The new Windows Phone 8.1 dynamic lockscreen can look pretty svelte (video)

posted by Daniel P. / Jul 04, 2014, 3:47 AM

The new Windows Phone 8.1 dynamic lockscreen can look pretty svelte (video)

Amongst the laundry list of new goodies that come with the newest Windows Phone 8.1 mobile OS version of Microsoft, one real possibility is the so-called "dynamic" lockscreen. It builds on the already rich WP lockscreen functionality that allows animations, lively notifications and real-time updates by letting 3rd party developers access the API, and create even trendier, interactive lockscreens. For now, Microsoft is keeping the APIs private, but is evaluating opening them up to the dev world soon.

The apps can basically hijack the lockscreen completely, show any type of information and don numerous ways to interact with the lockscreen app. If the video below is any indication, some pretty awesome things can be done with the dynamic lockscreen feature. As you can see, some Zune-style album art pops up briefly on the lockscreen, with interactive music controls that can be called in for a good measure. If this is a sign of things to come with the developer access to the lockscreen APIs, we cross fingers that Microsoft gives unrestricted green light to the shenanigans below, arriving with Windows Phone 8.1.

via NokiaWPblog

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24 Comments

1. Settings

Posts: 2942; Member since: Jul 02, 2014

This isnt available on the dev preview. Or is it?

posted on Jul 04, 2014, 3:52 AM 1

3. adwienc

Posts: 136; Member since: Mar 26, 2014

No it isn't.

posted on Jul 04, 2014, 4:00 AM 3

5. sip1995

Posts: 1771; Member since: Feb 07, 2014

Joe Belfiore said that it'll be available in the coming weeks....

posted on Jul 04, 2014, 4:20 AM 3

13. Settings

You mean Lumia Cyan?

posted on Jul 04, 2014, 8:42 AM 1

24. rodneyej1

Posts: 3576; Member since: Jul 06, 2013

This is for all WP8.1 devices, so no, it's not coming with cyan... It's coming as a separate app, like the file system did.. Technically our devices, WP8.1 devices, already have this capability ready, there's just no app for it, and MS has yet to introduce API's into the SDK yet,, for obvious reasons.... ............. So,, those three updates that we got to our 8.1 DP devices most likely had tweaks to the OS to allow new features, like this and more, to work well once they are released... Now that WP8.1.0 is complete we'll start to see all of the things Joe promised at Build come to light... And, the light is bright..... Really, really bright!

posted on Jul 05, 2014, 6:08 PM 0

16. boblight

Posts: 84; Member since: Jul 28, 2012

This isn't available yet. It was shown during Build 2014, with an example app made by Rudy. But Microsoft said they were testing the API for the lockscreen internally first before releasing. Maybe when it rolls out to the general public it will be available ?

posted on Jul 04, 2014, 10:06 AM 0

25. rodneyej1

You are exactly right.... Read what I wrote above... That's about as accurate as it gets.

posted on Jul 05, 2014, 6:10 PM 0

2. itsdeepak4u2000

Posts: 3718; Member since: Nov 03, 2012

Wow, lovely...

posted on Jul 04, 2014, 3:59 AM 3

4. tech2

Posts: 3487; Member since: Oct 26, 2012

Looks 'cool' but it seems too distracting to read the info quickly on the go :/

posted on Jul 04, 2014, 4:02 AM 0

6. promise7

Posts: 894; Member since: Jul 03, 2013

Isn't album art and interactive music controls already available on Android and iOS? What is so cool about this?

posted on Jul 04, 2014, 4:31 AM 0

7. sip1995

This feature is available on Windows Phone since 2010...

posted on Jul 04, 2014, 5:10 AM 5

10. elitewolverine

Posts: 5192; Member since: Oct 28, 2013

android got it on kitkat. We have had it for years. Album art, music controls, volume. What is different is the interactive lockscreen vs just animation and album art.

posted on Jul 04, 2014, 7:03 AM 4

12. Awalker

Posts: 1958; Member since: Aug 15, 2013

Only full screen album art came with Kitkat. Also, you can change your lock screen to anything you want on Android including lock screens for iOS and Windows.

posted on Jul 04, 2014, 8:18 AM 0

14. Settings

I believe WinMo had it before iOS and Android so what's your point?

posted on Jul 04, 2014, 8:43 AM 1

15. NokiaFTW

Posts: 2072; Member since: Oct 24, 2012

Now now, leave those fandroids on their own.They have this wrong impression that every feature on a different OS was first available on their stupid little Android OS.

posted on Jul 04, 2014, 9:43 AM 2

22. joey_sfb

Posts: 6794; Member since: Mar 29, 2012

Stupid is what stupid say.

posted on Jul 04, 2014, 8:09 PM 0

23. joey_sfb

Android don't have a fixed look. Everyone that bother can change it. http://trendblog.net/best-android-launcher-guide-overview-2014/

posted on Jul 04, 2014, 8:20 PM 0

9. rsiders

Posts: 1853; Member since: Nov 17, 2011

Please be real. I love the look of this.

posted on Jul 04, 2014, 6:40 AM 2

11. Cod3rror

Posts: 142; Member since: Apr 06, 2013

I hope that seek lever is available to Music Player and not just on the lockscreen.

posted on Jul 04, 2014, 8:01 AM 0

17. dre786

Posts: 46; Member since: Nov 10, 2012

his s awesome way to go in 2014

posted on Jul 04, 2014, 11:05 AM 0

18. DogeShibe

Posts: 1121; Member since: Jan 10, 2014

Windows Phone is so cool. I think it this way - Android - A Colony iOS - HAHA A Flock Windows Phone - A Pack >:)

posted on Jul 04, 2014, 3:45 PM 0

19. xoxoGeorges

Posts: 209; Member since: Jul 11, 2013

Oh my goodness, this is so rad. Takes me to the Zune PC app days

posted on Jul 04, 2014, 4:50 PM 0

20. DontHateOnS60

Posts: 872; Member since: Apr 20, 2009

This is MSFT's biggest problem with WP... Not wanting to open up enough things to the dev world.

posted on Jul 04, 2014, 6:10 PM 0

21. 7thspaceman

Posts: 1597; Member since: Feb 14, 2011

Windows 8.1 smart phones will get the features smart phone lovers like. I use one and love it. I do not put down Apple Iphones or Android devices. the Old windows mobile smart phones had a lot of great tech in them Android smart phones use some of Windows Mobile smart phone tech and android OEMs pay royalties because of this. My main gripe with the current Windows smart phone UI is that the tiles look too homely they need a design refresh' their redesign could start with the square shaped 90 degree 4 corners of the Tiles be rounded off or the sides of the tiles slightly curved outward. studies have shown that Human beings like circle or curvy shapes much more than rectangles or squares. Windows phone 9 coming next year could get the new shaped tiles