Has anyone gone from WP to iPhone and still using all MS services?

[steve_w_7]

I am getting ready to jump from Windows Phone to the iPhone and I still plan on using all of my Microsoft services (Outlook, OneNote, One Drive, etc.)

I am wondering if there is anyone out there who has done this (or has attempted to do this) and how you made out? Has Microsoft made the transition as easy as it appears to be? From my perspective, there seems to be no downside.

 

[RushabK]

steve_w_7:

I made the switch from a 1520 to an iPhone 6 Plus a few weeks ago and wrote my initial experience in another thread. I can tell you that all MS services work well. Apple def has the best app store hands down. I even found business productivity to be easier on the iPhone. You can save all types of files to OneDrive and to One Note including web clippings and URLs. The drop down notification center has two sections (Today and Notifications). I do enjoy the widgets in the Today section. Definitely search for widgets in the App store. The widgets in the Today section kind-of replace the live tiles, and I say that with extreme reservation. Camera is great...faster than the 1520's camera, but 1520's quality is better especially in low light settings. The IPhone's swipe up control center is useful as well. I initially thought the fingerprint scanner was a gimmick, but now have come to realize that this is pretty revolutionary, especially when apps are allowing you to use it instead of passwords. It's probably one of my top two features I like on the iPhone. I put all my iPhone app icons in folders and have everything on one screen so that I do not have to swipe to different screens looking for apps. Another interesting thing I observed while owning the iPhone is that I couldn't believe how long I tolerated the phantom touchscreen on the 1520. After using this phone without constant "accidental" taps that would unwantedly open up apps and links on websites, I realized that it was my true love for MS that I tolerated this phantom touchscreen issue.

Things you will miss: Definitely Cortana, but I have to admit that Siri isn't as bad as people made her out to be on this site. Secondly, you will miss the Live Tiles. Even though Xbox Music is terrible on WP, it's worse on the iPhone and so you might miss that. Finally, although the iPhone OneDrive app is set on auto upload in the background, it seems that I still have to open the app time to time to get the upload process to work. I find this a little annoying.

I will always be a fan of MS...even my wife would joke that I am a MS employee due to my fan boy passion. But, like you, I was getting impatient waiting for MS to blow the competition away. W10 will be amazing, but it will need a few years for developers to get on board. When that time comes, I will return.

 

[Witness]

Everyone else here has provided some great feedback. I'll just add my two cents since I'm currently using an iPhone 6 and will be switching back to the 920 occasionally.

MS apps on iOS works very well and certainly makes it easier to move back and forth. So long as you keep your contacts on Outlook, or GMail (etc), your contacts and appointments will be very portable.

Using iOS for a couple months now, I would say the only things I liked about the iPhone is the availability of apps and the slo-mo function of the camera. That's it. Interface is cumbersome and dated. Windows Phone's interface/navigation, Cortana, dedicated camera button is what I miss the most. So really, you got Apple whose phone has lots of apps, but the phone sucks (especially the Bluetooth) and you got Microsoft whose phone doesn't have a lot of apps, but the phone is fantastic.

Good luck.

 

[steve_w_7]

So I got the iPhone 6 +. I have had it for just under 24 hours and thought I would share my initial impressions.

I'm surprised by how underwhelmed I am with the phone. I've only ever had Windows Phone and have been constantly barraged by people telling me how much better iPhone is. I know it's early, but I'm not exactly blown away by the experience quite yet.

From what I can tell so far, Microsoft apps and services work well and Outlook mail, contacts and calendar loaded without a hitch. The one thing that I am having an issue with is my Facebook friends loading to my contacts. There seems to be some sort of restriction on who and what gets loaded. My contacts app is only recognizing about 10% of my FB contact information. I'm going to the Apple store this afternoon to see if I can get that sorted out.

One of the the things that I am really going to miss about WP is the People Hub. I liked being able to see my contacts' photos from the main screen and navigation is so much better, not to mention the News Feed and the groups all in one place. My fear is that Microsoft will kill the People Hub eventually as that seems to be the direction the OS is going. Enjoy it while you can because it really is a fantastic feature.

So, if I had to make a choice after just one day (I know that's not a fair amount of time, but just saying) whether I was going to keep the iPhone or go back to WP, at this point I would go back to WP without much hesitation. Windows Phone is just so much more personable than iPhone is. But, I'm going to give this a fair and open minded 14 days trial. I'll keep you posted...

