Windows 10 Mobile Insider Topic

[GoodBytes]

Microsoft accidentally pushed a new build for Windows 10 Mobile on ALL rings. DO NOT INSTALL IT, you'll be stuck in a boot loop.

Microsoft Donna Sarkar said to not install it until you hear from them first. If you have installed it and stuck in a boot loop, you will have no choice to re-install the device with WDDR recovery tool.

 

What IS interesting, is that the build is: 16212. Meaning Redstone 3! So , it looks like that the phone will indeed have Redstone 3.

Source: https://www.neowin.net/news/build-16212-is-rolling-out-for-windows-10-mobile-devices-on-the-fast-ring?

 

Also, based on a internal leak. The Lumia 960 was supposed to be released. Prototype Picture bellow. It featured the same camera as the Lumia 950, but featured the Snapdragon 820 CPU, and metal backing with the same OLED screen. Basically a fast 950 XL. No info on the RAM.

 

 

As you can imagine, this was canceled.

Source: https://www.windowscentral.com/photos-microsofts-canceled-lumia-960-flagship-leak

 

But in interesting news, apparently Microsoft is internally testing a new type of phone device. Now, it is said to be an early prototype, it could be the "Surface phone". It is believed to be running Windows 10 for ARM, with pen support, and uses Microsoft talked about CShell (Composable Shell) GUI. A GUI overlay which Microsoft is working on that adapts to all kinds of device. Basically replaces Shell32, the one used right now under Windows 10. Based on leaks, it says:

Quote

A highly composable system provides recombinant components that can be selected and assembled in various combinations to satisfy specific user requirements."

https://mspoweruser.com/microsoft-reportedly-working-new-windows-mobile-reboot/

https://www.windowscentral.com/microsoft-windows-10-composable-shell

 

[SansVarnic]

On 6/1/2017 at 5:27 PM, GoodBytes said:

<snip>

I got hit by this and not so much a boot loop but it tries to login on its own ....  

I have already decided to ebure the time until the next build come out. If it doe fix then I will recover. I hate recovering.  

[GoodBytes]

On 6/5/2017 at 5:26 PM, SansVarnic said:

I got hit by this and not so much a boot loop but it tries to login on its own ....  

I have already decided to ebure the time until the next build come out. If it doe fix then I will recover. I hate recovering.  

Ouch!

 

[GoodBytes]

HOLY PINEAPPLE PIE!

https://www.onmsft.com/news/windows-10-mobile-maps-app-now-uses-bluetooth-audio-in-latest-insiders-update

 

Now Maps will pass Cortana turn by turn navigation voice through Bluetooth audio instead of the flaky speech, which needs to be passed as phone calls on many cars (or not work at all), due to the Bluetooth issues (basically car manufacture aren't testing it with Windows 10 Mobile phone to ensure porper standard compliance and support).

 

I didn't get the update yet, but I can't wait to try it out!

[GoodBytes]

1 hour ago, GoodBytes said:

HOLY PINEAPPLE PIE!

https://www.onmsft.com/news/windows-10-mobile-maps-app-now-uses-bluetooth-audio-in-latest-insiders-update

 

Now Maps will pass Cortana turn by turn navigation voice through Bluetooth audio instead of the flaky speech, which needs to be passed as phone calls on many cars (or not work at all), due to the Bluetooth issues (basically car manufacture aren't testing it with Windows 10 Mobile phone to ensure porper standard compliance and support).

 

I didn't get the update yet, but I can't wait to try it out!

Never mind... I have the update.. this is BS. You can just pick to send the voice navigation as normal or the spekaer of the phone (yay?!)

LAME! I thought it would go through the music channel. Who cares about this?

[GoodBytes]

New Build! But not the exciting build that was leaked. That one had serious issues.

We have Build 15222

Quote

Changes, improvements, and fixes for Mobile

• This build also includes all the improvements from KB4016871 and KB4020102.
• The copyright date is correctly showing 2017 now under Settings > System > About.
• We fixed an issue where WhatsApp would not launch after updating to the latest Mobile builds.
• We fixed an issue with using the Japanese 12 Key soft keyboard where the “right arrow” key did not input a space
• We fixed an issue with the Bulgarian keyboard localization for the HP Lap Dock in Continuum.
• We have further improved the reliability of notifications for apps with a paired Bluetooth device, such as Fitbit.
• Improved the Time & Language settings page UX for Speech and Keyboard language downloads. Previously, the status would show “Downloading” for speech and “Installing” for keyboard. Unless, the user tapped on the language or navigated to the Update & Security settings page, there was no indication that a restart is required to complete the installation. Now when the update reaches the reboot pending state, a “Restart Required” is displayed under the language.
• We fixed several enterprise device management issues.
• We fixed an issue where notifications and Cortana’s cross-devices settings on your device were not being mirrored to your PC.

