The lack of support from pretty much everyone and the future of Windows Phone

[1101x10]

The Windows phone 8 sdk was only publicly released a couple of months ago. More complex apps take time to develop...

 

[spaulagain]

The Windows phone 8 sdk was only publicly releases a couple of months ago. More complex apps take time to develop...

Ya, it was released barely a month before release of WP8.

 

[NokFromApp]

People need to be Patient!! I understand that for some of us that have moved from other platforms, we want our favorite apps on our WP8 devices on day 1. We need to understand this though; app development takes time.
First, app developers come in all shapes and sizes . You have new small (1-2 people) app developers; then there are app developers who aren't necessarily large organizations (like Dropbox, Spotify), but established in other platforms and have to be cautious with a new platform and then there are the big companies (e.g. Banks, Retailers) that develop apps.
Obviously, its easier for the single developer app development companies to churn out apps which is what is happening with WP8 now. For the established players, its a little slower. There are plans already in place and to now develop for a new platform requires a change of plans, probably requires funding. In some cases, these developers probably wait to see what other developers are doing in the space before they themselves take the lead. And then you come to the big companies. It can get frustratingly slow to change plans there as everything needs to go through multiple levels of approval and then needs to meet a certain standard, needs to pass certain quality checks (whether it makes sense or not)
Add to all of this the fact that developers, big or small, probably have a learning curve associated with developing apps for any new platform. And finally add to that the fact that most quality apps require time to develop. I just read this today http://readwrite.com/2013/01/09/how-long-does-it-take-to-build-a-native-mobile-app-infographic; And although WP8 is not mentioned here, the development times should not be any different.
Now imagine that the first WP8 devices are maybe a little more than 10 weeks old!! So give it some time and the apps will come.
Unless MSFT scr#$s it up, they have a sound strategy in place and a little bit of patience will do us early adopters some good!

 

[JamesTBurns]

It's not about specific advantages. The point is that 100 million people use Dropbox, and a pretty decent chunk of them have no interest in changing services. I use my GS3 much more than my 820 because I've been told:
If I use Gmail, switch to Outlook.
If I use Spotify, switch to Zune Music.
If I use Dropbox, switch to SkyDrive.
If I use Instagram, well, sorry, you're SOL.

Trying to win over customers by expecting them to switch their entire digital lives over to competing providers because your OS can't and doesn't provide the services they are used to, and have used for years, is a dead end. Period. End of story.
No one cares about your 10-step plan to switch over to Outlook because you think Google is evil. People care about using the same email address they've used for a decade.

Actually you could switch to Rdio on WP8, IMO a more dynamic service than Spotify with a comparable library.

 

[SnailUK]

Maybe i've been on the WP scene too long, but this thread is just dull, because its nothing i havn't read reguarly for the last 2 years.

Picking a phone OS with little or no market share is just stupidity if big name apps are your thing. Its not just WP, Ubunto OS, Firefox, Jolla, will all have the same issues. It sounds like its pretty simple to port an Android app to BB10, so they may be lucky, but if their marketshare is rubbish, will developers actually bother?

If we find in 6 months, developers are writing apps for all these other OS's, but not WP, then is the time to jump ship, because there are bigger issues than marketshare at stake.

With all the doom and gloom about Windows 8, Microsoft have still sold (IIRC) 60 million licenses. Thats a huge market desperate for apps, and we all know Microsoft has done their very best to make W8->WP8 app conversion as easy as possible, if nothing else that should give WP8 a massive leg up in future.

 

[JMBasquiat]

Some people have a lot of time/content invested in Dropbox.

OK, but not everyone does, and not everyone uses Dropbox. In fact, Dropbox may have 100 million registered users, but I'd be willing to bet that the majority of those users signed up for an account and haven't used it since. A significant number obviously do, but perhaps Dropbox should think about supporting its users first, and making up lame excuses next.

Some people also have more space available with Dropbox vs Skydrive.

And some people have more space available with SkyDrive, myself included.

At the end of the day, though, a good modern smartphone shouldn't force you to find workarounds to everything (Gmail, Dropbox, etc). That's kind of the point.

No, a good smartphone should offer the basics, and WP does. You have SkyDrive if you want to upload pictures, documents, etc., built-in. What you meant to say is a smartphone with a rich ecosystem should allow you to use whatever popular service is available, but this depends on the service-provider offering a way to access their service, and not on WP. It isn't WP's fault as a smartphone that Dropbox is playing games and making excuses; they support MeeGo, but not WP. I didn't know MeeGo had such huge marketshare? Same goes for GMail; it's part of a bigger battle between MS and Google, and says nothing about the merits of WP. It does say a little about Google.

