A developer claiming to have access to the Windows Phone 8.1 SDK or Software Development kit has leaked some of the features of the upcoming major Windows Phone update. Said developer showed up on Reddit to document the features, one that particularly stands out is the support for “Universal Apps.” This is perhaps one subtle hint of the Windows Phone and Windows RT merger that keeps on being rumored, developers will apparently be able to build Windows Store and Windows Phone Store apps using the same shared JavaScript and HTML. What this means in layman terms is that both Windows 8.1 and Windows Phone 8.1 will be able to run apps that are nearly identical.
The developer also claims that Windows Phone 8.1 will bring the ability to opt out of the native messaging application, thus allowing users to send or receive texts using third party messaging apps. “Battery Power Sense” is said to be a feature that would let users track and monitor the battery life of their device. Windows Phone 8.1 may also bring support for installing apps on a SD card and the addition of an iCloud account. One major change that this update is expected to bring is Action Center, essentially a notification center that will intelligently be able to manage notifications. So far its not known when Microsoft is going to release this update, but as far as rumors go, we can expect WP 8.1 to drop within the next couple of months.
Filed in . Read more about Microsoft and Windows Phone 8.1.