Microsoft Devices today have finally announced that the long awaited Lumia Denim software update has started rolling out to Lumia users in Australia. If you own one of the following devices, you’ll get an over-the-air update over the coming weeks, dependent on country and operator variant, with the full range of devices expected to be updated by the end of March.
- Lumia 930
- Lumia 1520
- Lumia 635
- Lumia 636
- Lumia 630
- Lumia 830
- Lumia 735
- Lumia 530
- Lumia 1020
- Lumia 925
- Lumia 820
- Lumia 920
- Lumia 625
- Lumia 1320
- Lumia 520
- Lumia 720
- Lumia 620
Microsoft say the free software upgrade is a step towards Windows 10, which will become available later this year. The goal here is to have as many Lumia phones running Windows Phone 8.1 as possible, readying them for the Windows 10 upgrade. Lumia users will be automatically notified of the Lumia Denim update via a prompt on their handset, offering them instant access to the latest Windows Phone 8.1 update, with exclusive experiences for Lumia smartphones. The update typically takes around 30-40 minutes, so make sure you don’t need your phone for a while when applying it.
Features and benefits
- Folders. This update gives users more ways to personalise their phone. On the Start screen, they can create Folders to organise Live Tiles and see popular suggested apps at a glance.
- Apps. With Apps Corner, users can now set up a custom Start screen for other people who use their phone.
- Internet. Enjoy improved downloading speeds on mobile websites in IE.
- Cortana Alpha & Voice Activation. Microsoft’s personal assistant will become available to the full range of Lumia devices. Lumia 930 and 1520 owners can now wake Cortana simply by saying ‘Hey Cortana’.
- Security. Lumia users can also add a personal VPN to protect data on their Lumia while on a Wi-Fi network.
The Lumia Denim update makes big improvements in imaging with the introduction of changes to Lumia Camera that make photography and video functionality faster and more intuitive. Coming as part of the Lumia Denim update to Lumia 930, Lumia 830 and Lumia 1520, it offers:
- Speed. Never miss a moment with Lumia Camera and its fast camera startup and capture speeds. Take numerous photos with just milliseconds between shots.
- High definition. Using Moment Capture, a long press of the camera button within the app automatically starts 4K-quality video recording at 24 frames per second. Each frame is of high image quality at 8.3 megapixels, allowing every single video frame to be selected and saved as a still image.
- Intuitiveness. Get the best shot every time with Rich Capture, which simplifies picture-taking with auto HDR and Dynamic Flash. With Rich Capture, people can avoid the hassle of adjusting camera settings; they can shoot first and edit and select the perfect shot later.
- Quality. Capture high-quality smartphone images in low light with the latest-generation imaging algorithms.
If you need to manually check for it, head to settings > phone update > check for updates.
