Back in May, I took a look at Launcher 10, an Android app launcher/front end that mimics Windows Phone/Windows 10 Mobile and helps keep continuity of interface for anyone switching away to an Android flagship, in the absence of current Windows hardware. Since May, the launcher has added a big new feature that even Windows phones never had - landscape mode! See below for screenshot proof.
Windows 10 Mobile is now into its last six month stretch in terms of Microsoft's official support, though it can be argued that its spirit will live on in terms of 'modern OS'. Under the hood there are kernel and security fixes today, for all phones currently running the '1709' branch. Grab this July 2019 update in Settings.
As reported almost a year ago, described then as a 'non-story', it's still really not that big a deal, but any line in the sand is worth noting, at least. As of today, Microsoft is stopping distributing app updates to Windows Phone 8.x or earlier devices in the on-device Store.
Last covered at the start of 2019, myTube! hasn't quite reached the 'next generation' v4.x that is promised for 2019, though it's definitely still coming. But fear not, for there has been a mountain of changes and fixes to the main v3.x codebase since our last story, see the list below and with the app last updated yesterday.
Spotify has effectively ended its service on Windows-powered phones, as of last week, with the withdrawal of the core search facilities (i.e. for music). This was expected and I try to provide links and quotes below to chronicle Spotify on the platform(s). As to alternatives, there's a third party client, but it does come with a few quirks and caveats.
With various scare stories being put forward over the weekend, I thought it appropriate to refute them with the aid of an informed tweet or two. The scare was that Microsoft wasn't going to update the Store client for Windows 10 Mobile anymore, potentially leading to something breaking earlier than planned. However, this didn't seem quite right, this early, and the dependable Rudy Huyn came to the rescue with an informed MVP viewpoint.
Rafe's over at MWC, though you don't have to wait for his comments to know that there is a new 'PureView' device released, exactly seven years after the Nokia 808 and six years after the Lumia 1020 - and from the new Nokia, run by HMD Global. Consider this the latest phase of the original PureView if you will, but the only real link other than the use of ZEISS lenses is that there's lots of computational photography going on.
Just a quick note to say, that at some point in the last few months, I think Microsoft finally fixed its issues with backed-up non-Lumia-shot photos, some details and links below. Sorry if this sounds nebulous, but all is working now, and it certainly wasn't in the middle of 2018. Yay!
Windows 10 Mobile build 15254.541 (from .538) for all phones currently running the 1709 branch ('Fall Creators Update') is fresh out today, so go grab it now. Similarly, build 15063.1446 (from .1390) is out for all phones running the 1703 branch ('Creators Update').
Last mentioned here in July, Podcast Lounge 2 has completed its latest huge round of beta testing (seriously, there's a lot of effort in each major update) and is now out as an update in the Microsoft Store. Go grab it, since it offers cross-device sync of favourites, play history, playlists and settings - oh, and Xbox compatibility for the first time.
