All NEW Windows Phone 8 Features

Finally Windows Phone 8 has been officially announced and here are all the juicy bits of info you guys have been waiting for. If you did not catch the live stream you can still watch some of the video here. This is the first major version change to Windows Phone since Windows Phone 7 and Microsoft has guarded most of the features close to their chest.

Here are a few that you might not have heard about. ( via feature request forum ). These ones are marked as completed.

1. You can use Paypal to buy apps in WP marketplace
2. Allow ability to assign multiple mobile numbers to a contact
3. Screen Shot support
4. Automatic upload to Skydrive from gallery in FULL resolution ( when on Wi-Fi )
5. local device encryption
6. USB mass storage + micro SD support

More features after the break.

NFC Support - works even between Windows Phone and Android
NFC which stands for near-field communication allows tap + send features that enables users to share data by holding two supporting devices back to back. You are able to share URLs, contact info and other data using this technology. But sending files like mp3 , video , etc does not work for now. You are also able to send Pics between Windows Phone devices but not between Android and Windows Phone via WPC

Windows Phone now offers 21 accent colours in Windows Phone 8 ( 20 stock and one for OEM ).

Music file transfer via NFC/WIFI Direct and via Bluetooth. We are not sure if it will work cross platform or if it will be limited to the Windows Phone ecosystem. via WMPU

Office in Windows Phone 8 has full integration with Office 365, SharePoint and SkyDrive and allows you to access your documents wherever you go. Also Office Mobile now features the tap & share feature that will allow you to share documents via Bluetooth or NFC. OneNote Mobile is now a standalone app with the ability to take voice notes which will add audio playback plus the transcribed text.

As expect Xbox Music comes to Windows Phone 8.

DataSense : allows users to save on data usage and gives datausage break down per app !! This is soemthing that is deployed through the carrier and not all carriers might support it initially.

Jessica Alba nope that is not a feature , she just helped them demo Kids Corner which will allow you to select which apps and games kids or your mates will have access to, if they need to access the other content they need to provide the correct pin. You can activate it by swiping from left to right on the lock screen. In app purchases and Marketplace will be unavailable in this mode. Sadly adverts in games will still work and will launch a modified version of IE with out the address bar. via WPC

[Update by Cris]
A small, but nice touch is they have updated their Facebook app to show a purple Windows Phone 8 icon whenever you post from your device. I’ve noticed that Microsoft are using purple on all of their current WP8 branding; I think this change is quite eye catching.

We didnt make a Smartphone for all of us, we made a smartphone for each of US – Tweet This