The Lumia 1520, unveiled yesterday, confirmed a previous rumor: the Windows Phone start screen will add an extra column of live tiles. Although the dense arrangement of tiles might make some users with "trypophobia" uncomfortable, until a better solution is devised, this is the best approach.
So, can all Windows Phone devices use the same interface to display more content? Joe Belfiore, head of Windows Phone, responded: No, the three-column tile layout is only for phones with larger screens.
Belfiore's response also corrected a past statement. A week ago, Belfiore mentioned on Twitter that the three-column live tiles were specifically designed for 1080p displays. However, during yesterday's launch event, the Lumia 1320, which features a 6-inch display with a 720p resolution, also adopted the three-column tile layout. This disproved the original claim, and the correct information is: "The three-column live tiles are adapted based on screen size, not resolution."
Want your Windows Phone start screen to display more content? You'll have to switch to a phone with a larger screen. Microsoft's strict limitation on the number of tiles and screen size may likely lead to a surge in the production of Windows Phone phablets in the future. Following the Galaxy Note trend, the era of large-screen devices has been accelerated once again.
Featured image courtesy of Mashable.