 

[RushabK]

I completely forgot to point that out about the FB contacts. The iPhone contact integration is terrible compared to WP. I too only have about 10% of my FB contacts being pulled in. Most people with an iPhone have this issue, but it's not broadcasted since most iPhone users have never enjoyed a WP and therefore do not know what they are missing. Also, the linking of contacts is not as fluent as it is on WP. I've even had some of my LinkedIn contacts mess up my exchange contacts when linking. WP linking never caused FB, LinkedIn and Address Book contacts to overwrite each other's data, but iPhone did that to me.

 

[steve_w_7]

I completely forgot to point that out about the FB contacts. The iPhone contact integration is terrible compared to WP. I too only have about 10% of my FB contacts being pulled in. Most people with an iPhone have this issue, but it's not broadcasted since most iPhone users have never enjoyed a WP and therefore do not know what they are missing. Also, the linking of contacts is not as fluent as it is on WP. I've even had some of my LinkedIn contacts mess up my exchange contacts when linking. WP linking never caused FB, LinkedIn and Address Book contacts to overwrite each other's data, but iPhone did that to me.

Yes. This turned out to be a huge disappointment for me. Not a dealbreaker (yet), but once you are used to the WP People Hub, it's really hard not to have that information all in one place.

I went to the Apple store today and they had no clue that the issue existed and offered no solution. I did find an app that aggregates all that info, but it's just another app and it feels tacked-on.

 

[RushabK]

Yes....I found those 3rd party apps, but didn't like the "tacked" on feeling. You never know, maybe at Apple's next OS event, they will introduce a functioning FB integration feature and will convince the world that they were the first to introduce such a "groundbreaking" idea.

 

[steve_w_7]

So, after a good long weekend of playing around with my new phone, I find that I am liking it more and more. I'm not reaching for my 925 any more, which is what you would expect, I suppose. The Microsoft apps work great and have all the new features that aren't available yet on Windows Phone. The iPhone offers a real premium experience.

Having said that, iPhone is not perfect and there are a few things that Windows Phone has nailed and simply does better. For example:

• Cortana. There is no question in my mind that Cortana is head and shoulders better than Siri. If anyone tries to tell you otherwise, they simply haven't used Cortana. Own that, Windows Phone users! If the rumors that Microsoft is releasing a Cortana app on iPhone are true, that would be amazing.
• People Hub. You simply cannot replicate the aggregation of information that is available in the People Hub on iPhone. I truly hope that Microsoft recognizes this and doesn't abandon this concept.
• Speech. Believe it or not, iPhone doesn't have a feature where it can read aloud incoming text messages when it's connected to a Bluetooth device. If you have a Bluetooth speaker in your car, you will know how cool this is and I will miss this feature immensely.

Although these features are missing on iPhone, they aren't deal breakers for me and I think it's safe to say that I am going to keep my iPhone and bid farewell to Windows Phone. I will, however, be interested to see what Microsoft releases in the way of a flagship Windows 10 phone. If it blows my socks off, I may come back. I'd like to think that I have an open mind about things like this.

 

[steve_w_7]

After a week in, I have come to the conclusion that iPhone isn't really any better than Windows Phone. A year or two ago you could have made that argument, but between the combination of WP's advancements and iPhone's stagnation over the past year or so, you couldn't honestly say that one is better than the other. They are just different and each has features that the other doesn't. As a long-time WP user, there are things that iPhone doesn't have that really puzzle me and, if I were honest, bug me. However, the glaring difference to me is the superiority of the experience that iPhone provides over Windows Phone.

In my view, it is critical that Microsoft release a killer flagship phone this summer. As much as I absolutely adored my 925, it just doesn't hold a candle to the iPhone 6+. The quality and overall experience on iPhone is just that much better. I know Microsoft has it in them to produce an amazing handset and if they can pull it off, I am almost certain I will come back.


A running list of iPhone pros and cons: (Note: I realize that some of these pros may be addressed with Windows 10.)

iPhone Pros:

• Premium hardware
• Brilliant screen. Everything just looks great.
• Apps and services
• Microsoft apps look and work much better on iOS
• Well known and predictable update path
• No exclusives
• iTunes
• Full app functionality (I'm looking at you, Fitbit!)
• All banking apps available
• Fingerprint scanner - I thought this was going to be gimmicky, but it's revolutionary IMO.
• Custom keyboards.
• Landscape mode (6+ only) - gives you dual panes for settings, email, text.
• Battery on the 6+ is unbelievably amazing. Wow!
• Lightning charger. Sure, it's just another proprietary thing, but it charges fast and no more fumbling to get it in the right way up.
• Email works just like your desktop email does. You can attach and save all kinds of different files right from Outlook.
• iPhone camera is better than my 925's camera, though the image stabilizer is better on the 925 when shooting video.

