Windows Phone Store Gets Makeover, New Features Added

Microsoft’s has launched a revamped Windows Phone Store to go hand-in-hand with the official arrival of Windows Phone 8.
The Windows Phone Store is now available in 50 languages, 191 countries and stocks 120,000 apps and games. It features options to help users discover new apps and games as well as managing what children can access, according to a Microsoft blog.
Here is a breakdown of the new features:
• Collections
This segment of the store offers groups of six or more apps handpicked by a team of experts to be organized around a central theme.
“When making their picks, these in-house curators take into account everything from quality to local calendars to customs, so the apps you see depend on both when and where you’re browsing,” said Microsoft’s Mazhar Mohammed in the blog post. “We plan to update Collections regularly so they’re fresh and relevant.
The company launched more than 450 Collections across 19 markets last week.
• Picks For You
This feature, powered by Bing, displays personalized app recommendations based on users downloads in the past, what Facebook friends have downloaded and the apps that are often downloaded together. The list also includes popular regional apps.
 “The Bing-powered results also now show you related apps and ones in the same genre as what you’re searching for,” Mohammed said. “This enhancement also works on Windows Phone 7.
“You’ll also see some new or renamed lists in the Web Store including Best rated and New+Rising, which now considers not only when an app was published but how quickly it’s being snapped up.”
• Wallet
The new Wallet feature offers users a new way to securely pay for apps and games. Wallet stores credit cards and other payment options in one place to make the checkout process easier. Wallet information can be secured with a PIN.
Wallet can also be used to pay for in-app purchases (for example extra game levels and bonus content), virtual merchandise and content sold within Windows Phone 8 apps.
• Family-friendly features
Windows Phone 8 is offering My Family, which enables parents to decide what apps children can access and which game ratings they’re allowed to play on their Windows Phone 8 phones.
Kid’s Corner, another new feature “takes the worry out of handing over your phone to your little ones.” It provides children with their own play area — separate from the parent’s content — stocked only with the apps, games, videos and music chosen by the parent.


Post from: SiteProNews

Windows Phone 8 Launches Oct. 29

Microsoft will launch its Windows Phone 8 Oct. 29 in San Francisco.
The event will come just days after Microsoft unveils Windows 8, the latest version of the company’s desktop OS.

A range of Windows Phone 8 Smartphones will be revealed.
According to Equities.com, phones set to feature Windows 8 include the Nokia Lumia 920, Nokia Lumia 820, HTC Windows Phone 8X, HTC Windows Phone 8S and the Samsung Ativ S.

Foxconn Refutes Strike Reports
Foxconn Technology Group is denying reports claiming workers on the iPhone 5 production line went on strike last week due to excessive quality control demands for Apple’s new Smartphone.
The Taiwan contract manufacture said production of the iPhone 5 was “on schedule” at the Zhengzhou facility, Reuters reported.

The company refuted reports from China Labor Watch last week that stated “multiple iPhone 5 production lines from various factory buildings were in a state of paralysis after strike by workers.”
“Any reports that there has been an employee strike are inaccurate. There has been no workplace stoppage in that facility or any other Foxconn facility and production has continued on schedule,” Foxconn told Reuters.