Windows Insiders who are focused on testing Windows 10 Mobile are feeling pretty good this week because they just received the second new build of the upcoming mobile OS in less than a week.
Windows 10 Mobile Build 10549 was pushed out just five days before this latest build arrived yesterday. While this new build also required them to reset their phones back to Windows Phone 8.1, just like 10549 did last week, the next build due out from Microsoft solves that upgrade bug.
That build, 10575 according to Gabe Aul, is on track to be released next week.
In the mean time, 10572 has added some new features and performance continues to improve however, if you do not want flash your phone back to Windows Phone 8.1 for the second time in a week then these new features and fixes will also be in the new build expected next week.
The new features and updates in this build include:
- Get missed call notifications and send texts on your PC with Cortana.
- Skype messaging, calling and video experience with the new integrated apps.
- Cortana improvements for tracking leisure time and tying into services like Uber.
- Offline maps can now be stored on an SD card.
- Photo app improvements include a new context menu and the ability to favorite images so they can be shuffled on the Photo Live Tile.
- Storage settings improvements allow you to now install apps on an SD card.
Of course, the Windows team continues to make fixes as we move towards the release of Windows 10 Mobile and this build has several in it:
- Notifications, such as new messages, can be received without first unlocking the device.
- Cortana’s background activity has been optimized for power usage.
- We have fixed some of the issues that were causing the Start screen to not load. Additionally, we have made some performance improvements to the Start screen.
- We have made performance improvements to Acton Center, including swipe to expand and dismiss notifications. Swiping to expand or dismiss notifications should happen more quickly.
- The alarm icon now appears on the Lock screen when an alarm is set in the Alarms & Clock app.
- The proximity sensor during calls is now behaving as expected on devices that may have previously failed to turn the screen off.
- App downloads in the Store were sometimes getting blocked by a service hanging in the background – this should be resolved and app downloads should be more consistent.
- The keyboard will switch languages less aggressively now.
- Taping restart for apply an update will reboot the device immediately now.
Lastly, the list of known issues continues to be lengthy but if they are listed by Microsoft it means they are working on solutions:
- Visual Voicemail sync is broken on some devices. You may need to call your voicemail directly within the Phone app > Settings > Change more settings for Phone > Call Voicemail.
- Opening message threads within the Messaging app will crash on dual SIM phones if the second line’s Messaging tile is removed from the Start screen (even if only a single SIM is used). The second line’s Messaging app will also appear to be removed from the All apps list. To work around this issue, the second line messaging tile must be linked to the first line messaging tile by opening up the first line in the Messaging app then go to Settings > link tiles.
- On Dual SIM devices, unpinning the second line Phone tile from the Start screen will make the entry disappear from the All apps list. Rebooting the phone will cause the tile and application to both reappear.
- Photos cannot be selected for sharing through third party apps like Facebook, Facebook Messenger, Instagram Beta, WhatsApp etc.
- Some devices will get into a state where the Phone app will continually crash upon launch. Resetting the device will recover it from this state.
- Devices that have updated from Windows Phone 8 to Windows Phone 8.1 may lose the ability to connect to Wi-Fi on Windows 10 Mobile Insider Preview builds or may fail to update to Windows 10 Mobile Insider Preview builds all together. You can use the Windows Device Recovery Tool to first update your device to Windows Phone 8.1 and then upgrade to the latest Windows 10 Mobile Insider Preview build.
Microsoft's claims of improved performance are valid with this latest build. The loading lag to the Start Screen and swiping down to access the Action Center are gone for me on my test Nokia Lumia 830 device.
I am also getting a sense of déjà vu as Microsoft is picking up the pace between new Insider builds on the mobile front. It feels very much like the last few weeks leading up to the 29 July release of Windows 10 Build 10240 as the OS came together on many levels.
Have you tried this build or are you waiting for the next one so you can upgrade without having to revert back to Windows Phone 8.1?
