New Windows Previewer app reveals details about Windows 10 Insider program for Phones

A few days ago, an app called Phone Insider was found in the Store. Not too long after, Microsoft's Gabriel Aul even confirmed on Twitter that the app will be discussed at next week's January 21 event in Redmond.

The focus of that event is Windows 10, and many believe how it will work on Windows Phone devices will also be detailed.

Now, a new version of the app – with a different name – has been found in the Store. Dubbed Windows Previewer Beta , the app appears to be an internal test version of the app. Windows Phone app developer and XDA forum moderator Jeremy Sinclair has also managed to pull out a few screenshots and details from the app.

It should be noted that this app cannot be downloaded by the public like Phone Insider as the app is marked private.

According to the app's description:

"The update provisioning application allows users to get early access to the latest Windows Phone updates for the purposes of providing feedback to Microsoft on current releases. Feedback is gathered automatically from the device by configuring your device for early access. For more information see the terms and conditions below."

Sinclair broke down the app and learned a few new things about this version, which he has kindly shared with Windows Central. Additionally, he provided exclusive screenshots taken from the app itself and seen above.

"Basically, this app enables a few new Authentication methods. First it tries to auth with the built-in Microsoft Account on your device. If it fails for any reason such as not having access to any Windows Phone flights for the Insider program, it leads you to the AlternateLogon page. This page allows for you to manually login with a Microsoft Account or to login with an internal Microsoft account.""Still not useful for us who haven't been deployed access to all the joy, but this shows as confirmation that the next update to the Phone Insider app will involve a rename and allow for us to login to it once it goes live."

It should be interesting to see if the app (and program) remains Phone Insider or if it will be called Windows Previewer upon its public release. Regardless, all of this heavily suggests that Microsoft is on the cusp of releasing Windows 10 for Phone very soon to the public, albeit in early preview form via the Windows Insider Program.

You can see the Windows Previewer Beta app here on the Store, but note that you cannot download it due to it being a private app.

Thanks, Jeremy, for the info and Jesse Leskinen for additional screenshots!

Daniel Rubino
Editor-in-chief

Daniel Rubino is the Editor-in-chief of Windows Central. He is also the head reviewer, podcast co-host, and analyst. He has been covering Microsoft since 2007, when this site was called WMExperts (and later Windows Phone Central). His interests include Windows, laptops, next-gen computing, and watches. He has been reviewing laptops since 2015 and is particularly fond of 2-in-1 convertibles, ARM processors, new form factors, and thin-and-light PCs. Before all this tech stuff, he worked on a Ph.D. in linguistics, watched people sleep (for medical purposes!), and ran the projectors at movie theaters because it was fun.