New Windows Phone 8 OS update Portico brings SMS drafts and call reject with it

We're still digging through the first official OS update to Windows Phone 8 tonight and we have found some new, undocumented features of high interest.

One area that seems to have been a focus for Microsoft for this update is in regards to text messaging. We can now confirm at least three new significant features to that aspect of the OS with this rollout...

Three new undocumented features for Windows Phone 8 (10211) Portico:

SMS Drafts
Select all (for mass deletion)
SMS Call reject

The first addition we have actually known about for sometime, as it was rumored to be coming with the HTC 8S. The ability to create drafts of SMS messages is a small but important feature for those who text a lot. When typing a messaging and backing out, an unsent message is added to the drafts area, which can then later be accessed.

The ‘select all’ feature with delete is also new. Previously users could mass select test messages but you had to manually select them one by one before they could be deleted. Now, users can check all at once and then delete with just two-steps. Once again, a significant improvement.

Mass select for text and Call reject via Text

The third is the most interesting though: users can finally reject phone calls with a text message. When a call comes in and the user slides up to either answer or ignore, a third option is now present to use Text. Once selected, the user is brought to a new screen where they can tap-to-send a pre-written SMS to the recipient. The two messages are “I’ll call you back” or “Please Text me” with a third option letting the user enter in a text directly.

[Update: You can manually enter two of your own SMS messages for text-call reject under the Phone settings.]

Although these are by no means huge changes, they are little things that irritate people when they are missing. It’s nice to see Microsoft is paying attention to small details to help improve the Windows Phone experience.