though, it'd be extremely interesting to see what it can do when it merges with Windows RT. If it can have almost full office function that would be great.

 

[realwarder]

Re: Windows Phone 9 - General thread

- Connect to inserted USB memory stick/keyboard

 

[androidtoWM]

Re: Windows Phone 9 - General thread

i wish MS updates their core apps instead of adding gimmicky features to catch up with android.

ability to attach documents via the native email app.

Skype, please make it work. I don't get notifications when someone calls me. I can't do a voice only call (it has to be a video call) otherwise it wouldn't go through.

Quick dial on the native phone dialer by typing my contacts name directly on the numpad.

Update Onenote, Office apps.

Xbox Music.

And last but not least fix the multi-tasking. The black "Resuming..." is frustrating.

 

[emperor_skull]

Re: Windows Phone 9 - General thread

This is interesting

 

[Chemilinski]

Re: Windows Phone 9 - General thread

Skype, please make it work. I don't get notifications when someone calls me. I can't do a voice only call (it has to be a video call) otherwise it wouldn't go through.

The problem with Skype, and any VoIP app is that Microsoft has APIs for those apps only available if the app is written in Silverlight.
Microsoft ditched the Silverlight coding language they developed since WP7, however they carried over the Skype app which was written in this language. This is why its performance will always be not as optimal as it could be despite the numerous updates to improve it.

I'm speculating now, but maybe Microsoft letting go of support for Skype on WP7 is in preparation to port the app over to WinRT.
However to do this they need to make new APIs for VoIP apps for WinRT, which may be why its taken them this long. Writing new APIs is the same reason why it's taking so long for the animated Live Tile for the Music app from 8.0 to come to 8.1.
If this is the case though, this is great as it means better development and experiences of VoIP apps on WP. Again, I'm only speculating from what I've seen going on an understanding what devs have been saying.

 

[DoctorSaline]

Re: Windows Phone 9 - General thread

The problem with Skype, and any VoIP app is that Microsoft has APIs for those apps only available if the app is written in Silverlight.
Microsoft ditched the Silverlight coding language they developed since WP7, however they carried over the Skype app which was written in this language. This is why its performance will always be not as optimal as it could be despite the numerous updates to improve it.

I'm speculating now, but maybe Microsoft letting go of support for Skype on WP7 is in preparation to port the app over to WinRT.
However to do this they need to make new APIs for VoIP apps for WinRT, which may be why its taken them this long. Writing new APIs is the same reason why it's taking so long for the animated Live Tile for the Music app from 8.0 to come to 8.1.
If this is the case though, this is great as it means better development and experiences of VoIP apps on WP. Again, I'm only speculating from what I've seen going on an understanding what devs have been saying.

I hope the talk about new APIs for VoIPs is true. Since, it is not only Skype that has issues with notifications. Whatsapp and Viber suffer from the same fate.

 

[Chemilinski]

Re: Windows Phone 9 - General thread

I hope the talk about new APIs for VoIPs is true. Since, it is not only Skype that has issues with notifications. Whatsapp and Viber suffer from the same fate.

Well that's exactly my point, it's because they all have to use the now defunct Silverlight code.
I'm sure they'll have their new APIs in line and ready for Windows 9.

 

[Chemilinski]

Re: Windows Phone 9 - General thread

I also have a point that.. maybe some people have thought of, or maybe it's just me.

Everyone in the know has been saying that Windows RT is being merged into Windows Phone for Microsoft's Windows 9 release.
The thing I have been wondering is what will they be calling the OS "Windows Phone 9" going forward? I mean of course that's fine when it's on mobiles, but what about tablets? You can't say that an ARM tablet has "Windows Phone" on it, that makes no sense.

May they change the name for both even though they're essentially the same OS? Maybe call it Windows Mobile! Okay, maybe not return to that beleaguered brand.. but I think it's an interesting point of what they'll be calling the OS on mobile devices.

 

[Jazmac]

Re: Windows Phone 9 - General thread

Wrong answer to the question

 

[bonghy90]

Re: Windows Phone 9 - General thread

What I would like to see is the option for us to change our power saver setting. Like start power saving at 50% or 60% etc. This would help optimize battery life rather than save it at 20%.

Another thing I would like to see is a revamp of the setting menu. Now, it's nothing more than a huge chunk of mess. Categorising all the games under xbox games like wp8 would make more sense for me but that's a personal preference.

Cellular data enabling in action centre would also be a nice addition too. Being able to fast forward a song in the drag down menu by dragging it like in the music hub would be great too. And one more thing, allow us to share our videos in the video hub via Bluetooth or NFC please!!

 

[Md Salim]

Re: Windows Phone 9 - General thread

Windows Phone 9 will be support in Lumia 925

 

[Mario92]

Re: Windows Phone 9 - General thread

Updated first post, how did no one noticed that it said "What TO we know?" instead of "What DO we know?"

 

[CSJr1]

Re: Windows Phone 9 - new clean slate or refining WP8.x?

App Snap is very tricky to achieve on Windows Phone. Why?

Because apps are suspended when running in background. With app snap view WP would run two app instances at the same time which was never the case before. One reason more to believe this part will be ported from "big" Windows.

This is one concept what is possible:
http://www.pohrani.com/f/1P/Tg/1AoUzfXA/dsad.gif

Of course, this would be usable on bigger devices like L1520. However, WP8.1 GDR1 supports up to 7" devices which would be even more awesome with this option.

This definitely has to make it to the next dev preview! Whoever did this has skills in graphic manipulation. Looks like a working prototype.

 

[DoctorSaline]

I don't know how I feel about this 'possible' hardware restrictions. On one hand, it'd mean that every wp9 phone will come with at least 8gb internal, 1gb ram and a quad core- which I've always advocated. But on other end, it'd mean wp9 wouldn't be optimized for 80% of current WP devices.

One thing Id like to see is keyboard size adjustment. I hate it when I'm trying to select, highlight, copy/paste text and the darn keyboard is taking 60% of screen real state. Maybe an option to hide it too when you are doing this.