Microsoft confirms #WindowsPhone 8.1 GDR2 in DevCenter docs

Microsoft in DevCenter documentation confirms Windows Phone 8.1 GDR 2 (aka. Update 2) with set of new and updated features, while the Windows 10 Technical Preview for phones released last week. So, expecting a new update to Windows Phone 8.1 handsets before Windows 10.

In this blog post, sharing the new/updated features set and some useful links to get further details. Continue reading.

Microsoft in DevCenter documentation confirms that, another update GDR 2 (General Distribution Release 2) is on it’s way. It contains some new features like Video over LTE, option to restore Start tile layout, additional phone languages, Policy Manager configuration and more.

As the update is not yet available, so UI changes are not yet known but a list of new or updated features are expected to release with this GDR2 build:

• Video over LTE – Customize specific settings and behavior for video over LTE to meet mobile operator requirements, which includes:

  • Showing or hiding the LTE video calling switch

  • Setting the default value for the switch

  • Customizing the name/label of the switch and the description

  • Specifying the timeout, in milliseconds, for the phone to remain in video transition state

  • Enabling video conferencing

  • Specifying the amount of time before a video call is downgraded to a voice call due to low video quality

  • Hiding the video charges dialog that is displayed when the user turns on the LTE video calling switch

  
  

• Restore Start tile layout – Append the OEM-defined Start screen layout to the bottom of the user's backed up Start screen layout when the user restores their device from a backup.

  
  

• More phone languages – Include support for these additional phone languages:

  • Bangla (Bangladesh)

  • Khmer

  • Kiswahili

  • Lao

    
    

• Remove the trailing MSISDN digits on a SIM card – Use to remove the trailing MSISDN digits that are appended to the service provider name (SPN) in the phone UI.

  
  

• Use voice domain for emergency call branding – Use to enable the voice domain to decide whether to use Emergency calls only or No service in the phone UI branding.

  
  

• PolicyManager configuration service provider – Added the following new policies:

  • Connectivity/AllowManualVPNConfiguration

  • Connectivity/CellularAppDownloadMBLimit

  • Connectivity/WLANScanMode

  • Experiences/AllowTaskSwitcher

  • Security/AntiTheftMode

  • DataProtection/RequireProtectionUnderLockConfig

  • DataProtection/EnterpriseProtectedDomainNames

  
  

• VPN configuration service provider – Changes:

  • New AlwaysOn value in ConnectionType.

  • New Policies/AppIdleTimeout setting in the CSP.

For more details on each points, check out the Microsoft DevCenter documentation links mentioned below:

• Windows Phone 8.1 GDR2
• What's new in the documentation for Windows Phone 8.1 GDR1 and GDR2