Nokia updates Extras + Info, removes charging chime but adds things too

By Daniel Rubino
published

Last night, Nokia began rolling out the ‘extras + info’ Settings update for their Windows Phone 8 Lumia line.

This app allows Nokia to control and modify certain aspects of the phone without having to do a complete OS or firmware upgrade and indeed there are some minor changes with version 1.7.0.173.

As far as we can tell, there are three things this update does, which are at least visible:

  • Removes the “No longer charging” beep
  • Adds SmsVCardReceive
  • Adds SIM Unlock

The first one is a good thing, bad thing. Nokia had previously added a neat little chime when you removed your Lumia from charging (either wireless or plugged in, if we recall). It was unique but the experience was a bit odd due to the method by which Windows Phone detects when it is unplugged. In short, there’s a delay of around 5 seconds, causing an odd "wait, what was that?" effect.

Perhaps if it was an instant notification it would be better, but we give Nokia credit for trying. Of course the “begin charge chime” that’s part of the OS is still present.

The two new additions we’re not too sure about. SmsVCardReceive and SIM Unlock sound self-explanatory but we’re not too sure how it is exactly used here. Our bet is this lays down some software function that will allow Nokia to update other System apps, perhaps adding new features.

Didn't get the update yet? Just follow this link, or scan the QR code and you're good to go.

If anyone notices any other changes in behavior or function, do let us know in comments or join our forum discussion! Thanks, everyone, who tipped us

QR: Extras

Daniel Rubino
Daniel Rubino
Editor-in-chief

Daniel Rubino is the Editor-in-chief of Windows Central, head reviewer, podcast co-host, and analyst. He has been here covering Microsoft since 2007 when this site was called WMExperts (and later Windows Phone Central). His interests include Windows, Microsoft Surface, laptops, next-gen computing, and for some reason, watches. Before all this tech stuff, he worked on a Ph.D. in linguistics and ran the projectors at movie theaters, which has done absolutely nothing for his career.

