Windows Phone 8.1 Update 2 also brings MKV video support

MKV video support in Windows Phone 8.1 GDR2

Windows Phone 8.1 Update 2 aka GDR2 is slowly making information technology out the gate to various phones. The update comes preinstalled on the new Lumia 640 and Lumia 640 XL. Yet, the Bone update managed to sneak on a few phones due to a issues in the Windows x Technical Preview update a week back, including the Lumia 930.

Over the weekend, we dived deeper into some of the new features of Update 2, but we missed ane: Matroska MKV video support.

Matroska Video Stream is a pop container file for media, like movies and TV shows and is used widely on the cyberspace.

The feature was mentioned in our comments by brdloch, and we were able to ostend this ascertainment this morning on a Lumia 930 running Windows Phone eight.one build 15116.

To test for the feature, nosotros copied over a 5 MB MKV video file sample at 1280 10 536 resolution to 2 phones: Lumia 930 with Update 2 and a Lumia 929 (Icon) with Update one and Lumia Denim. Windows asks if you want to convert the file, to which we answered 'no' on both occasions.

The result is obvious. On the device with Update 2, the video and thumbnail preview are now listed in the Xbox Video app, whereas nothing is shown on the device with Update 1.

Of course, Microsoft has already added native MKV back up to Windows x for both PC and mobile (telephone), and then even if you practise non become Update 2 – which is looking likely – you will get it with Windows 10. Regardless, it is great see it finally arrive for Windows Phone 8.1 for at least some users.

Unfortunately, merely the Lumia 735 and Lumia 830 are confirmed to be receiving Update two at some later point. It is not clear if other phones will too.

Lookout our video above to run into it all in activity!