Compared to two years ago, the look and functionality of the Windows Phone platform has certainly improved. And now, it has consistently gained enough market share to even pose a threat to Apple's iOS in selected markets. 

With the Windows Phone 8.1 release date coming in April at the Build 2014 conference, we expect greater things from Microsoft and its mobile platform brainchild. 

In a new report from GSM Arena, we may just be seeing some of the screenshots of a WP device running on the 8.1 version. As the image shows, there will now be a quick settings panel similar to Android, where users can see some details such as ringing level, current music playback, and even a portion where you can access the handset's settings. 

Another rumor about the Windows Phone 8.1 update includes on-screen navigation buttons which would come in handy for huge WP-powered devices. 

And let's not forget about Microsoft's own personal assitant, which has been previously reported to be based on Halo's Cortana. 

Still, make sure you take all of these with a grain of salt until Microsoft makes the announcement itself.