The latest release of Windows Phone has hundreds of improvements and new features. Here's a sampling of the smart, the fun, and the just plain cool.
Phone
Custom ringtones. You asked for it, we built it—now you can create your own ringtones using MP3 and WMA files.
Visual voicemail. See your voicemails in a list, then listen to them on your phone.
Battery Saver. Not sure you'll make it to the next charge? Turn on Battery Saver to make the juice last a bit longer—you can even set it to turn on automatically when your battery is running low.
Email + messaging
Send a text with your voice. That's right: with Speech, you can text, search the web, and lots more, totally hands- (and sometimes eyes-) free. Your phone can even read you an incoming text, and then you can use Speech to dictate and send your reply.
Threads. Start with a text, and finish in Facebook or Messenger chat (or vice versa). The whole conversation stays in one thread, and all it takes to switch back and forth is a tap
Facebook Chat. It's now built into your phone—you can set it up in Messaging in a few taps.
Conversation view. If you're fed up with deleting emails one by one or sifting through your inbox for related messages, then conversation view—emails grouped by subject—is for you. If you'd rather see your emails individually, you can still do that, too.
Linked inboxes. Juggling multiple accounts for personal or work email? Streamline things by linking them into a single inbox to see all the messages in one view (the accounts will stay separate).
People + social networking
Groups. Groups help you focus on the contacts you really care about—family, best friends, fellow soccer parents. You can pin your top Groups to Start to see everyone's latest status updates and to send quick texts, emails, or IMs to the whole Group.
More ways to share. You've got great new options for posting to social networks from your phone, including Facebook check-ins, video sharing, and sharing a link right from Internet Explorer.
More social networks. Never be out of the loop again: Twitter and LinkedIn are now built into Windows Phone, so practically everything you do on your social networks is a tap away. And don't worry—we've also included new ways to filter all those new contacts and their social updates.
A better Me card. It's all about Me—and the Me card is now one of the most useful spots on your phone for staying in touch with your friends and keeping tabs on your social networks.
History view. Contact cards now show the history of your recent calls, emails, texts, and chats with the person. Just tap in the list to return the call or go to the thread.
Smarter apps
Multitasking. Keep your place in a game while reading email? Check. Listen to music apps while texting? You bet. Many apps can run in the background, so you don't need to shut one down to use another—plus you can switch between open apps in a flash.
App Connect. Get the app you need—sometimes before you even know you need it. Search the web, and alongside the usual results you'll see apps you can use—like a movie app when you're looking up showtimes. You'll also see photo apps in the Pictures Hub and music apps in Music + Videos.
Improved Live Tiles. The Live Tiles on Start dish up more (and quicker) updates on your apps, and they're also a whole lot of fun—the Pictures Tile animates with a slideshow of your favorite snapshots and Group Tiles flash your friends' latest updates.
More in Marketplace. Marketplace has an ever-expanding lineup of standout apps and marquee games, and it's now easier to find what you want in the online store. So start limbering up those gaming thumbs!
A cleverer calendar. More ways to tame that crazy schedule—view multiple sub-calendars within a single account, see and respond to Facebook events, and create a to-do list complete with due dates and reminders. Your Outlook tasks will show up there, too!
Browsing + maps
Better search. Bing helps you search the web in more ways, with voice search, Music search, and Vision search, which uses your phone's camera to look up product info.
Local Scout. Live like a local! Local Scout, powered by Bing, teams up search and mapping to show you nearby restaurants, shopping, and activities in a single tap, so you'll never feel like a clueless tourist again.
Mall maps. Desperately seeking the food court? Zoom in on the mall in Maps (or go to its Place card) and you might find an indoor map to help you track down the nachos.
Driving directions. Your Windows Phone can get you where you're going by showing you on the map or giving you directions from where you are.
Pictures + camera
Video sharing. Send them in email or post them to Facebook or Windows Live. Learn how
Picture tagging. Your phone automatically detects untagged faces when you're uploading pictures to Facebook or Windows Live—just tap, tag, and post.
Persistent camera settings. Now if you change camera settings—for instance, photo resolution, brightness, or another option your phone manufacturer might have included—you can save them for the next time you use the camera.
A redesigned Pictures Hub. The Pictures Hub just got more personal, more social, and more fun.
Music + videos
Playlists. Add songs to Now Playing and then save them as a playlist, all on your phone.
Smart DJ. Play Smart DJ mixes on your phone—or if you've got a Zune Music Pass, you can stream them from Zune.
Podcasts. Subscribe to podcasts—audio or video—on your phone.
Office Mobile
Sync with SkyDrive. You can sync your Office docs between SkyDrive and your phone, so you can edit them on your phone now, then edit some more on your computer later.
An expanded Office Hub. The improved Office Hub has more ways to view, navigate, and search for your docs.
Information rights management. Got an IRM-protected email or Office doc? Now you can open it on your phone.
Excel improvements. Excel Mobile on your phone has easier cell selection—just tap and drag—plus AutoSum for quick calculations.
Office 365 integration. Office 365 takes your business to the cloud—and Windows Phone supports Office 365 right out of the box.
OneNote to-do lists. Check off your errands one-by-one with this handy new feature in OneNote.
Games
A revamped Games Hub. Now you can do more in the Games Hub—including track your achievements, dress up your avatar, and get messages from your Xbox LIVE friends.
Networking
Internet connection sharing. Turn your phone into a mobile Wi-Fi hotspot by sharing your Internet connection with your laptop and other devices.
Hidden Wi-Fi networks. Now you can connect to hidden Wi-Fi networks (networks that don't broadcast their network name).
My Phone
Manage your phone on the web. Find a lost phone, see your pictures and Xbox stats, reinstall apps, and more on the My Phone page.
