14 DAY TRIAL // While everyone wants to try out Windows 10 for phones as soon as possible, Microsoft is also working to bring us the second update for Windows Phone 8.1, which is very likely to receive the go-ahead in the next few months.
Details aren't yet available, but according to some documents posted online by Microsoft itself, the new Windows Phone 8.1 Update 2 could come with anti-theft features that were previously expected to be introduced in 2014.
Again, specifics are missing, but the anti-theft protection is likely to come in addition to features available via WindowsPhone.com that allow you to remotely wipe you device in case you lose it and get access to backups stored in the cloud to restore your data.
Leaving all these features aside, many people are wondering why Microsoft decided to bring Windows Phone 8.1 Update 2 to the market when all eyes are on Windows 10. The reason is as simple as it could be.
Paving the way for Windows 10
While Windows Phone 8.1 Update 2 will indeed bring a bunch of improvements to users, Microsoft will focus more on the development of Windows 10, so the new update won't include any major changes that would otherwise make much more sense in a completely new OS.
Windows Phone 8.1 Update 2 is supposed to keep devices up to date with some of the new features that Microsoft is working on, but nothing too exciting is expected to be part of this release, as Redmond wants to make Windows 10 a hit in all respects.
As a result, Windows Phone 8.1 Update 2 will be nothing else than a release supposed to pave the way for Windows 10 for phones, a new operating system that would indeed represent a new beginning for the software giant on all supported platforms.
Microsoft has already promised to switch to a rapid release cycle, but up until now, the company has only excelled when it comes to announcements and less as far as actual product launches are concerned.
That's why Windows Phone 8.1 Update 2 is playing such an important role: it keeps devices updated, it prepares the world for Windows 10, and marks a new step towards the rapid release approach that Microsoft talked about when Steve Ballmer was still at the helm of the company.