Windows Phone 8.1 Screenshots Leaked Online: Is It Real or Fake?

When reports about Microsoft working on the Windows 8.1 update came in, it was also believed that the company was working on a 8.1 update to the Windows Phone 8 platform. Coming to the present, screenshots of the alleged new WP update have surfaced, showing an all new Windows Phone notification centre feature.

The leak comes from the Reddit user, ChinaMan28 who had recently purchased a Lumia 920 which apparently was running on the new platform. The Verge reports that the Operating System is an early build of the new update and has the version number 12084.WPMAIN(wpbldlab).20130509-1407, which means it was compiled on May 9th.

The user in a post said "Its got a bunch of weird apps, has data sense, I can close background tasks, here beta blue, seems it was someone who worked on the main campus got his phone lost."

One of the screenshots shows the notification centre providing access to the Live tile notifications. The screenshots also reveal a revamped calendar interface with weekly views, multitasking improvements and number of test applications that start with the letter z.

The Verge reports that multiple sources have revealed that this is in-fact the early build of the Windows Phone 8.1 (Blue). Microsoft apparently has contacted the user and has locked the phone, remotely. The company also has requested Wong to take down the screenshots from Flicker.

"Apparently the guy who owned it lost it on a bus. It was then picked up and sold," he says. Instead of pursuing Wong, Microsoft has offered to reimburse him for the cost of the device and also ship him a replacement phone. "I was incredibly surprised at the lack of intimidation and even more surprised at their accommodation," says Wong.