The update formerly dubbed as the successor of Windows 8.1 Spring Update / Windows 8.1 Update 2 is now available for download, as a regular patch Tuesday update. Previously many websites rumored that Microsoft would release a large update in August which would be called Windows 8.2 or Windows 8.1 Update 2.
Last week, the company stated in a blog post that none of those would be released but that they would start to release monthly updates for Windows 8.1 which besides fixing security issues will also bring new features and improvements.
That's different from how Microsoft released updates in the past. Previously the company did frequently update Windows versions, but mainly released security updates on Tuesdays. Microsoft's new CEO Nadella is taking a different path and with monthly updates the software giants hope to "refine and improve Windows 8.1 in a more nimble way".
The update can be downloaded from the Microsoft website with the following list as the major changes:
- Precision touchpad improvements – three new end-user settings have been added: Leave touchpad on when a mouse is connected; allow right-clicks on the touchpad; double-tap and drag.
- Miracast Receive – exposes a set of Wi-Fi direct APIs for Independent Hardware Vendor (IHV) drivers or OEM drivers to develop Windows 32-bit applications that run on all supported x86-based or x64-based versions of Windows 8.1, enabling the computer as a Miracast receiver.
- Minimizing login prompts for SharePoint Online – reduces the number of prompts with federated use in accessing SharePoint Online sites. If you select the “Keep me signed in” check box when you log on for the first time, you will not see prompts for successive access to that SharePoint Online site.
More information and downloads here. The update might also be already available through Windows Update.
