The Anniversary Update err... updated. In preview, anyway...

Published by at

Windows 10 Mobile 'Redstone', a.k.a. the Anniversary Update, marches on with more fixes and tweaks. As it will carry on being tweaked, month after month until some time early in 2017! (When Redstone 2 comes out) Today we have build 14393.103 available to anyone on the usual Insiders Release Preview ring - which is the most stable and sensible place to be in terms of a compromise between features and fewer bugs.

Although some of the items are PC hardware-specific (I'll embolden mobile-relevant sections), the changelog for Windows 10 Mobile 14393.103 (over .82) is:

  • Improved reliability of the Windows Ink Workspace, Microsoft Edge, File Server, Windows kernel, Microsoft Component Object Model (COM), Cluster Health Service, Hyper-V, Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA), NTFS file system, PowerShell, Internet Explorer, facial recognition, graphics, Microsoft Store and Windows Shell.
  • Improved performance for the speed of purchasing Store apps.
  • Improved battery life of wearable devices (such as the Microsoft Band) while Bluetooth is connected and idle.
  • Improved compatibility of using Xbox One controllers with various games.
  • Addressed issue with incorrect character mapping between Japanese and Unicode for the question mark (?) symbol.
  • Addressed issue that prevents the download and initialization of .NET objects in Internet Explorer.
  • Improved support for new near-field communication (NFC) chips for Windows 10 Mobile.
  • Addressed issue with game or app audio not resuming after ending a call on Windows 10 Mobile.
  • Addressed additional issues with compatibility, Remote Desktop, BitLocker, PowerShell, Direct3D, networking policies, Dynamic Access Control (DAC) rules, Microsoft Edge, Connected Standby, mobile device management (MDM), printing, Fingerprint logon and Cortana.

So a minor point update certainly, but with Store, Edge, NFC and Bluetooth getting tweaks, it's certainly worth updating on a phone that's used daily.

Annoyingly, I'm mobile for a few days and don't have any of my Release Preview status phones with me, so I'm reliant on you for commenting below on any issues or fixes.

Meanwhile, we're expecting a new Redstone 2 'Fast' ring release today, as I write this, though the very nature of the early status of this means that there's really no hurry at Microsoft's end, so it might well be next Tuesday instead.