Known issues for Mobile

• In some cases, the WeChat app may crash on launch.

https://blogs.windows.com/windowsexperience/2017/06/08/announcing-windows-10-insider-preview-build-16215-pc-build-15222-mobile/#Erlxl0Co2xuRkWQs.97

[GoodBytes]

New Build exclusive to Mobile!

Build 15223

 

Quote

• We fixed an issue where only the first VPN profile was being displayed in the VPN settings page via Settings > Network & wireless > VPN.
• We fixed an issue where a meeting Time Zone was garbled in Chinese or Japanese.
• Based on Insider feedback, we have changed “Phone Update” to “Windows Update” under Settings > Update & security.

https://blogs.windows.com/windowsexperience/2017/06/13/announcing-windows-10-insider-preview-build-15223-mobile/#kcJMr6W1riQ0JTpC.97

[SansVarnic]

Just now, GoodBytes said:

New Build exclusive to Mobile!

Build 15223

 

https://blogs.windows.com/windowsexperience/2017/06/13/announcing-windows-10-insider-preview-build-15223-mobile/#kcJMr6W1riQ0JTpC.97

Nice but minor ...

I don't feel that they are really accomplishing much any more. Just bug bashing.

I hope this is a good thing and they are focusing on the x86. Just thinking out loud here.

[GoodBytes]

5 minutes ago, SansVarnic said:

Nice but minor ...

I don't feel that they are really accomplishing much any more. Just bug bashing.

I hope this is a good thing and they are focusing on the x86. Just thinking out loud here.

I think their focus is on that CShell thing, and all the energy is put on the Surface mobile/phone device being leaked here and there (well, patent leaks)

 

 

[SansVarnic]

31 minutes ago, GoodBytes said:

I think their focus is on that CShell thing, and all the energy is put on the Surface mobile/phone device being leaked here and there (well, patent leaks)

 

Yeah the Cshell , why I said x86 but yeah that is what I am hoping for.

[GoodBytes]

6 minutes ago, SansVarnic said:

Yeah the Cshell don't why I said x86 but yeah that is what I am hoping for.

Ah ok! hehe!

I think the biggest problem I have with my Windows 10 Mobile is Bluetooth. Ages ago, it used to work fine, but now Bluetooth seems to consume 100% of the CPU, so anything you do, makes the audio skip all over the place, and so if you use Maps, which is demanding for a mobile chip, it skips your music all the time. If that is fixed, I would be really happy with my device. I would really be awesome if they manage to improve device compatibility over it. I can only really hope that this has been improved or fixed in the 16xxxx but can't release it as it is depended on other in development components that it really needs. But I think I have my hope already too up.

[SansVarnic]

26 minutes ago, GoodBytes said:

Ah ok! hehe!

I think the biggest problem I have with my Windows 10 Mobile is Bluetooth. Ages ago, it used to work fine, but now Bluetooth seems to consume 100% of the CPU, so anything you do, makes the audio skip all over the place, and so if you use Maps, which is demanding for a mobile chip, it skips your music all the time. If that is fixed, I would be really happy with my device. I would really be awesome if they manage to improve device compatibility over it. I can only really hope that this has been improved or fixed in the 16xxxx but can't release it as it is depended on other in development components that it really needs. But I think I have my hope already too up.

I dont know why Bluetooth with WM10 has been such an issue, 7&8  was definitely better.

I know that BT connects with my car ok but the on board system I have sucks to begin with, it wants to control the phone rather the other way around, so when want to place a call the car want to recognize me instead of letting Cortana do the job, really stupid imo. 

Other that IMO WM10 is pretty much as good as it is gonna get for now anyhow.

[SansVarnic]

Build 15223

Posted a bit late ... Released June 13th

You most likely already have it installed by now.  

Quote

Hello Windows Insiders!

We have released Windows 10 Mobile Insider Preview Build 15223 to in the Fast ring. This build is just one builder newer than last week’s Mobile build and includes the following fixes and improvements:

• We fixed an issue where only the first VPN profile was being displayed in the VPN settings page via Settings > Network & wireless > VPN.
• We fixed an issue where a meeting Time Zone was garbled in Chinese or Japanese.
• Based on Insider feedback, we have changed “Phone Update” to “Windows Update” under Settings > Update & security.

Known issues for Mobile

• In some cases, the WeChat app may crash on launch.

