Microsoft reportedly working so hard to introduce the long awaited 1080p screen support for Windows Phones. According to The Verge, Microsoft will prepare an update to Windows Phone 8 handsets to include support for 1080p display, and it is supposed to happen before 2013 with the help of its General Distribution Release 3 (GDR3) update that’s set to arrive later this year.
All the existing Windows Phone handsets have got support for 720p/768p, WXGA, and WVGA resolutions, and they are being powered by single-core and dual-core processors. The source is also claiming that Microsoft is planning to release Qualcomm Snapdragon quad-core processor powered Windows Phone devices later this year, and it is also bringing support for handsets with screens that measure 5 inches and bigger. The same family of Qualcomm quadcore chips found in popular Android mobile devices such as the Samsung Galaxy S4, HTC One, and etc. In fact, HTC was supposed to launch a 4.7-inch WP8 handset (codenamed Zenith) with a quad-core CPU and 1080p screen, but due to lack of display resolution support beyond 1280 by 768 pixels, the Taiwanese manufacturer has scrapped it.
The Redmond company will include better synchronization between its desktop/tablet Windows 8 and Windows Phone OS (merging all Windows OSes under one roof), and it is going to be part of the company’s larger update called Microsoft Blue, which is scheduled for early 2014 release. Windows Phone Blue update would be distributed after Microsoft’s three GDR release.
You might know that GDR 1 (aka “Portico”) update has already arrived for HTC 8X, Nokia Lumia 920/820/810, Samsung Ativ S phones. Company is also planning to seed the GDR 2 update in the coming months, which brings FM radio support for certain handsets. 1080p screen support means, Microsoft and the OEMs will be facing challenges for batteries for their next line of Windows Phone products. Bigger screen with 1080p resolution needs more battery power, and the phone should get a larger battery to offer better battery life than ever before and all the existed Windows Phone apps will have to be updated to take advantage of the new 1080p resolution.
This new GDR3 update is expected to come with some new devices later in 2013, following the GDR1 (also known as “Portico”) update that first arrived late in 2012 and the GDR2 update, which is expected to hit in the coming months with FM radio support in tow. Microsoft is expected to reveal its future plans at its upcoming Build conference, scheduled to happen in San Francisco on June 26.
What do you think, folks? Are 720p screens just fine or will you pick up 1080p Windows Phones in the coming months?
Source: The Verge