Do you think Windows Phone Blue will solve all the problems?

[Fritzly]

That's a good point. However...I don't think anyone other than Apple can push out OS updates to every device on the same day. There are a lot of variables with Windows Phone and Android. Different OEMs, different carriers.If you insisted on making it the same day for everyone, I'll tell you exactly what would happen, whichever OEM or carrier was going to be ready LAST would be the one that would determine the launch date.It might make everyone feel better to know it's going to happen on a certain date, but we'd ALL be waiting longer instead of only some of us waiting longer than others.

Well, with WP8 MS made another "reset" and introduced NT based OS to phones which is good IMO. Now I would like to see updates for my phone work exactly as they work for W8: bypassing OEM and carriers. The fairy tale that carriers need to "test" updates is just ridiculous: in other Countries you buy your phone in a store then buy a SIM and use it. MS should release a Surface phone and sell it; begin with markets where the carriers racket dooes not have a stronghold as here in the US.... and the market will do the rest.

 

[SnailUK]

The fairy tale that carriers need to "test" updates is just ridiculous: in other Countries you buy your phone in a store then buy a SIM and use it. MS should release a Surface phone and sell it; begin with markets where the carriers racket dooes not have a stronghold as here in the US.... and the market will do the rest.

You can now walk into a store in pretty much any country and buy any WP8 device SIM-free. The issue with Portico was most likely that it was the very first big OTA update on WP8, and Microsoft wanted a slow gradual roll out, to iron out the issues. Going through a premier partner to start the trial was pure sense, AT&T make sure they have a nice stock of phones, so if Microsoft kill lots of phones, they can cope with the returns. Do that through the SIM-free route, and all you do is annoy all the various internet companies that sold the phones.

Now Microsoft have proved the OTA mechanism, i hope the roll out to SIM-free phones is a lot better with the future updates.

 

[Gambit11B]

Like what? I'm not talking about under the hood stuff. That's good and all, but user-facing features are almost completely unchanged. Rooms... Cool, but only really useful with other windows phone users. Kids Corner... Cool, but only affects people with kids. I love windows phone 8, but where's the orientation lock? Notification center? Built in turn by turn navigation? Synergy with Windows 8? Android and iOS are still much more mature platforms, and I can't wait for MS to grow their mobile OS.

Not so..... Kid's Corner is great to use as a 'Demo' device. Whenever my friends/family/etc want to check out my non-iOS/Android phone, I simply switch it over to Kid's Corner so they don't have full access to everything, and can't FUmyphoneBAR.
Also, Android and iOS SHOULD be more mature platforms....remember: WP8 is a brand new platform (the kernel changed from CE to NT), so in all reality, every WP8 device is still a first-gen device.

 

[abel920]

Better look (more in depth, and more "solid", and more real looking tiles, and not this cartoon metro cardboard looking that we have now.

But I hope WPB is a huge step!

 

[Tafsern]

What problems?

 

[Ludwig1976]

WP8 is a brand new platform (the kernel changed from CE to NT), so in all reality, every WP8 device is still a first-gen device.

I agree. WP8 would have been a great OS, 5-6 years ago. Too bad, we are in 2013.

 

[DontHate707]

With more info leaking on this update it seems this is an update to every app making them more functional and deeply integrated into windows 8 and it should be here mid 2013 idk it sounds promising but there moving to slow. With chrome OS growing into a real competitor google soon opening up there own stores I fear Microsoft's reign at top is slipping. Soon we'll be the dying underdog.

 

[tj321]

I completely agree. MS doesn't have anything to offer that Android and Apple don't already have and in some cases do better. I'm afraid MS will never be fast enough to keep up or get ahead with mobile market. They may lead with PCs but that attitude with mobile will not get them anywhere.