Keep hustling team,
Dona <3

Still having issues with WeChat [how long has it been now?] ... oh well I don't use it so personally its not an issue with me. I like the Skype multi-device sync function, I get to continue text chats on my PC so that's nifty and more useful to my use case  

[GoodBytes]

Continuum 2.0 running on Lumia 950 XL!

 

This means that current Lumia device that supports Continuum can have this! It won't be HP Elite x3!

As we can see this build requires a lot of work to still be done.. looks like, to me, that they re-coded the whole thing from scratch or mostly.

 

OnMSFT did a rough translation of some notes from Aggiornamenti Lumia:

Quote

• It is still possible to move from the home to the list of installed applications
• Once closed the connection with the device connected via Miracast, in the device installed with C shell remains fixed a dart (he brings with him from the previous connection)
• The connection with Miracast suffers sometimes lag of flashy (no such problem encountered with connection via Dock)
• The preview of the applications in the task manager is not always displayed correctly
• Sometimes, opening the Continuum of applications, automatically also on the smartphone it is opened
• Not the resize icon appears (although it is running, as shown above)
• Lack of jump list: This is not a problem, but an absence which, for the moment, leave a space difference between Windows 10 Desktop and Continuum

 

The lack of anything working well could indicate that many other things are broken aside from this Continuum 2.0, and this might explain why Windows 10 Mobile hasn't got any Redstone 2 builds, just "feature 2.0' moving at snail paste.

 

Sauce: https://www.onmsft.com/news/new-video-shows-continuum-2-0-running-on-leaked-internal-w10m-build-in-action

[GoodBytes]

New Build for Mobile: 15226

 

Quote

Changes, improvements, and fixes for Mobile

• This build also includes all the improvements from KB4022725.
• We fixed an issue where some apps could not subscribe to SMS receive notifications.
• We fixed an issue for Windows Insiders where some binaries stopped working when transitioning from Insider Preview builds to officially released builds.
• We fixed an audio issue with Bluetooth headphones after Cortana reads an incoming SMS message to the user.

Known issues for Mobile

• In some cases, the WeChat app may crash on launch.

 

https://blogs.windows.com/windowsexperience/2017/06/21/announcing-windows-10-insider-preview-build-15226-mobile/#6z7Jwpptkg9iEZ3G.97

 

Well.. at least more interesting bug fixes are fixed now.

[SansVarnic]

New Build 15228

 

Quote

Hello Windows Insiders!

Today we are excited to release Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 16232 for PC to Windows Insiders in the Fast ring! We are also releasing Windows 10 Mobile Insider Preview Build 15228 to Insiders in the Fast ring. Earlier this week, we announced new end-to-end security features coming with the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update and this build for PC includes some of those new security features.

A note about app updates

In order to provide Windows customers with the highest quality inbox apps possible, we will pause testing new versions of our inbox apps with Windows Insiders. This means that Insiders will not receive app updates from the Windows Store for our inbox apps that are newer than the apps included in the build. Insiders may notice that some features we were testing in our inbox apps – including recent updates to the Photos app – will temporarily disappear. This is because some of our inbox apps won’t have all the latest new features without getting an update from the Store. It is critical that Insiders are experiencing the same version of Windows that will be released as the default version for all Windows users. Insiders will once again start receiving app updates in the very near future. As always, your feedback will help us tremendously to define the overall Windows experience and insure the quality of the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update is excellent for our customers.

Quote

Changes, improvements, and fixes for Mobile

• We have fixed notifications (SMS, Calendar) with all Fitbit trackers.
• We have fixed crashes reported while using Photos app.
• We have fixed a deployment issue in where if an admin uses ActiveSyncCSP to provisioning email account on device running the Windows 10 Creators Update without providing a valid password, and the email server enforces a limited number of denied access retries, then the server will lock out the email account.
• We have improved battery performance by fixing a bug in a scenario where 30% more power was used during Camera app preview and capture mode.
• Some Insiders provided feedback that playing video on phone resulted in a black flash and/or stuttering when in landscape mode. We have fixed this issue.
• We have improved Bluetooth connectivity with Garmin Wearable devices.
• General improvement in reliability of phones by fixing top crash issues.

 

[GoodBytes]

Based on a report. C-Shell, the adaptable GUI that Microsoft have been working hard on, is still extremely buggy at this stage.

 

This might explain why there is no new features on Windows 10 Mobile, all the focus by the team is on this new C-Shell, which seems that there is a lot of work that needs to be done.

 

On the same report, apparently a new mobile system is being tested. Now it could just a Surface device, or "Surface phone" It is said that it is definitely not an inexpensive product, and will be probably closer to "Surface Book pricing".

