What you LOST in WP8.1

[illidanx]

So I have downloaded the new windows phone 8.1 emulator and played with it a bit. This is a version newer than the previously invite-only SDK as Cortana and Action Center are present. There are several things I don't like about WP8.1. Please correct me if I'm wrong. I will update this list if I or someone found something new.

Lost functionalities:
- No option to change search provider in IE to Google. You got the cortana screen (if cortana is on) or the bing search screen (if cortana if off) every time you search something by typing in IE's address bar, which is a very jarring experience. Note: The option to change search engine is there in this leaked version youtube.com/watch?v=w4Xt7eT0S_I. However, it's not there in this "official" video by Daniel http://www.windowscentral.com/microsoft-announces-internet-explorer-11-windows-phone-81-we-go-hands . We have to wait until April 10 and see I guess. **Update**: I see the search provider choice in http://imgur.com/a/EPvYl !
- No more facebook chat in message. But since we cannot install apps from store in the emulator, I cannot test whether facebook chat will be restored once we install facebook/facebook messenger.
- No easy access to Bing Vision using the hardware search button if Cortana is enabled. It is still present as one of the camera lens app though.
- Photos app is now a pivot app with black background. No more beautiful photos app with personal background.
- No more list view (agenda) in calendar.
- No more posting to facebook and twitter at the same time.

Irritating problems that was not fixed
- Hitting the back key after you reopen IE still sends you straight back to the home screen instead of the previous page, which is very very stupid. I was wrong. It sent me back to the home screen because there was no page to go back. You can also swipe left and right to go back and forward, which is neat.

Changes you may not like:
- Each IE tab takes one slot in the multi-tasking tab. I was wrong on this one. It has always been like this since WP8.0
- System tray icons (the top row) stays indefinitely until an app explicitly tells them to disappear.

Functionality that I was afraid to lose but did not
- View Onedrive picture in the picture hub. If you click on the OneDrive icon in picture hub, it will list all OneDrive albums for you to choose from; you won't be sent to the OneDrive app.

 

[Xellsama]

Question, currently in 8, when we hit the search button, there's the "eye" icon at the bottom where we can use to scan for text or QR code. In the demo today I see that Cortana comes up when we hit the search button, but the "eye" is gone. Did we lose that function?

 

[KrisJoeEll]

So I have downloaded the new windows phone 8.1 emulator and played with it a bit. This is a version newer than the previously invite-only SDK as Cortana and Action Center are present. There are several things I don't like about WP8.1. Please correct me if I'm wrong. I will update this list if I or someone found something new.

Lost functionalities:
- No option to change search provider in IE to Google. You got the cortana screen (if cortana is on) or the bing search screen (if cortana if off) every time you search something by typing in IE's address bar, which is a very jarring experience.
- No more facebook chat in message.

Irritating problems that was not fixed
- Hitting the back key after you reopen IE still sends you straight back to the home screen instead of the previous page, which is very very stupid.

Changes that I personally hate:
- Each IE tab takes one slot in the multi-tasking tab.

Functionality that I was afraid to lose but did not
- View Onedrive picture in the picture hub. If you click on the OneDrive icon in picture hub, it will list all OneDrive albums for you to choose from; you won't be sent to the OneDrive app.

Hi. Can you take a screenshot of the photos app? Does it still enable you to put a background image as similar to ios/android start screen?

 

[illidanx]

Question, currently in 8, when we hit the search button, there's the "eye" icon at the bottom where we can use to scan for text or QR code. In the demo today I see that Cortana comes up when we hit the search button, but the "eye" is gone. Did we lose that function?

Yes, you lost that too unless you disable Cortana. Great, right? I added this to the lost functionality list.

 

[Squachy]

Apparently according to another thread, you swipe left or right to go forward/back in IE11. So that could explain the back button going back to start screen.

 

[narv]

So I have downloaded the new windows phone 8.1 emulator and played with it a bit. This is a version newer than the previously invite-only SDK as Cortana and Action Center are present. There are several things I don't like about WP8.1. Please correct me if I'm wrong. I will update this list if I or someone found something new.

Lost functionalities:
- No option to change search provider in IE to Google. You got the cortana screen (if cortana is on) or the bing search screen (if cortana if off) every time you search something by typing in IE's address bar, which is a very jarring experience.
- No more facebook chat in message.

Irritating problems that was not fixed
- Hitting the back key after you reopen IE still sends you straight back to the home screen instead of the previous page, which is very very stupid.

Changes that I personally hate:
- Each IE tab takes one slot in the multi-tasking tab.