 

[tekhna]

OK, but not everyone does, and not everyone uses Dropbox. In fact, Dropbox may have 100 million registered users, but I'd be willing to bet that the majority of those users signed up for an account and haven't used it since. A significant number obviously do, but perhaps Dropbox should think about supporting its users first, and making up lame excuses next.



And some people have more space available with SkyDrive, myself included.



No, a good smartphone should offer the basics, and WP does. You have SkyDrive if you want to upload pictures, documents, etc., built-in. What you meant to say is a smartphone with a rich ecosystem should allow you to use whatever popular service is available, but this depends on the service-provider offering a way to access their service, and not on WP. It isn't WP's fault as a smartphone that Dropbox is playing games and making excuses; they support MeeGo, but not WP. I didn't know MeeGo had such huge marketshare? Same goes for GMail; it's part of a bigger battle between MS and Google, and says nothing about the merits of WP. It does say a little about Google.

A good feature phone offers the basics. A smartphone does whatever you want it to. If you're fine with Windows Phone being a glorified LG Chocolate, then awesome. But some people want to be able to use the hardware and software to their fullest capacities.

 

[tomatoes11]

It doesn't dishearten me and I voted WP8 is fine the way that it is but my sim card is already in an Android phone now. I am keeping the 8x but it is my back up now.

The first Canadian carrier that allows me to use two duplicate sim cards will get my business. Too much of a hassle swapping the sim back and forth between phones.

 

[Nataku4ca]

A good feature phone offers the basics. A smartphone does whatever you want it to. If you're fine with Windows Phone being a glorified LG Chocolate, then awesome. But some people want to be able to use the hardware and software to their fullest capacities.

im pretty sure he meant basis, aka foundation... calling Windows Phone a glorified LG Chocolate really makes me feel like you are trolling

btw...this statement is a bit... odd -> "people want to be able to use the hardware and software to their fullest capacities."
in the sense that be able to use something to their fullest pretty much meant the user's ability to use them instead of what the hardware/software can do
(there, now im trolling too :eck

 

[s0briquet]

Hopefully we will see more announcements like today's of Nokia selling above expectations in windows phone sales - 4.4m lumias. The coinciding stock jump definitely got people's fiscal attention today.

I'm hoping that some developer is realizing the potential to release a platforming dominating app on WP - currently there is no WP exclusive app that has the penetration, addictive-ness, or recognition of a game like angry birds or infinity blade. There is a first-mover advantage to be had in the WP8 exclusive game (and other apps) market - if someone can create the kind of app that you can reaalllly show off to your iOS/Droid friends at the same time that WP8 even shows signs of growth, a lot of money could be made.

The gaming market is very important to the overall triumph of a platform.

 

[JMBasquiat]

A smartphone does whatever you want it to.

No, it doesn't. Every smartphone has its limitations. Does an Android allow you to play Xbox Live games complete with achievements? Can I use Nokia Drive on it? Do I get Nokia City Lens with my Droid Evo 4G Insert Awesome Android Name Here? Do I get Office with an Android phone?

If you're fine with Windows Phone being a glorified LG Chocolate, then awesome.

That's not even remotely accurate.

But some people want to be able to use the hardware and software to their fullest capacities.

You can upload files from your WP to file hosting services, so not sure what part of the software/hardware you're not using.

 

[marcinaldo]

The problem that I have with Lumia 920 after almost 2 months of usage is that it is also not a very good as a phone: e.g. the sms notifications are very easy to miss since there is no notification center and there is only a small icon on the lock screen (and there is no sound reminder that you have unread message), I have occassionally problems with hearing the other speaker or they have problems hearing me (I have not had any issues with my previous phone with the same network and locations) and the worst of all is the random battery drain which makes it very unreliable - I don't know if it decides to last 2 days or discharge entire battery within 2 hours.

I also did not think that lack of apps will be a problem for me since many that I use were in the store, but almost all are worse than on iOS or Android (e.g. I still haven't found decent podcast app) and it is sad to see when there is an app for a bank, cinema or any other company but it is iOS or Android only. It especially hurts when a new music service starts in my country (where we do not have a lot of those so all are welcome) and it does not supports WP.

As others have mentioned, this may change when more people will buy WP8 phones, but something needs to encourage them. I still like a lot of functions: great screen, Nokia Music, the look of the phone and speed of Windows Phone, so I am not going to return it at this point. But if the entire situation is not fixed through the updates throughout the year, I will jump ship.

 

[Bee Mon]

The Windows phone 8 sdk was only publicly released a couple of months ago. More complex apps take time to develop...

