Microsoft's first update to its latest Windows Phone 8.1, aptly called Update 1, is now official and Cortana is ready to hit more markets.
Windows Phone 8.1 Update 1 comes with some neat new features and improvements aiming to enhance the general experience. One of the highlights of the OS is Cortana, Microsoft's very own digital assistant and answer to Apple's Siri and Google Now. While Cortana has started its journey only in the U.S., the assistant is now ready to expand to other markets as well, set to reach China and the UK soon. Microsoft had promised back in April that it will release Cortana in the UK and China, and it now seems the company is keeping its word.
Cortana Release in the UK and China
With Windows Phone 8.1 Update 1, Cortana will bring also along features specifically tailored for its new markets. In China, for instance, it will come with a changed visual appearance and offer specific content such as information about air quality, commute times, and more, and it will support Mandarin. In the UK, Cortana will adjust to the British spelling and pronunciation and offer relevant info on the London Stock Exchange, local commutes, and more. Cortana will reach the UK and China in Beta mode, while in Canada, India, and Australia it will roll out in Alpha as an opt-in program.
Windows Phone 8.1 Update 1 New Features
In addition to Cortana, Windows Phone 8.1 Update 1 will also bring some other eat features to the table. Users will now be able to enjoy Live Folders (see image above) for easy organizing and management of apps, a new Live Tile pinned to the Start Screen, a new Apps Corner, and more. Xbox Music, meanwhile, will sport enhanced performance and will regain lost features such as background syncing and swipe to advance.
Availability
In terms of availability, the new Windows Phone 8.1 Update 1 will start rolling out next week, but as a developer preview. Otherwise, the new software will make a general roll out to users with devices running Windows Phone 8.1 "in the coming months."
For more information on Cortana's capabilities and rollout journeys, as well as the neat new features that Windows Phone 8.1 Update 1 will have to offer, head over to Microsoft's Windows blog at this link and read the company's latest announcement on Wednesday, July 30.
