Switching platforms? | Thinking of leaving?...comment here!

[walrusmonarch]

I have been a WP user since I got my first smart mobile 2011. (I had a Qtec that was kind of smart before.)
Now I think it's the right time to try something different, but should I go for iOS or Android? My current phone is a Lumia 930 upgraded to Windows 10, but I'm not that happy with the upgrade. I think WP 8.1 was better in my view anyway.

As I understand if I go for an iOS (Apple) phone, it will be easy to use for some task, but very difficult for other task. Android is more open as I understand, and I can connect it with a cable to my Windows 10 PC and transfer files, pictures, film-clips and so one easy? But I have also heard that after a while all Android Phones get slow, is that right?
I live in Norway, so we have not your problem with operator. I can buy the phone and use any operator that I like.

Some advice would be great.

I've had several Android phones before, and none of them (post Gingerbread) have slowed down over time. I think the people who experienced these issues probably didn't wipe cache or factory reset after a major OS upgrade, or they bought a very cheap old Android and expected it to perform more like a flagship device. I've seen many friends of mine who use expensive iPhones buy those "free" Android phones on contract (which have old hardware, old OS, typically Gingerbread) and then complain that Android sucks. If you are going to compare to an iPhone, you really need to use a better midrange device (like the Moto G) or a flagship. I did see slowdown in the early days of Android, but anything after Gingerbread, I've had no issues with.

The latest crop of Android phones are great, not at all like the old slow ones back in the day. My current Android phone, the Note 5, has been going strong since I got it. The iPhones are great as well.

There are some limitations with iPhones. The file system is not exposed to the user like Android. You can't just connect it to a computer and drag and drop files like you can on Android. Usually you have to make use of cloud services to do this. Kind of a hassle for me, so I've never been able to stick with iOS due to this. I find it MUCH easier to simply connect and drag and drop on my Android and Windows phones.

Why not try both? Does the retailer you are buying from have a return policy? Something like 2 weeks or 30 days? That would be the best way to go about this. Nothing beats trying out the devices yourself in your use case.

 

[pukem0n]

swapped my Lumia 1320 for an LG V10. not regretting the change for a minute.

for a second, sometimes, since i miss cortana a bit. apart from that, some live tiles are nice, but actually opening the app to see what is happening is so much faster than on any WP.
basically everything is faster here, and i dont know what you all can do with your band, but i also got a Huawei Watch and it works perfectly for everything, too.

 

[JetFixxxer]

As long as there is the hack for my ICON I'm staying with Windows.. When the phone dies hopefully the Surface phone will be on the market at that time and VZ and MS will play nice for the sake of it's customers.. If not I will be buying used.. if the price is right.

 

[Nogitsune Micah]

As long as there is the hack for my ICON I'm staying with Windows.. When the phone dies hopefully the Surface phone will be on the market at that time and VZ and MS will play nice for the sake of it's customers.. If not I will be buying used.. if the price is right.

Glad to see some ppl aren't abandon the platform. Sucks you are stuck with verizon. Gsm is the best.

 

[Ed Grof]

This. I tried iOS and Android over the last two months, but came back to W10M on a 950xl due to myford working well with Cortana, and the notification consistency on my Band 2. The other two OSes are way too frustrating.

 

[Robinsonmac]

Glad to see some ppl aren't abandon the platform. Sucks you are stuck with verizon. Gsm is the best.

Sorry but the whole GSM/CDMA thing is just about over. All Verizon phones are GSM phones with CDMA radios for rual & low signal areas. That's how they can claim they have the most coverage. LTE is based on GSM tech. The same as AT&T & t-mobile use, just different bands. As a matter of fact all Verizon phones come pre-set in "Global GSM" mode.

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[anon(9668900)]

I didn't have that experience at all when I had a 5x.

Contrasting with:

I know someone currently using the Nexus 5X, and he also owns the 950. He says he has been disappointed how the Nexus has gotten more and more laggy on routine tasks. The Nexus takes decent photos, but the camera isn't as good as the 950s. In my experience things we consider "bugs" on Windows are considered normal operating procedure on Android. Every app on Android seems to have some feature that doesn't work quite right, or the settings don't let you do what you want, or there is no dark theme, or the performance is poor, etc., etc. I was surprised how many Android apps I tried that didn't work at all--no functionality.

I think it might have something to do with updates. Google has released a bucket-load of updates to solve issues on the Nexus 5X.

 

[groady-ho baluzy]

Sorry but the whole GSM/CDMA thing is just about over. All Verizon phones are GSM phones with CDMA radios for rual & low signal areas. That's how they can claim they have the most coverage. LTE is based on GSM tech. The same as AT&T & t-mobile use, just different bands. As a matter of fact all Verizon phones come pre-set in "Global GSM" mode.

Posted via the Windows Central App for Android

as someone who just left big red that maybe so. our old Verizon phones work on att but don't have the lte bands for att. you also can't just buy any phone put your sim in and have it work, Verizon has you on lockdown. there's a reason many oem's don't add cdma radios or are compatible with Verizon, Verizon wants to control everything with your phone.

