The big headline addition in Windows Phone 8.1 Update is an alpha of the Cortana voice assistant for Australian users, and many of the other features such as folders are aimed at individual users. For IT managers, a more interesting potential inclusion is Apps Corner, a cut-down approach to mobile device management (MDM).
When Microsoft launched its Cortana voice recognition assistant for Windows Phone at Build earlier this year, we were disappointed that it wasn't available in Australia. That will change soon: as of next week, an alpha version of Cortana for Australia will become available to Windows Phone Developers.
"What's the weather in Melbourne?" I ask Cortana, the newly-launched virtual personal assistant for Windows Phone 8.1. Given I'm in the US, I'm half-expecting to see the results from Melbourne, Florida. The reality is worse: I see the weather for Millburn, New Jersey, a place I have never heard of. This is the state-of-the-art for intelligent voice recognition when you're an Australian.
At its Build 2014 developer conference today, Microsoft announced the concept of "Universal Windows Apps": code that can run both as a desktop Windows app and on Windows phone devices. It sounds appealing for both developers and consumers, but the reality is a little messier than the vision.
The good news? The forthcoming Windows Phone 8.1 update will include Cortana, a Bing-powered virtual assistant that lets you talk to your phone and have it do things, Siri-style. The bad news is that it won't be out in Australia for quite a while.
