14 DAY TRIAL // Today Microsoft has launched two new Windows Phone models, namely the Lumia 640 and the Lumia 640 XL, but the company has also quietly introduced a brand new update for Windows Phone 8.1 that's available exclusively on these new devices.
Windows Phone 8.1 version 8.10.151116 appears to be none other than the eagerly anticipated Windows Phone 8.1 Update 2, which brings only small improvements to devices getting it.
Currently available just on these two new Lumias, Windows Phone 8.1 Update 2 adds a new option in the settings menu that allows you to search for specific options. This should make setting up the phone easier and faster than before, as users can easily type in a specific configuration option and reach it without having to go through multiple menus.
At the same time, WMPU writes that Windows Phone 8.1 Update 2 makes the settings screen sortable by purpose, so all settings are now grouped into categories, which should again make it easier for everyone to find a specific configuration option.
The purpose of these improvements is to make Windows Phone easier to use and more intuitive, especially in the settings screen, where there are currently plenty of options to choose from.
App permissions also offered
Another new feature that's available on devices running Windows Phone 8.1 Update 2 is the possibility of setting permissions for each app.
So if, for example, you don't want to allow specific apps to access Bluetooth or contacts, you can simply disable their permissions to do it, so users finally get more control over running apps.
This should really be useful for users who want to disable location for a number of tools, such as weather apps, as they can always manually provide a location to get the forecast for.
Right now, it's not yet clear when Windows Phone 8.1 Update 2 would ship to all the other Windows Phone devices on the market, but expect this to happen very soon.