BUILD 2014 is just days away (2nd – 4th April). Microsoft has revealed about BUILD sessions and we have ample amount of evidences in form of these sessions regarding some of the most interesting features and changes coming with Windows Phone 8.1. It also reveals new stuff like new Bluetooth LE APIs, multitasking & background tasks improvements.
Sessions
Notification Platform Development on Windows:
It reveals the Action / Notification center on both Windows and Windows Phone.
Windows and Windows Phone have a converged notification platform and development model starting in Windows Phone 8.1. Come learn what the converged platform means for your existing apps and how to take advantage of the new platform and great new features shared with Windows. You’ll learn about WNS including push and local notifications and about the brand new Action Center and its associated programming model. This session in conjunction with the Live Tiles session will give you everything you need to know about notifications for Windows Phone and Windows Store apps.
Integrating Your App into the Windows Phone Speech Experience:
Cortana integration and natural language speech.
The Windows Phone Speech APIs help you integrate your app into Windows Phone’s new system-wide speech and natural language user experience. In this session we’ll demonstrate how you can extend the phone’s experience allowing users to launch YOUR APP by voice or text using free-form natural language commands. We will also look at how to enable voice-based conversational dialog interactions with users after your app has been launched, summarizing what’s different in the Windows Phone speech APIs.
Developing Apps using the Common XAML UI Framework:
Universal apps which will work on both Windows and Windows Phone
Come learn about the common XAML UI framework for Windows and Windows Phone. This session will cover the common XAML APIs across Windows and Windows Phone, techniques and limitations when using common XAML to build experiences both Windows and Windows Phone as well as cover device-specific XAML APIs that enable device specific experiences.
Multitasking and Triggered Background Tasks for Windows Phone Apps:
Multitasking and background tasks improvements
Windows Phone 8.1 introduces new mechanisms to allow applications to execute while not in the foreground. A converged Triggers and Background Tasks implementation allows tasks to launch on time, location, push, Bluetooth and system events. Learn how new resource policies affect how and when your application runs in the background and how to use these new feature from Windows XAML and Silverlight 8.1 applications.
Live Tiles Enhancements:
Windows and Windows Phone have a converged Live Tiles platform and development model. In Windows Phone 8.1 you’ll be able to do great new things with the Tiles Platform and this session is targeted at helping you understand several critical tiles topics. Specifically, migrating your tiles from a Windows Phone 8.0 app to a Windows Phone 8.1 app and how to best take advantage of the new Tile Templates and scenarios available to you using the converged model on Windows Phone 8.1.
App Studio for Windows and Windows Phone: Pre Launch Preview
App Studio Beta for both Windows and Windows Phone
Attendees will be given an early preview of and access code to Windows App Studio, the new release of Windows Phone App Studio Beta, which will now support the creation of both Windows Phone and Windows Apps. Learn about the tool and take it for a spin yourself.
Modern Camera and Imaging Apps in Windows and Windows Phone:
Learn how to build XAML/C# camera and photos apps for Windows and Windows Phone 8.1. This session includes rich demos of the Windows.Media.Capture API and advanced image processing techniques, including HDR.
Building Great Bluetooth Apps for Windows Phone:
Windows Phone 8.1 builds on the Bluetooth LE APIs for Windows 8.1 and has extended them to enable exciting new scenarios such as fitness and “find my keys”. In this discussion, we’ll highlight some of those scenarios and provide guidance on how to use new APIs for background agents and triggers.
There are many more sessions which reveal a lot more, so check them out here.
