Microsoft’s next Windows Phone 8 Blue update is sometime away but the company is also readying a update called the General Distribution Release 2 (GDR2). Though the Redmond-based company has been relatively quiet about the upcoming features, it has finally published an official changelog for the forthcoming update.
The changelog shows a set of improvements rather than pointing at an introduction of some revolutionary features. Starting with a refreshed Xbox music app, which has made it easier for users to select, download and pin music.
Performance has been improved too and metadata has been improved to offer more accurate song and album information. Music lovers will also appreciate the introduction of a FM Radio that can be accessed from the music and video hub.
A new feature called Data Sense allows users track their data usage, while an improved Internet Explorer offers better HTML 5 support. There are also other improvements to Skype and Lync and the camera app now lets users select a default lens for every time they open the app.
For Nokia’s Lumia users the aforementioned features will arrive with the Amber update. In addition to this, The Verge has revealed that Microsoft is will release the Windows Phone 8 Blue update next year which will include a new notification center, improved multitasking, and changes to built-in apps. The report notes that to appease some hardware OEMs like Nokia, it could actually push out some of the planned features earlier in 2013 itself as a part of the GDR3 update.
Remember, Windows Phone 8 still does not support 1080p displays which sullies Nokia’s hardware when compared to Android competition. Perhaps this would be one of the features that might get released earlier. Prior to this, it has been rumored that Microsoft will add support for 1080p displays in 2013 itself.
