Microsoft has released the much awaited Windows 10 Mobile build to Fast Ring insiders. Build 10536.1004 is the first preview build made available by Microsoft since Aug. 12, after Microsoft caught a bug that delayed the build and prevented it from coming out last Friday.
The newest build requires insiders to update their devices twice. The first update will install Build 10536.1000 while the second update will finally get it to Build 10536.1004. Gabriel Aul, vice president of Windows Devices Group engineering systems, says the two updates are needed to allow users to get around the UpdateGen issue that prevented Microsoft from releasing the build last week. However, users who are updating straight from Windows 8.1 can go straight to Build 10536.1004.
@cyberh0me This is a function of how we had to repackage the update to work around the updategen issue. Will update the blog post to explain
— Gabriel Aul (@GabeAul) September 14, 2015
The latest build includes several new features, fixes and, of course, the inevitable issues that users will have to deal with. Major changes include the addition of a one-handed mode that lets users slide the display from the top of the screen. One-handed mode is available not just for large-screen devices but for smaller Windows Phone devices as well.
Microsoft has also updated the Photos app, which now allows users to view their OneDrive and PC folders in the app. On mobile devices, users will also see an SD card folder containing their photos. Microsoft also says viewing photos, zooming in and panning are now faster. It has also included context menus for better image management. For now, however, the updated Photos app is only available for mobile, but the update for the PC app is not far behind.
The latest build also includes a number of fixes for issues discovered in earlier builds. For instance, the Insider Hub is up and running again, and problems with mobile hotspot functionality have been fixed. Issues with two-factor authentication, start screen loading, Do Not Disturb mode, lock screen delays, and pinch-and-zoom in Maps have also been sorted. The build also now includes voice input support for Japanese and English (India).
And as expected of beta software, Build 10536.1004 also includes a number of issues. Most notably, the Lumia 1020 camera will not work properly because some of its best features, such as 41MP capture and DNG files, only work with the dedicated Lumia Camera App, which unfortunately will not be available until later this fall.
Moreover, the Storage folder now appears in Settings > System, and clicking that option will cause the Settings app to crash.
Microsoft outlines a few more issues but offers temporary workarounds. If rebooting the phone stops all notifications from showing up, the solution is simply to unlock the phone. Also, uploading new photos from Camera to OneDrive will require users to update their settings and use version 17.2 of OneDrive. Additionally, Slow Ring insiders will not be able to go into the Fast Ring, unless they use the Windows Phone Recovery Tool and start on Windows 8.1. Lastly, certain languages are not available for download, but Microsoft says the languages will be available on Tuesday.