iPhone Cons:

• User interface is bland and inconsistent.
• Single, physical home button is clunky. A capacitive button would work better - particularly with a phone the size of the 6+.
• No back button.
• Not much baked-in functionality. For most things you are used to on WP, you have to do via app and it feels tacked on.
• Cortana is much much better than Siri. Not even debatable.
• Can't input Siri commands via text.
• Contacts are a nightmare - Facebook integration is a total joke.
• Inability to read incoming texts automatically when connected to a Bluetooth device.
• UI not as smooth as Windows Phone.
• Quiet hours are not programmable by day (example: every Sunday from 9:00-10:10), and it's lacking the function in WP where you can set it to go into quiet hours when an appointment is marked as "busy".
• Almost all of the actionable commands are at the top of the screen (back, next, done, address bars, etc.). This seems to be the way WP is going as well and it just baffles me.
• Lightning charger. I have to go out and buy a bunch more to replace all the micro USB plugs I have laying around the house, office, car.
• No glance screen equivalent.
• No lock screen notifications.

 

[a5cent]

^ Interesting read. Thank you.

 

[EchoOne30]

Good thread, OP. I'm moving to the iPhone soon myself. Good read here.

 

[Nogitsune Micah]

So it sounds like if you truly need appsand can't live without them iPhone is better but windows phone is better if you wanted a unified and superior user experience

 

[steve_w_7]

So it sounds like if you truly need appsand can't live without them iPhone is better but windows phone is better if you wanted a unified and superior user experience

I wouldn't say that the Windows Phone user experience is superior to iPhone. Unified, yes.

 

[Nogitsune Micah]

I wouldn't say that the Windows Phone user experience is superior to iPhone. Unified, yes.

As someone who has used both. I would.

 

[RushabK]

I'm a month into my switch from WP to iPhone and I pretty much agree completely with the OP. I've stated my views on this thread about what seems to be better (from my personal perspective) on the iPhone vs WP.

The interesting thing that the OP and I agree on is how the Microsoft apps on the iPhone are more superior than their WP versions. At first, I was a little irked about this, but when I really thought about it, I started to see what was truly going on. Microsoft has always been a software company and it was their software that made them who they are. Under Balmer, they lost their identity whereas under Nadella, they truly know who they want to be. They want to be a great software company who's services are readily available on every device possible. 95% of the mobile market share are iPhone / Android users and many of those users are also PC users. If you want 95% of the people using your services, you are going to want to make sure that the mobile experience is seamless and mind-blowing for them. That is what MS is doing. This is not to say that MS is turning their backs on their loyal WP users, but that the financial and business "bottom line" doesn't justify full focus on a 3% market share device (even if that device is their own). I believe that MS will always keep WP around (because they have to as a tech company), but I think they have resigned to the fact that WP will not catchup to the other platforms and so they are going to make sure that their core business (software services) thrives no matter what platform or OS (for example they just released the preview version of Office 2016 for MAC which is getting very positive reviews). W10 may help MS achieve more users, but I don't believe MS is betting all their eggs in the W10 phone basket. What I mean by this is if W10 doesn't attract every app developer, MS will still be okay because their services (i.e their major revenue maker) will be on every other platform / OS.

I do miss my WP, and still use my 1520 sparingly, but I don't foresee a switch back just yet.

By the way, to the OP...didn't I tell you that the fingerprint scanner was revolutionary? However, I too truly hate the FB integration on the iPhone...just terrible...SMH!

 

[steve_w_7]

By the way, to the OP...didn't I tell you that the fingerprint scanner was revolutionary? However, I too truly hate the FB integration on the iPhone...just terrible...SMH!

I think the thing that I dislike the most about iPhone is the physical home button. It feels antiquated and clunky and it makes the 6+ very awkward when you use it one-handed. You totally nailed it on the fingerprint scanner! That feature makes it much easier to get into the phone and makes up (a tiny bit) for the lack of a capacitive button. The iPhone experience would be so much more pleasant if they would get over themselves and go capacitive or on-screen with their buttons. (They would burn me as a heretic if I brought that point up on iMore. lol)

 

[tgp]

I think the thing that I dislike the most about iPhone is the physical home button. It feels antiquated and clunky and it makes the 6+ very awkward when you use it one-handed. You totally nailed it on the fingerprint scanner! That feature makes it much easier to get into the phone and makes up (a tiny bit) for the lack of a capacitive button. The iPhone experience would be so much more pleasant if they would get over themselves and go capacitive or on-screen with their buttons. (They would burn me as a heretic if I brought that point up on iMore. lol)

I agree with you on the home button. For one thing, it requires a huge bezel which is otherwise wasted. Apple could at least put a back button down there! And yes, certainly be careful bringing that up on iMore! They're good people, but they don't like suggestions that alternate from the current situation.

