Microsoft offered us a peek at Windows 10 for phones at a press event last month. Now a few alleged screenshots are providing a closer look.
In one key change, some of the context-sensitive menus seem to be getting tweaked to more closely resemble the ones on the desktop and tablet editions of the new OS, according to photos leaked by Chinese website IT Home, as spotted by the Verge. That's not surprising as Microsoft is specifically gearing up Windows 10 to provide a more consistent environment and experience across PCs, tablets and mobile phones.
Microsoft is also looking to the Windows 10 name and refresh to generate more customer awareness of its mobile operating system and Lumia mobile phones. The goal is to use the Windows 10 experience as the linchpin across your PC, tablet and phone. And Microsoft definitely could use a boost in the mobile world. With a market share of less than 3 percent, Windows Phone runs a distant third to Android and Apple's iOS. Kantar Worldpanel analyst Carolina Milanesi said that pushing Windows services on PCs and and desktops could eventually prompt people to look at Microsoft's smartphones as well.
Another new option for Windows 10 on the phone would apparently allow you to split the keyboard in half so you can type with both your right and left hands. That may not be useful on smaller Windows 10 phones but could be handy on bigger devices. The screenshots also reveal a new audio recording app.
The Alarms feature has been tweaked to resemble the universal Windows 10 app. Such apps are designed so they can more easily run across all Windows 10 devices, including PCs, tablets, and phones. Microsoft has also moved the voice input to the top of the keyboard.
At the Windows 10 press event last month, Microsoft demoed the new OS on a Nokia Lumia 1520. Like Windows Phone 8, Windows 10 for phones still gives you access to apps and features via tiles. The apps you've most recently downloaded appear at the top of the screen.
The Action Center offers you the ability to dismiss notifications, tasks and other items and syncs with those on your PC, so you don't have to dismiss them both on your phone and PC. Certain items, such as the Settings screen, adopt the same look and feel as their Windows 10 desktop and tablet counterparts.
Windows 10 for desktops and tablets has already been available as a technical preview for users to test. Microsoft is slated to roll out a similar preview edition for Windows 10 for phones sometime this month.