Functionality that I was afraid to lose but did not
- View Onedrive picture in the picture hub. If you click on the OneDrive icon in picture hub, it will list all OneDrive albums for you to choose from; you won't be sent to the OneDrive app.

As I mentioned in: http://forums.windowscentral.com/windows-phone-8-1/272334-swipe-forward-back-ie-11-a.html You can swipe back and forth on the web page to go back and forward instead of hitting the back button. However hitting the back button actually goes back a page for me on the emulator. Just tried it. I did it while browsing.. I hit home and then hit the IE icon again and it went back.. and then hit home and went to multitask to reopen and hit back and it worked all 3 ways.

I actually like that each tab is it's own multitask, I don't use it for "multitask" so much as quick swapping when using other apps.. but that's a personal preference. perhaps later there could be a "condense" option for those who don't like it.

Changing providers isn't there, this is true. also local scout stuff is gone..

and the FB chat in messages isn't there, but may appear with the FB app installed as previous leaks showed that we could link up still.. will have to see since we can't really install from the store on the Emulator.

 

[KrisJoeEll]

Yes, you lost that too unless you disable Cortana. Great, right? I added this to the lost functionality list.

Check if 'eye' aka Bing vision is still present as a lens in camera app..

 

[narv]

Check if 'eye' aka Bing vision is still present as a lens in camera app..

It is

 

[illidanx]

Hi. Can you take a screenshot of the photos app? Does it still enable you to put a background image as similar to ios/android start screen?

No more background. It is now a pivot app instead of a panorama app.

 

[KrisJoeEll]

Damn. No more this?!

 

[illidanx]

As I mentioned in: http://forums.windowscentral.com/windows-phone-8-1/272334-swipe-forward-back-ie-11-a.html You can swipe back and forth on the web page to go back and forward instead of hitting the back button. However hitting the back button actually goes back a page for me on the emulator. Just tried it. I did it while browsing.. I hit home and then hit the IE icon again and it went back.. and then hit home and went to multitask to reopen and hit back and it worked all 3 ways.

I actually like that each tab is it's own multitask, I don't use it for "multitask" so much as quick swapping when using other apps.. but that's a personal preference. perhaps later there could be a "condense" option for those who don't like it.

Changing providers isn't there, this is true. also local scout stuff is gone..

and the FB chat in messages isn't there, but may appear with the FB app installed as previous leaks showed that we could link up still.. will have to see since we can't really install from the store on the Emulator.

Thanks. I corrected my original post.

 

[illidanx]

Damn. No more this?!
View attachment 61258

Nothing like this in the emulator. You got a pivot app with black background.

 

[Ankit Nawlakha]

No option to change search provider in IE to Google.

But dude perhaps no body felt the need of it..!

 

[KrisJoeEll]

illidanx if you have time will you post some screenshots of cortana, action center and other interesting things in the update?
And thank you for doing this.

 

[illidanx]

But dude perhaps no body felt the need of it..!

I don't mind searching using Bing but hates the Bing app poping up. That Bing app's design is terrible, huge text in a limited space. Why can't they give me the Bing mobile website instead when I type something in the address bar?

 

[KrisJoeEll]

I don't mind searching using Bing but hates the Bing app poping up. That Bing app's design is terrible, huge text in a limited space. Why can't they give me the Bing mobile website instead when I type something in the address bar?

Google search may be present in the real update.

 

[illidanx]

illidanx if you have time will you post some screenshots of cortana, action center and other interesting things in the update?
And thank you for doing this.

I cannot find a way to talk to Cortana in the emulator so I cannot test much. Action center is pretty straightforward and the same as the video you see in the WPCentral home page. I have not seen any interesting things not covered by WPCentral. I also want to keep this thread about the loss of functionalities going from WP8 to WP8.1

 

[Xellsama]

Wow so far the Photo background loss is my biggest disappointment....the others at least there are work arounds...

 

[KrisJoeEll]

I cannot find a way to talk to Cortana in the emulator so I cannot test much. Action center is pretty straightforward and the same as the video you see in the WP page. I have not seen any interesting things not covered by WPCentral. I also want to keep this thread about the loss of functionalities going from WP8 to WP8.1

I'll have to wait till the dev preview then..

 

[Squachy]

Damn. No more this?!
View attachment 61258

The 8.1 screenshot looks like its in the 'albums' folder in the above screenshot. In other words, it looks like they removed the above 'splash screen' and consolidated the hub so you save a few taps/clicks to get to your photos. I take it putting photos in the favorites folder does nothing to the background?