Latest Windows APIs and technologies
[This article is for Windows 8.x and Windows Phone 8.x developers writing Windows Runtime apps. If you’re developing for Windows 10, see the latest documentation]
Impress your Windows app users (and yourself) with the latest features in Windows 8.1 and Windows Phone 8.1.
Moving to a new platform is exciting: lots of new APIs, features, and app ideas. Windows 8.1 and Windows Phone 8.1 bring plenty of new features to the table, and run on lots of new hardware: from traditional desktop computers, to hand-held touch-screen devices, to the latest phones. Your app has access to amazing graphics libraries, networking features, new purchasing options, new UI controls and a lot more. Don't just port your app, move it to the next level!
You can see a complete list of new features at Windows 8.1: New APIs and features for developers and What's New in Windows Phone 8.1, but here are some highlights.
Note The Windows Runtime includes many APIs which are used asynchronously so that your apps remain responsive. This form of threading might appear complicated at first, but thanks to the async and await keywords that are part of C# and Visual Basic, it won't take you long to feel comfortable coding in this way. See Quickstart: Calling asynchronous APIs in C# or Visual Basic for a quick introduction.
Introducing Universal Windows apps
Windows Phone 8.1 brings with it an unprecedented level of platform convergence: now you can write Windows Runtime apps for both desktop and phone devices, in the same Visual Studio solution, using the same APIs and controls. For info see Building Universal Windows apps for all Windows devices.
New features in Windows Phone 8.1
Windows Phone 8.1 now supports apps written in JavaScript and WinJS (for more info, see WinJS on Windows Phone 8.1), including support for the Pivot control, App bar, and other controls which adjust themselves to better suit the phone display. Having the same controls available greatly simplifies writing apps for multiple devices.
Other new features in Windows Phone 8.1 include:
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
Notifications |
Windows Phone 8.1 introduces a brand new notification center. |
Background transfers |
New support for uploading and downloading data even when the app is no longer in the foreground. Background transfer API in Universal Windows apps: what you need to know |
Geolocation and geofencing enhancements |
Your app can now fire an event when the device reaches a specific location. |
DirectX support |
DirectX on Windows Phone 8.1 has been updated to support many features previously only available on the desktop. DirectX and XAML interop (Windows Store apps using C++ and DirectX) |
XAML controls |
Windows Phone 8.1 now uses the same XAML UI framework as Windows Store apps. Controls list (Windows Runtime apps using C#/VB/C++ and XAML) |
Data and Storage |
Windows Phone 8.1 now supports the Windows.Storage.API including roaming data and file pickers. |
New features in Windows 8.1
Windows 8.1 continues the work of building a brand-new UI for desktop, laptop, and tablet computers, with support for new controls in both XAML (accessible from C#, C++ and VB) and WinJS (accessible from JavaScript). These controls provide the framework for your app, and look after navigation as well as presenting information and images, and using features such as the camera or contacts.
Some of the most interesting controls are:
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
Hub control .jpg) |
A navigation control that provides a framework for your app when you need to display multiple pages of information in a mix of styles, such as the default weather app. |
Rendering the XAML tree into a bitmap |
Takes a XAML visual tree, and renders it into a RenderTargetBitmap object. Useful for converting XAML objects into bitmaps for saving or processing. |
DatePicker and TimePicker controls .png) |
New XAML controls for quickly adding a standard way for users to select a time or date, without having to write a new control from scratch. |
3D printing support |
Drop-in support for 3D printers adds solid model rendering options right into your 3D design app. |
DirectX enhancements .png) |
New features introduced with DirectX 11.2 help you create state-of-the-art C++ games with amazing graphics. |
Windows Store improvements |
New monetization models help you make money from your apps when users pay for extra features or in-game supplies. Automatic app updates ensure they're always running the latest version of your app. |
Text-to-speech |
APIs to add high quality speech synthesis to your app. Ideal for education or special needs applications. |
Human Interface Device (HID) support |
Use custom third-party hardware built to support the HID protocol. |
Multimedia updates |
Improvements to multimedia playback, processing, and audio and video capture. Add advanced image capturing options to your app, such as the ability to take bursts of pictures at a time, or take pictures in the past by storing images before the user taps the shutter. |
Networking |
The new HTTP client API replaces existing networking API. Quickly and simply send and receive data over networks. File transfers can also run in the background. |
Geofencing |
Geofencing allows an app to define a radius around a point of interest and have the system alert the app when entering or exiting that area. Your app can run in the background and get geofence events using the new background task LocationTrigger class. Create an app that performs a specific action when the user reaches a defined location, such as opening a shopping list or location-based game. |
Wi-Fi direct |
Using Wi-Fi direct, your app can discover other Wi-Fi direct devices nearby, and set up an ad-hoc network to add on-the-fly peer-to-peer networking support to games. |
Where to go for more info
There are many sources of help available to you as a developer. In some cases you may want to open a support incident at Microsoft Support, but before you do that you might want to consider these online resources:
- Forums
- Windows Dev Center
- Windows Store Developer Solutions (blog)
- Sample code
- API and Language reference
Related topics
Building Universal Windows apps for all Windows devices
Blog: Windows/Phone 8.1–Platform Specific Code in Universal Projects