back to article Microsoft's Windows Phone 8.1 world conquest plan: folders!

Sharp-eyed Twitter chap @ebin_5 has spotted something interesting: a reference to folders in future versions of Windows Phone. Ebin published a link to a Microsoft page categorised as having something to do with Windows Phone 8 and the title “Create folders on my Start screen”. That page has since disappeared from Windowsphone …

COMMENTS

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  1. John Tserkezis

    Ingenious! How did they come up with such a unique idea! They need to patent it right now before everyone else implents into their own designs.

    No wait...

    1. Christian Berger

      Hmm, they bought Nokia. It may be that Nokia has some valid patents on it.

    2. Robert Grant

      Despite risking trying to reason with a crazy person (folders are about as inventive as rounded corners on icons) but Windows Mobile 6.5 had folders. About a year before iOS. Probably at the same time Android got them.

      While it's nice that you're trying to join in with the patenting jokes, the cargo culting approach to humour does mean that you miss the fact that Apple are the ones who've done the most public and hilarious patent enforcement in recent years.

      1. AMBxx Silver badge
        Mushroom

        Not sure where this came from?

        App Folders have been around for ages.

        Maybe the author should write a review by using a Windows Phone rather than just reading blogs?

      2. Nuke
        Meh

        @Robert Grant

        Wrote :- "the cargo culting approach to humour"

        Sorry, I'm slow this morning. Could you explain what that is please?

        1. Mayhem

          Re: @Robert Grant

          It means he's heard of Jokes, and knows that good Jokes bring the mythical Upvote, but hasn't really understood how they work, so is building his own imitation Joke based on what he's seen used before in the hope of getting some sympathetic Upvotes.

          aka ... the Cargo Cult, where primitive tribes built fake wooden airstrips after WWII to try and attract back the military aircraft bearing Cargo.

          http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cargo_cult

    3. LarsG

      We ALL know who has the patent on this one, don't we!

    4. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      How is this even news when they just announced multiple applications on screen at once (Snap support) ? http://wmpoweruser.com/side-by-side-windows-coming-to-windows-phone/

  2. big_D Silver badge

    Already got folders...

    Nokia released an App back when they released the Black update for Lumia devices, which allows folders to be created on the home screen.

    I assume, as part of the Nokia takeover that the app might be released for non-Nokia devices in the future?

    That said, I haven't used it in anger. I tried it out, then deleted it again. It works, but doesn't fit with my style of working - I don't use folders on my Android or iOS devices eithr.

  3. Anonymous Coward
    Happy

    Eh?

    Sounds a lot like Windows 3.1 Program Groups.

    If so, it's about time. I've wanted the convenience of them for quite some time.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Eh?

      All the phone UIs but WP use a Windows 3.x Program Manager design. It was the same used by PalmOS, and blindly copied by iOS and Android. Neither of them tried a new approach. Probably because that design has the psychological effect to induce users to fill the gaps with new candy icons.

      Only MS tried different designs, and understood the home screen must display useful informations, not justy colorful candies (well, those who don't use a phone for business just need the candies...).

      Tiles are probably the only real innovation in phone UIs since multitouch.

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Eh?

        "Tiles are probably the only real innovation in phone UIs since multitouch."

        Drinking the kool-aid much? Take a look at android's widgets. They do everything the tiles do and more. Calling that limited interface an "innovation" doesn't make it more useful or desired.

        1. JDX Gold badge

          Re: Eh?

          They do now, did they before WP7 came out? All the phone OS steal ideas because why would you see a way to make your platform better and not do it?

          1. Deltics

            Re: Eh?

            Android 1.5 - May 2009

            Windows Phone 7 - October 2010

            So to answer your question, which you could have answered very easily yourself but didn't want to discover how wrong you were....

            Yes. Before Windows Phone 7.

  4. JDX Gold badge

    Never mind folders

    I want one of those fancy "start start buttons".

    Nokia added a folders app to Lumia phones already. And this article seems to be suggesting WP8.1 is a surprise, when many people are already using it and The Register already reviewed a beta.

  5. Colin Ritchie
    Windows

    Folders in a UI who'da thunk it?

    I think the first folder I created on a workbench was in AmigaOS on a 500 about 1988, or maybe an Atari ST, can't remember...

    Since then I kinda took it for granted that any Folder based UI would have creatable folders in it.... like all of them.

  6. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Tiles schmiles

    Never mind folders. How can I clear my Windows 8 desktop of tile clutter and put what I want on it?

  7. Big_Ted
    FAIL

    Windows phone suc a pain.....

    To be honest I liked Windows phone as far as it went but it was just never far enough, so I waited and waited for the update from MS, I installed the developer edition and ........

    WTF hardly anything has changed apart from a siri / google now wanabe that we all know will be like bing almost pointless outside the US of A..... and WOW I CAN HAVE MY OWN BACKGROUND ON HOME SCREEN WITH TRANSPARENT TILES..... gasp how ever did they come up with home screen setup ?

    I have now sold my Nokia even though I loved the phone itself and bought an LG G2 instead, boy what a relief, back to the world of being able to set up a phone how I want.....

  8. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Windows Phone users' suicide pact?

    '...an invitation from Microsoft Devices, to “take back your life” at an event on July 8th.'

    I initially misread this as an invitation to "take your life".

  9. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Folders pah!

    I want Directories

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