Microsoft is updating its Windows software for cellphones to accommodate larger devices and make it easier for motorists to reduce distractions while driving.<\/p>\n
It’s the third update to Windows Phone 8 software since the system’s release a year ago. Devices with this update will start appearing in the coming weeks, and older phones will be eligible for a free upgrade, too.<\/p>\n
Something that may appeal to motorists: a new Driving Mode will automatically silence incoming calls and texts so that you can focus on the road. You also can configure the feature to automatically send out a reply to say that you’re driving.<\/p>\n
It can be activated automatically when the phone is linked wirelessly with a Bluetooth device in the car, such as a headset. Apple has a Do Not Disturb feature for iPhones, but that needs to be turned on manually.<\/p>\n
What the Driving Mode won’t do, however, is block outgoing calls or texts. And there will be ways to override it. The feature won’t stop a teenager from texting while driving, but it will help reduce distractions for those who want that, says Greg Sullivan, director for Microsoft’s Windows Phone business.<\/p>\n
The new update also will allow for better resolution to accommodate larger phones. Currently, the system supports a maximum resolution of 1280 pixels by 768 pixels, which is adequate for phones with screens no larger than 5 inches on the diagonal. But video and image quality degrades when stretched out on larger phones, such as a 6.3-inch (16-centimeter) Android phone from Samsung Electronics Co.<\/p>\n
The layout for larger phones also will change. Phones may now sport a third column of tiles, for instance. Contact lists and other features will be able to fit in more information. That’s a contrast to Android, where text and images simply get bigger with larger screens, without actually fitting in more content.<\/p>\n
Microsoft’s Windows Phone software holds a distant third place behind Apple’s iOS and Google’s Android, with a worldwide market share of 3.7 percent in the second quarter, according to research firm IDC. But shipments of Windows Phone devices grew 78 percent to 8.7 million in the April-to-June period, compared with the same time a year ago. The tile-based layout in Windows Phone is the inspiration for the Windows 8 software powering tablets and personal computers.<\/p>\n
There are a few ways Microsoft Corp. will catch up to the iPhone and Android phones with the new update.<\/p>\n
For the first time, Windows phones will have a rotation lock function, so that the screen won’t switch back and forth between horizontal and vertical mode while you’re curled up in bed. There also will be a central way to close open apps. Before, you had to go into each open app and press and hold the back button.<\/p>\n
And Microsoft is launching a program to give app developers early access to the new software. Apple has had a similar program for the iOS software behind iPhones and iPads, while Google often has worked with selected developers on unreleased features.<\/p>\n
Windows Phone 8 runs mostly without problems: report<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n Microsoft to bring Xbox, PC games to Apple, Android phones: report<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n Microsoft talked with Nokia about buying devices unit: report<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n