Microsoft may already be working on Windows Phone 8.5

Microsoft’s Build developer conference kicks off in a month, making it not surprising that we’re seeing increasing leaks and noise regarding platform changes the company is working on that may be unveiled at the shindig. Over the past few days, the Windows Phone app emulator has caused chatter due to an uncovered reference to Windows Phone 8.5. Well, of course Microsoft is working on new and later editions of its smartphone platform, right? But the 8.5 numerical indicator is interesting as it implies that there is another numbered release after Windows Phone 8.1 — which we should get in the next few weeks — that is not the fused Windows RT-Windows Phone platform. So, the reduction of ‘Windows’ from three to two platforms is perhaps not as close as you might have hoped. What did the emulator disclose? A minor user interface change to Live Tiles. There isn’t much dreg to dredge for in that.