 

Source: https://www.onmsft.com/news/is-this-surface-phone-new-microsoft-arm-64-mobile-type-device-spotted-on-campus-says-report

[SansVarnic]

10 hours ago, GoodBytes said:

Based on a report. C-Shell, the adaptable GUI that Microsoft have been working hard on, is still extremely buggy at this stage.

 

This might explain why there is no new features on Windows 10 Mobile, all the focus by the team is on this new C-Shell, which seems that there is a lot of work that needs to be done.

 

On the same report, apparently a new mobile system is being tested. Now it could just a Surface device, or "Surface phone" It is said that it is definitely not an inexpensive product, and will be probably closer to "Surface Book pricing".

 

Source: https://www.onmsft.com/news/is-this-surface-phone-new-microsoft-arm-64-mobile-type-device-spotted-on-campus-says-report

Yeah I saw a mention about a "Halo Phone" being spit balled at one point but I have no link-able source.

[GoodBytes]

So funny story. For some reason, out of nowhere, my phone stopped being able to send music over Bluetooth to my car. Calls where working, but media information and music itself never sent. Knowing all the issues that Windows 10 Mobile has with Bluetooth, I tried to shutdown my phone and turn it back on, didn't help solve the problem, I tried to force reboot it by holding the power button, didn't help. I disconnected the phone over Bluetooth, and removed the phone from car, and on the car removed the phone so they don't know each other, shutdown the car, and the phone, started back up, reconnect them as new, aaaaanndd... still didn't work.

 

Sarcastic "Great!" I said, and was like.. "shitty Windows 10 Mobile Build!", Ok so, at home I did a phone reset, thinking that something screwed up in some internal driver configuration on Bluetooth, so this must solve the problem... aaaannnnd it didn't... same story...

 

Then I got Windows Device Recovery, wipe everything, with the original build of Windows 10 Mobile that came with my Lumia 950 XL phone at release... re-upgraded to November update, then re-upgraded Anniversary Upgrade, then re-upgraded to Creators Update official release.... (strangely there is no update that makes you just get the latest build.. be warned if you do). Annnnnddd... still didn't work

 

Then digging through, when you shutdown the car, it doesn't actually shutdown the infotainment part... I had to press and hold the "Audio Power" labeled button for several seconds to get to to a screen saying if I want to restart, doing so, now my phone worked...

 

It was the car all along!!! For once! And I did all this for nothing.. took all day... :sigh:

Anyway, now that is fixed, and if you wonder, no improvement from past issues. Just the music now works as before.

 

What I did find interesting was to see how Windows 10 Mobile did indeed improve since day 1. It is quite visible, from performance stand point, to bugs, to GUI, to apps. Sometimes you don't see much of a progress when you get builds weekly being part of the Fast Ring Insider, but the platform has really evolved a lot.

[GoodBytes]

New build! With an actual new feature, and actual bug fixes!

Build 15235

 

What's new:

• Continuum now support portrait mode displays. And includes a new option in the Settings panel to set the display orientation.
  
  So in portrait mode, instead of having this:
  
  You have this:
  
   

And that is all in terms of features.

 

What's fixed:

Quote

• This build also includes all the improvements from KB4025342.
• We fixed an issue where downloading large apps could report out of disk space when there is sufficient space available.
• We fixed an issue where installing apps (particularly games) from the Windows Store would sometimes fail with “Error, see details”.
• We fixed an issue where a device could not be unlocked after removing/turning off Windows Hello.
• We fixed an issue where Cortana would not provide the region when saying “Your region is set to” and then “Is that right?”.
• We fixed a Turkish localization issue where the string “We need to fix your Microsoft account before you can use shared experiences …” was shown in English.

Source: https://blogs.windows.com/windowsexperience/2017/07/26/announcing-windows-10-insider-preview-build-16251-pc-build-15235-mobile/#ICrV2WS73DPqugja.97

 

 

[SansVarnic]

2 hours ago, GoodBytes said:

<snip>

Didnt want to say it but I will.

About time.

[SansVarnic]

Announcing Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 15237 for Mobile

Quote

General changes, improvements, and fixes for Mobile

• We made some improvements to the Field Medic Store app, where we fixed an issue with collecting Watson crash data, enabled spell checking when editing a report, and updated the PowerOn/PowerOff profiles to include additional battery info.
• We fixed an issue where the screen would occasionally flash black after launching or rotating the Camera app.
• We fixed an issue with the HP Elite X3 reporting that the SD card had been removed from the device when it had not.
• We fixed an issue with Continuum where, after the attached monitor is unplugged, occasionally the mobile LCD does not power off and the mobile battery could be drained.
• We fixed an issue with the Windows inbox NFC driver where occasionally the wrong card type data was reported.
• We improved the Cortana resume-from-suspend behavior to enable a Cortana skill to be authenticated before the user interacts with the skill.
• We fixed an issue with the behavior of the hardware search button in countries where Cortana is not available. In this case, the OEM provides the search app or URI.

