New Windows Start Screen Demoed on Lumia 900 running Windows Phone 7.8
by Brian Klug on June 20, 2012 4:11 PM ESTWe just caught up with Greg Sullivan, senior product manager for Windows Phone, who was showing off a Lumia 900 running a non-final Windows Phone 7.8 build. The WP7.8 build brings the new WP8 home start screen to existing WP7.5 devices, and possibly some other unannounced features depending on the device. Microsoft is being relatively tight-lipped with any of the other details about features that might be coming with WP7.8.
Anyhow, the new WP7.8/WP8 home screen replaces the previous single wide and double wide tiles with a more dynamic resize option. There are now three sizes, the single wide, double wide, and a much smaller square shortcut. Long pressing brings up the familiar hover and rearrange menu, and tapping on the resize button cycles through available tile sizes. It's shocking how much more dynamic having the smaller tile size makes the start screen appear.
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Flunk - Thursday, June 21, 2012 - link
You're not the developer of Launcher 7 are you?While it might look similar the experience is vastly inferior to Windows Phone's tile interface. In terms of usability and polish Launcher 7 is far behind.
Chaser - Thursday, June 21, 2012 - link
Consider W7P more like a HUD experience as your interface. I have worshipped at the Android altar for years. But so far I like W7P. There are definitely trade offs between the two. But ultimately simplicity, convenience speed has won me over.Torrijos - Thursday, June 21, 2012 - link
Funny how everybody hits on Apple when the latest OS features aren't supported on old hardware, while Android keeps having trouble propagating their updates to consumers, and MSFT already announces some sort of divide between devices.Anyway... I like the interface MSFT came up with, although the smallest tile options will probably lead to users configuring it in 4-apps-in-a-rows setup like the iPhone 5 years ago.
sequoia464 - Thursday, June 21, 2012 - link
Didn't see it mentioned.Loxias - Friday, June 22, 2012 - link
Everything I've read has said after WP8 drops.shorty lickens - Friday, June 22, 2012 - link
I wasnt ready to toss my HD7 just yet.