Smart Phones

MICROSOFT HAS RELEASED Windows 10 Mobile Preview Build 14342, which removes WiFi Sense from smartphones just a week after it was binned on PCs. 

Windows 10 Mobile Preview Build 14342 was released overnight to testers on the Fast Ring of the Windows Insider preview programme. This is the latest test build for the upcoming major update to the Windows 10 platform, codenamed Redstone, and brings the mobile version in line with the PC, at least in numbering.

Testers of Build 14342 on the PC seized on the fact that Microsoft had removed the controversial WiFi Sense feature. This allowed users automatically to share WiFi access credentials with friends and acquaintances, but was condemned by some as a potential security risk.

Microsoft has likewise now removed this from Build 14342 for Mobile, citing low demand for the feature that made it not worthwhile to continue to invest in maintaining it in the release code.

This latest release adds another three handsets - the Lumia Icon, BLU Win HD LTE 150e and BLU Win JR 130e - to the list of supported devices capable of receiving updates from the Windows 10 Mobile Development Branch. No, we've got no idea either.

Other new features include Swipe navigation in Microsoft Edge allowing the use of a swipe gesture to return to the previous page in the browser, and capabilities added to support an upcoming website app feature. The latter will direct specific websites to open with an app instead of the site itself, and new settings have been added to manage this in preparation.

The usual fixes for problems in earlier builds have also been provided, including one for a serious bug that sometimes caused the installation of mobile builds to fail. Microsoft has also fixed a fault whereby some users found that their handset would lock and reboot on receipt of a notification from an app that has 'Keep notifications private on the lock screen' enabled.

However, the firm also warned of a list of known problems with this build, including one where the device may appear to have frozen after rebooting from installing this update. Microsoft said that the device is just taking a long time to apply the update, and urged patience.