Microsoft has promised to be releasing the preview of Windows 10 for smartphones and tablets soon. Despite this, screenshots of what is supposedly the operating system have appeared on a Chinese site.
The images show what an operating system that is labeled Windows 10 Mobile technical preview, which appears to indicate that Microsoft is returning to the Mobile brand for the smartphone operating system. Not it is an entirely bad thing, but there are many who still recall Windows Mobile and how terrible it was. Still, this is something else and many younger users will not be familiar with the stigma attached to the name.
The keyboard is slightly redesigned with a set of new cursor keys for navigating text, and also a new keyboard selector and icon for voice commands. There also appears to be new options for larger screen phones that realign the keyboard to the left or right of display, which is intended to allow people to still operated the device one handed.
Interestingly, the operating system can now have a start screen background; a feature noticeably missing from Windows Phone. The notifcation centre now supports more that one line of icons. It looks like there will be the option to customise the icons as well.
It is difficult to say just how different the experience will be from the current Windows Phone 8.1, but it looks like there will be substantial changes made to the OS. With any luck, Microsoft is not too upset about the Seattle Seahawks not winning the Superbowl and will get on with releasing the preview to the rest of us.
[Source: Ars Technica, ITHome]
