Microsoft updates Remote Desktop app for Windows Phone 8.1

Microsoft has updated the preview of the Remote Desktop App for Windows Phone 8.1, which adds some much-needed UI changes as well as better connection management.   Remote Desktop App preview version was released in late April and brought along support for RemoteFX 3D graphics capabilities and the Network Layer Authentication Protocol and added touch capabilities on Windows Phone 8.1 devices. The newer version includes allows users to pin connections to the phone’s Start Screen. Users can also disable thumbnails on the Windows Phone 8.1 screen and show the background image through application tiles.   Support for Azure RemoteApp, and adding VPN connections is coming later this year, along with Remote Desktop Gateway, Remote Desktop Connection Broker and Desktop Connection. Microsoft describes RemoteApp and Desktop Connection as enabling “a personalized view of RemoteApp programs, session-based desktops, and virtual desktops to users.”   The Remote Desktop Connection Broker enables IT pros to manage session-based remote desktops and virtual machine-based remote desktops, and adds support for RemoteApp and Desktop Connection capabilities. The Remote Desktop Gateway Server enables encrypted transport using the HTTPS Protocol and Microsoft’s Remote Desktop Protocol, which is another management essential.   The surprising thing again is that RemoteApp and Desktop Connection are available on iOS, Android and PC platforms,  but Microsoft has been trying to move away from the Windows-first strategy. For instance, Microsoft rolled out a touch-enhanced Office for iPad first, and is expected to bring it to **Android before Windows 8 systems** .