That is complete nonsense, a good, clean, simple skeuomorphic-free UI is invaluable, can not be understated, and is not found elsewhere. Furthermore the emerging promise of integration between W8 and WP8 platforms is also something which makes Apple et al look incredibly dated, with the increasingly shoddy/bloated itunes having had its day, a poor substitute.

 

[derDaniel]

I put much hope in MS Blue and yes think they will fix a lot of the current issues.

 

[fardream]

That is complete nonsense, a good, clean, simple skeuomorphic-free UI is invaluable, can not be understated, and is not found elsewhere. Furthermore the emerging promise of integration between W8 and WP8 platforms is also something which makes Apple et al look incredibly dated, with the increasingly shoddy/bloated itunes having had its day, a poor substitute.

the UI is great, but people buy phones to do things, not to stare at the beautiful tiles - they want to check emails which requires secured storage card, they want to watch Xbox videos, they want to make playlists - yes, I believe there are people who care only about a NT kernel, but for most people I believe NT or CE means nothing if functions and features are not there.
On the merging windows and windows phone - it's nice idea, just like Xbox music combining Spotify, iTunes Match and Pandora is a nice idea, sadly Xbox music does nothing well - it cannot create a smartdj from Beethoven....

 

[smoledman]

Apollo+ is going to be the big 2013 Windows Phone update. It's not part of Blue.

 

[techiez]

MS needs to be proactive with its communication, inform users what it intends to bring which would cause less frustration, I see there is a lot of hope with blue update but if MS under-delivers it would be a disaster,right now we do not know if MS is willing to listen to users n bring the features that users are demanding it is tight lipped about what features it intends to bring.

 

[paulm187]

I hope Blue will bring Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8 API's closer together so that developers can write once and will run on both devices. At the moment devs still have to write two versions of the product.

 

[astraith]

Is Windows Phone not already on a yearly update cycle with 7, 7.5, 8, 8.5, etc?I don't really see a difference no matter what they call it.

Windows Phone is, but Windows Blue is an update for all Microsoft services, including Windows, Windows Phone.

 

[astraith]

Isnt it strange that Skype (a Microsoft company) app works better on Android and iOS then WP8. I think MS need to gain dynamics, such a slow development will lead a good OS as WP8 to grave.

Well, not really. Skype app was around on those other platforms first. It wasn't until MS bought them that the WP app started to be developed. Also, retiring Messenger and merging the back end is probably taking a lot of resources away from app development. Microsoft should have waited for that, sure, but it's too late for that. We'll get a good app at some point. Probably this year.

 

[fardream]

Well, not really. Skype app was around on those other platforms first. It wasn't until MS bought them that the WP app started to be developed. Also, retiring Messenger and merging the back end is probably taking a lot of resources away from app development. Microsoft should have waited for that, sure, but it's too late for that. We'll get a good app at some point. Probably this year.

Look at WeChat, see how a messaging service can be properly done on multiple platforms - Skype is valued at $8.5 billion, and Microsoft or Skype must show a result for that - or just write the whole division down and sell
it.
By the way, for companies like Microsoft, it will be difficult to imagine WP app team would be brought in to develop the common service backend

 

[astraith]

Look at WeChat, see how a messaging service can be properly done on multiple platforms - Skype is valued at $8.5 billion, and Microsoft or Skype must show a result for that - or just write the whole division down and sellit.By the way, for companies like Microsoft, it will be difficult to imagine WP app team would be brought in to develop the common service backend

I didn't say WP team would be working on that merge. Skype team and MS Messenger teams would be. And since the CEO of Skype is the one answering the questions, it proves that the Skype team are aware and making the choices here(or at least having a say in that).

 

[fardream]

I didn't say WP team would be working on that merge. Skype team and MS Messenger teams would be. And since the CEO of Skype is the one answering the questions, it proves that the Skype team are aware and making the choices here(or at least having a say in that).

it's not WP team, it's the team in Skype working for WP app - or whatever team that is working on it. What is that team doing? Obviously the teams for iOS and android are still working on their respective apps and bringing new features