Known issues for Mobile

• There is a problem with the HP Elite X3 with wired docks where the portrait orientation setting is lost when the external display is disconnected and reconnected. A workaround for this is to reboot the phone after tapping the “OK” button instead of disconnecting and reconnecting. This workaround must be performed every time you connect to an external display you want to use with Continuum in portrait orientation.
• If you have apps saved to your SD card, you may see error 8007000B when trying to update those apps. As a workaround, you can move these apps to internal memory, update them, and then move them back to your SD card. Thank you to all the Insiders who reported this to us!
• When installing or updating a Windows Store app, you may see error 80070057. As a workaround, you can get the latest app by uninstalling the older version of the app from your device and reinstall latest version from Store.

 

[GoodBytes]

It is nice to see actual bug fixes on Mobile finally.

[GoodBytes]

Don't expect CShell, and Continuum 2.0, or any new features in Windows 10 Mobile anymore.

Based on Windows Central, which acquired internal info through unnamed sources, Microsoft has put Windows 10 Mobile is being discontinued by the end of 2018. feature 2 is Redstone 2 based on Microsoft. And it will not get Redstone 3 or 4. It is the end in terms of moving the platform forward.

 

HOWEVER:

• New Redstone 3 and 4 UWP APIs will still be ported to Feature 2 branch of Windows 10 Mobile.
• Apps will still be updated with new features until end of support of Windows 10 Mobile.
• Security updates, bug fixes will still continuously come.
• Only enterprise specific feature will come (this is probably to meet their contractual obligations with companies).

 

So, has Microsoft given up on Mobile? No!

 

The following is based on my understanding and teh leak (see teh source if you want just the leak): Microsoft is actively working on "Andromeda OS", a rework of Windows 10 core to be adaptable to "any" hardware. Basically, while Windows 10 core was shared between Windows 10 Mobile, and Windows 10. Like other mobile OSs, a special build for the SoC of the phone needed to be done. This new OS that Microsoft is bringing forward will make the OS be like the PC version of Windows, where it doesn't need to be specifically build for the SoC. So technically speaking, you can swamp your phone CPU with another ARM based one, and it will work like on the PC. No need to get a special build for your phone like with Android (and probably iOS as well).

 

 

In other words, if Windows 10 was like mobile OS, you would need a version of Windows 10 based on the Intel or AMD CPU model, and even dedicated GPU and motherboard chipset. This is why you don't have a a global "for all Android phone" Android build. The reason for the hardware specific lockdown was to maximize performance by being more at the hardware level. This in turns increase battery life as well. 2 key things very important on a mobile device.

 

However, as new ARM based CPUs are getting more feature complete, more powerful, and more efficient all at the same time, layers can be added to allow an OS to be adaptable, like it is on PC, and this is what Andromeda project is for Microsoft.

 

So will we get this new shinny version of Windows 10 when it comes out? No, sadly. Looking on how Windows 10 for ARM (which can be a branch of Andromeda OS.. my guess) targets a Snapdragon 835 as minimum specs, probably due to added layers and Win32 x86-64 emulation, it will probably not run anywhere smoothly on even the Lumia 950 XL, the fastest Windows 10 Mobile released.

 

It is nice to see that despite the obvious change for Microsoft direction of the platform, that they at least try and keep Windows 10 Mobile actually supported with effort to ensure that the latest UWP apps runs on it until end of 2018. Giving those who acquired a Lumia 950/950XL 3 year life span, a typical amount of support and what avg length people keep their phones for. It sucks that it won't get Redstone 3 as a last hurra with Continium 2.0 and CShell.

 

That said, CShell should replace Contnium 2.0, with Andromeda OS it will feature CShell, and so you'll get phone that can turn into tablet that can turn into a laptop (HP Elite style) and even desktop (via dock).

 

Source: https://www.windowscentral.com/microsofts-plan-windows-10-mobile-and-existing-phones

 

[SansVarnic]

On 8/7/2017 at 0:36 PM, GoodBytes said:

<snip>

Beat me to it ...

Both Exciting and sad, though I knew that CShell would not run on the current L950 & L950XL specs. I will look forward to the planned last update they push though.

 

I was not aware that they named the CShell version project Andromeda .. hmmm