Plus the Windows Phone 8 SDK only works on 64-bit Windows 8 HyperV devices just because of the WP8 emulator. So you can basically count out all those interested developers that are still on the 32-bit platform which practically is about 90% of the Asian market.

 

[Nataku4ca]

the sms notifications are very easy to miss since there is no notification center and there is only a small icon on the lock screen.

Do you have the Messaging Center pinned? because that's basically what tells you that you have unread messages (the conversation bubble with smiley face thingy)

not sure why you are having audio qualities issue though... there is a chance you have a defective unit, I have the L800 and voice works fine, which means it's not an issue with WP7 so I highly doubt WP8 would be any difference, very possible that this is a manufacturing issue

any one with L920 that has portico that can chime in on if the battery issue is resolved?

 

[Andyshine77]

any one with L920 that has portico that can chime in on if the battery issue is resolved?

No it's not!!

 

[tekhna]

No, it doesn't. Every smartphone has its limitations. Does an Android allow you to play Xbox Live games complete with achievements? Can I use Nokia Drive on it? Do I get Nokia City Lens with my Droid Evo 4G Insert Awesome Android Name Here? Do I get Office with an Android phone?



That's not even remotely accurate.



You can upload files from your WP to file hosting services, so not sure what part of the software/hardware you're not using.

Office for Android and iOs will be out shortly. XBL apps are being released on iOS all the time. And no, obviously you can't use Nokia apps. They're proprietary and not cross-platform. All the examples people have been giving are cross platform apps that Windows Phone doesn't have. Not proprietary, system-specific apps. That's the point.
And obviously it's not literally a feature phone; hyperbole is an awfully well-known rhetorical device. The point is that when an operating system can't provide the same user experience as every OS on the market, it's not going to be a compelling option for many consumers.

 

[cardinalryan]

A good feature phone offers the basics. A smartphone does whatever you want it to. If you're fine with Windows Phone being a glorified LG Chocolate, then awesome. But some people want to be able to use the hardware and software to their fullest capacities.

This comment made me laugh. It may be over exaggerating it a little bit, but in large part, WP8 is a lot closer to an LG Chocolate than it is to an iPhone 5 or Galaxy Note 2. Fact is, it does more than the Chocolate, but doesn't even remotely come close to what you can do with an iPhone 5 or Note 2.

That will irritate some people, but I don't know why...if you enjoy your phone, that's all that matters. When it comes to the enjoyment of your phone, my opinions do not matter to you. You know the facts, but if you love your L920 and it does what YOU need it to do, then it's numerous limitations don't matter at all.

 

[spaulagain]

This comment made me laugh. It may be over exaggerating it a little bit, but in large part, WP8 is a lot closer to an LG Chocolate than it is to an iPhone 5 or Galaxy Note 2. Fact is, it does more than the Chocolate, but doesn't even remotely come close to what you can do with an iPhone 5 or Note 2.

That will irritate some people, but I don't know why...if you enjoy your phone, that's all that matters. When it comes to the enjoyment of your phone, my opinions do not matter to you. You know the facts, but if you love your L920 and it does what YOU need it to do, then it's numerous limitations don't matter at all.

And the iPhone 5 can't do things that Windows Phone can. You're logic is flawed.

 

[Nataku4ca]

like what? live tiles?

plenty of things, another example is Kids Corner, how about the awesome camera button? I don't have to look at the screen to start it, just hold the button down, neither android nor ios can do this as easily as windowsphone

here is another that they are trying to copy, People Hub, I know some don't use it, but I do and it's awesome, there are plenty of other things as well

 

[gravage]

plenty of things, another example is Kids Corner, how about the awesome camera button? I don't have to look at the screen to start it, just hold the button down, neither android nor ios can do this as easily as windowsphone

here is another that they are trying to copy, People Hub, I know some don't use it, but I do and it's awesome, there are plenty of other things as well

The killer feature for me in Windows Phone is Tellme over Bluetooth. You can have an entire text message conversation without ever picking up your phone or looking at it. This is great while driving, if you have a BT stereo or headset. It's one of the reasons I take my Lumia when I travel.

Nothing else even comes close. iPhone requires you to hold the home button to initialize Siri to read your messages and again to respond. The closest app on Android that duplicates this is Vlingo and, while it will automatically read the incoming messages, you still have to unlock the phone and tap the screen to respond.

Tellme over bluetooth is something Microsoft should make a much bigger deal about, in my opinion. Voice-to-text is definitely inferior to the other two platforms, but the automatic prompting that allows you to have an entire text message conversation using your voice is unbeatable.