 

[Witness]

I just saw this in my thread history and just posted my experience going from WP to iOS. Now I'm back to WP. Having loaded almost all of MS apps on my iPhone 6, it really made switching back easy. On the flip side, anyone on iOS will have a tough time switching to WP simply because Apple makes it tough to switch.

http://forums.windowscentral.com/ap...4-my-experience-some-ranting.html#post3031167

 

[steve_w_7]

Three weeks since switching to iPhone and I thought I'd give a little update.

I like the phone, but I don't love it the way that I enjoyed my Windows Phone. The iPhone experience is super polished, but there's something missing -- it's cold, like it doesn't have a soul, if that makes any sense. It just feels like a device to me unlike my Windows Phone which felt incredibly personal.

I find myself being more and more disappointed than being impressed anymore - but I think that has a lot to do with my expectations going in.

There are a ton of apps, but very very few that I would miss if I switched back. The one thing that is glaringly different between the two app stores is that the Windows Phone store offers a ton more free apps or apps that have free trials. There are hardly any apps that you don't have to pay for on iPhone. When I was on Windows Phone, I found that I was constantly trying out new apps (weather apps, for example). You can't do that on iPhone without plunking down a couple of bucks each time. I don't mind paying money for a good app, but I like to try it out first if I can.

The biggest thing, to me, with iPhone is the number of times you have to touch your phone to get anything done. Tap, tap, tap. Windows Phone is so much more productive with the glance screen/lock screen notifications. And when you do have to turn on the phone, if the information doesn't present itself on your live tiles, the swiping gestures and the back button are so much easier to navigate than what iPhone has going on.

I guess what I've come to learn is the grass is definitely not greener on this side of the fence. Windows Phone has a great thing going and they could easily go toe to toe with iPhone if they could offer a premium handset experience. Fingers crossed for W10...

 

[Witness]

Three weeks since switching to iPhone and I thought I'd give a little update.

I like the phone, but I don't love it the way that I enjoyed my Windows Phone. The iPhone experience is super polished, but there's something missing -- it's cold, like it doesn't have a soul, if that makes any sense. It just feels like a device to me unlike my Windows Phone which felt incredibly personal.

I couldn't put my finger on it, but it not having a soul kinda nails it. There's definitely no personality to the launcher style home screen on the iPhone - other than what apps are on page one, every iPhone homescreen looks the same.

I find myself being more and more disappointed than being impressed anymore - but I think that has a lot to do with my expectations going in.

There are a ton of apps, but very very few that I would miss if I switched back. The one thing that is glaringly different between the two app stores is that the Windows Phone store offers a ton more free apps or apps that have free trials. There are hardly any apps that you don't have to pay for on iPhone. When I was on Windows Phone, I found that I was constantly trying out new apps (weather apps, for example). You can't do that on iPhone without plunking down a couple of bucks each time. I don't mind paying money for a good app, but I like to try it out first if I can.

I agree, but then again I didn't actually pay for my iOS apps. I used my Bing points for the $10 gift card. lol

The biggest thing, to me, with iPhone is the number of times you have to touch your phone to get anything done. Tap, tap, tap. Windows Phone is so much more productive with the glance screen/lock screen notifications. And when you do have to turn on the phone, if the information doesn't present itself on your live tiles, the swiping gestures and the back button are so much easier to navigate than what iPhone has going on.

Glance and go vs constant tapping. I wouldn't be surprised if Simpsons Tapped Out was poking fun at iPhone. lol

I guess what I've come to learn is the grass is definitely not greener on this side of the fence. Windows Phone has a great thing going and they could easily go toe to toe with iPhone if they could offer a premium handset experience. Fingers crossed for W10...

 

[MarkusDindu]

If you love apps and games, there's nothing that can touch an iPhone. When I first got mine, I was like a kid in a candy store, I've already spent a ton of money. Don't judge the 6 or 6 Plus's camera by the stock camera app, use something like the beautiful 645 Pro, it lets you shoot in different film types, has full manual controls, and saves in a lossless uncompressed format. It's pretty amazing. I'm having fun playing Xcom and Bioshock, they are simply amazing to play on a phone.