New Windows Phone 8.1 update features Cortana, finer control over apps, more security

The next update for Windows Phone 8.1 for different countries, currently in preview form for developers, has some customised features for users in different countries when it comes to the Cortana personal digital assistant.

Source: Microsoft Windows blog.
The text translates to: Hi Joe,
what canI do for you today?

Cortana, affectionately nicknamed “Xiao Na (小娜)” in China, is now available for people in China and the UK with this update as a beta and in Canada, India, and Australia as an alpha, said Corporate VP for Operating Systems at Microsoft Joe Belfiore in a blog post late July. 

As with other language versions, Cortana displays what she is tracking so users can control it. Reminders and quiet hours can be set, and she can help search the Internet. The Chinese version is a little different, however. 

Microsoft China has developed a number of additional features specifically for China other than Mandarin voice, text and speech* support, Belfiore disclosed, including a different visual appearance, animations, and sounds. Specialised suggestions for Chinese users include air quality information, driving restrictions, and the ability to track local TV shows and celebrities.

Universal additions to the update, Belfiore said, include Apps Corner, which controls which apps can be used in a special “sandbox” mode. Businesses could use the feature to turn Windows Phone devices into dedicated devices for a particular use. As an example, the devices could be used only for scanning inventory by employees at a warehouse, or only for retail demos. An Apps Corner profile can be exported from one device and imported to other devices.

The Windows Phone 8.1 update also has additional protection for data and identity when on public networks. Users will be able to send and receive data through a virtual private network (VPN) when connecting to Wi-Fi.

Read more on the new features here. The update will be rolled out to all Windows Phone 8.1 users in the coming months.

*Cortana will understand spoken Mandarin and can speak Mandarin. Cortana will also understand written Mandarin and can respond with Mandarin text.