Since the introduction of Windows Phone, bloggers, writers, developers and others have been annoyed by Windows Phone’s lack of a screen capture utility. Common on iPhones, but inexplicably lacking on Windows Phones, the lack of such a seemingly simple little tool has been quite the frustration as bloggers try to illustrate their (our) posts, writers their articles, and developers, who have been probably most frustrated of all because they are supposed to submit screenshots of their apps, but aren’t easily able to take them (without using the emulator or a 3rd party tool or hack). Up until now, Microsoft has been quiet on the subject, or said that such a utility just wasn’t that important.
Well, according to Chinese Windows Phone site WPDang.com, the wait is nearly over, as they’re reporting that Windows Phone 8 will indeed include the elusive screen capture utility. According to WPDang.com (translated by Bing Translator):
WPDang recently learned on Windows Phone 8, realization of screenshot function will be through specific to Win key on the Windows Phone with camera shutter keys to complete. Through a combination of two keys, users are able to make any shots on the next-generation Windows Phone, and intercepted the picture will be saved in the Windows Phone photo album for users called at any time.
Even though, according to WPDang.com, it would be possible to implement a screen capture utility through the new native code APIs coming for Windows 8 and announced at last month’s Windows Phone Summit, there has been no mention of the new feature by Microsoft. WPDang.com chalks this up to Microsoft not releasing “too many details” of user experience features at the developer focused Summit. Microsoft indeed was careful to point out that there was still quite a bit more to come in terms of Windows Phone 8 announcements.
While a screen capture utility might be a bit too esoteric for most users, and certainly not a major marketing feature, not having one has been a bit of a pain and we’ll be happy to see it appear. Hopefully we’ll be hearing more soon about some more marketable Windows Phone 8 features, too.
(via WPSauce)
(this post brought to you without any visuals, out of sheer orneriness)