48 Comments
  • If it turns out that the SIM unlock unlocks devices like my wife's 920 then that would be awesome. We're headed to Canada and I'd rather buy a virgin SIM than pay AT&T's exorbitant Canada rates.
  • I'm using you for a comment up top too. Lol. I liked that charging chime, actually. For me it didn't take 5 seconds at all, maybe 1 second. Sad to see it go.
  • I'm glad its gone. It got on my nerves!
  • I'm with you.  After an update and it started chiming everytime I took it off a charger, I thought my phone was glitching.  It took me a day or so to realize it was meant to do that and I hated it.
    They didn't have to kill it per se, they could have just added an option to turn it off (and perhaps offer choice of chimes).
    Plus, I wake up much earlier than my wife... every morning I had to turn the phone to silent before taking off the charger... annoying!
  • Thank god that's gone. I thought it was an update to the battery app, but nope it was just the phone. The sound bothered me but not as much as the fact that it would take a good 5 seconds to happen, then would turn my screen on in my pocket.
  • Same here, but mine made the chime even when I had it set to vibrate, would try to make it out of the room before the chime went off with the delay.
  • was wierd but also reminded people to turn the "CHARGER OFF" and as with J4rrod's mine was almost instant?
  • The charging chime has been murdered! Uh oh!
  • I actually like that little sound charm, but agree it was a little strange hearing it after I'd already put it in my pocket, lol.
  • I'm glad to see the chime go - I get up earlier than my wife and I've always hated making that noise!
  • lol... I made my comment before reading yours.  I had the same scenarios.
  • If they only made it so when your phone was on silent the chime would be turned off as well, like the begin charging sound .
  • So glad the chime has gone! Something I tweeted them about then they added it. Really stupid that it makes the sound every time you pick it up from your wireless charger even in silent mode ( I pick it up constantly in a quiet work environment so it was ridiculous). Should be optional though
  • When are they going yo sort out the volume button farce. Hate turning the volume.up of a video im watching only for the ringer to then be on the same level.
  • Agreed
  • That's been my biggest complain from 7.0 two years ago and no one has even though about changing it.
  • Agreed , in my opinion this is windows phones biggest fault and MS doesn't bother to change it.
  • Not sure why they couldn't make the chime silent when the phone was on silent. That was the only annoying thing about it... the fact that it would still sound when the phone was on silent. 
  • Now if they could do something about the screen coming on after 5 or 6 seconds. I always put the phone right in my pocket and then I keep getting the voice command comming on.
  • I liked the disconnect chime.. I thought it was good.. Maybe they should add it back in for those who want it, but make it possible to disable it if you so desired? Kinda sux to just have it removed and no option to re-enable.
  • Nokia / MS, please bring the charging chime back. It was really cool and neat. Thanks.
  • What's with the SIM unlock thing? I already have it unlocked but didnt find any additional setting that popped up after the update..
  • I'm so glad they got rid of the chime, even if my phone was on vibrate I would still get the chime which is silly. I never had it take 5 seconds though, more like 1 second.
  • Same here, it was right after I pull it out, never for that long, maybe because of wireless charger not regular one
  • Good riddance to the chime. I keep my phone on silent for a reason and when I wake up and remove my phone the chime would go off and waken my significant other
  • That's weird. When I plug/unplug my Titan, the chime is instant. When I plug/unplug my Lumia 900 there is a delay.
  • contacts share also updated :P
  • I hated that chime.
  • My proximity sensor has performed perfectly the last 3 calls I've been on--I don't know if they tuned it with this update or if it's a lucky fluke. Anybody else see improvement in this?
  • lucky fluke.  lucky you.   my proximity sensor is still stuck on "on face mode".
  • That is disappointing to hear... I'm I'll be in the same boat soon enough then.
  • Maybe the chime was added by accident. Why add something like that (with the potential to irritate) without the option to disable it? Also, it highlights the separate volume levels issue again (or lack thereof). Anyway +1 to the glad it's gone brigade.
  • OMG, I f-ing hated that damn chime! It was awful, especially since it triggered even when on silent/vibrate. Plus the chime they used was awful.
  • Was i only one who liked that chime. :(
    Though hearing peoples complains i can understand why it was removed.  I personally like those small touches and it has never bothered me. Not that it really affects me that it's gone. 
  • Nope! I loved it too. idk how so many people disliked it :/
  • Thank god for the chime being gone. It would sound even when my phone was on vibrate, so annoying. Maybe even more annoying is that MSFT hasn't figured out after years how to detect charging state immediately!! 3 seconds when I plug it in, and like 5 seconds for it to update when I unplug it.
  • I hate the charging chime, can't wait to get promted with this update.
  • Do you people use your phones set to maximum volume? I never set mine to more than 10, and usually it's on 1, so the charging stopped chime was barely hearable. And it always was much quieter that the rest of system sounds, I can't imagine how someone could be waken up buy it. It's probably some stress thing if your sleep is so shallow.
  • I have mine set at 15 all the time and even then, you can barely hear it.
  • It's funny to see how happy people are that Nokia has turned off the unplugging notification. Like it was a big deal before. But someone mentioned the SMS toast notification in the forums and everyone's all "Wtf no one needs an option to turn that off. Microsoft/Nokia has bigger problems." Blabla.
  • I hope they allow us to turn down or turn off those capacitive button lights.  They are unbearably bright when trying to read an ebook or watch a video in a pitch black room.
  • Mine don't show at all in the dark!
  • @cdbstl76: Did you do that on purpose?  If so, please tell me how!
    I've found that if you turn on the phone while covering the light sensor, the capacitive buttons do not turn on.  But then the display brightness is set far too high for a dark room and cannot be dimmed.
  • Omg this!!!! It really should be an option. I have to cover the buttons at night because its too bright.
  • lost all device sounds but ringtones after this. all my alerts are by vibration.
  • My sim is locked to 3g or 2g. I wad hoping this sim unlock would let another update unlock 4g.
  • I didn't mind the charm but I thought was weird when I would put my phone on silent at work the phone would still make that charm when taking it off the wireless charger.
  • I like the charging noise - I hope they add a switch allowing to selectively enable. One bug I've noticed on my 920 is that the charging chimes fire off even if the phone is on vibrate mode...