 

[rinosaur]

I think most people who are considering moving should just sample living with iOS or Android for 2 to 4 weeks to see how they like it. I came from Android a while back (2012) and have no intentions of going into the Google ecosystem. I recently bought a very good condition iP5s for $160 and its my first foray in to the Apple world. I had my SIM in there for 10 days now but then just had to go back to my 640. I felt like the apps are ENDLESS and very high quality but at the same time 90% of what I used was on my 640 anyways. I downloaded a bunch of extra apps just for the heck of it (poor dude winning the lottery).

Impressions from iOS 9.2
Pros
1. Very polished and intuitive overall. Apple must have put a ton of effort into making the most out of a 4 inch screen.
2. Switching through different apps (multitasking) is seamless. It doesn't seem to "reload" the app like WP10
3. Rarely slows down even with many many apps open on the 1GB RAM
4. Safari was far better to me than Edge on WP10 (formatting and compatibility)
5. Skype is far better on iOS, this app is used extensively in my workplace
6. TouchID is much faster than inputting my PIN. Also works cool on Bank of America app
7. Hardware obviously feels fancy with the metal

Cons
1. The interface is BORING, this is the same thing I've seen since 2007. The font, the colors, the menus, the symbols, app placement, etc. This is my number 1 issue with this OS. So overdone, so stagnant.
2. Customization is very restrictive, I can't seem to remove all the standard Apple apps from the home screen, only push them into folders. Obviously live tiles and varying sizes is superior.
3. Keyboard is aweful. Maybe different people with different fingers may disagree. WP8.1 had the best IMO but WP10 isn't bad. I'm sure it's partly due to the small screen but also no swiping for one hand use.

So my plan is to snag a 950 on eBay for $300 and be at the forefront of MS's development strategy. Even if its buggy, its not like I'd be totally satisfied on iOS or Android either. I'll keep the 5s just to keep tabs on iOS but more so to be able to get any apps that become mandatory in my life

 

[Milan Bassi]

Right, just wanna say im out It's been a good ride with Windows phone been around since Windows phone 7 but i feel like finally i've caved to getting a S7 Edge. Before anyone judges me i've had a Lumia 720, 820, 930 then 950 XL. But i dont know can't put up with this OS anymore. I might come back in the future but being a 17 year old i've missed out on all the fun i can have with my friends because the app isn't on my phone . Sorry Windows Faithful.

 

[rockstarzzz]

Right, just wanna say im out It's been a good ride with Windows phone been around since Windows phone 7 but i feel like finally i've caved to getting a S7 Edge. Before anyone judges me i've had a Lumia 720, 820, 930 then 950 XL. But i dont know can't put up with this OS anymore. I might come back in the future but being a 17 year old i've missed out on all the fun i can have with my friends because the app isn't on my phone . Sorry Windows Faithful.

Probably the best teen decision you've made. Go have fun.

 

[libra89]

I think most people who are considering moving should just sample living with iOS or Android for 2 to 4 weeks to see how they like it. I came from Android a while back (2012) and have no intentions of going into the Google ecosystem. I recently bought a very good condition iP5s for $160 and its my first foray in to the Apple world.
<snip>
Cons
<snip>
3. Keyboard is aweful. Maybe different people with different fingers may disagree. WP8.1 had the best IMO but WP10 isn't bad. I'm sure it's partly due to the small screen but also no swiping for one hand use.

So my plan is to snag a 950 on eBay for $300 and be at the forefront of MS's development strategy. Even if its buggy, its not like I'd be totally satisfied on iOS or Android either. I'll keep the 5s just to keep tabs on iOS but more so to be able to get any apps that become mandatory in my life

I agree about the trial thing, I highly recommend it! I tried each OS for 4 weeks, and I have seen and 'learned' so much (about the OSes, and myself) as a result. Of course, I also learned what I prefer too. Your plan to get the 950 sounds like a decent one.

As for the keyboard, you can fix that with SwiftKey. It's pretty great.

 

[thalador]

Right, just wanna say im out It's been a good ride with Windows phone been around since Windows phone 7 but i feel like finally i've caved to getting a S7 Edge. Before anyone judges me i've had a Lumia 720, 820, 930 then 950 XL. But i dont know can't put up with this OS anymore. I might come back in the future but being a 17 year old i've missed out on all the fun i can have with my friends because the app isn't on my phone . Sorry Windows Faithful.

I am in the same position you were in. I have a 950XL and am being drawn back for the S7 Edge. I think the hardware in the 950 is great, but things are just a bit too clunky for me I think. The 2 things keeping me on WP are Cortana and Live Tiles, although I have seen in this thread I can do both on the S7. I think the other thing is the cost. I already shelled out $700 for the 950XL and the thought of doing it again is painful.

 

[libra89]

I am in the same position you were in. I have a 950XL and am being drawn back for the S7 Edge. I think the hardware in the 950 is great, but things are just a bit too clunky for me I think. The 2 things keeping me on WP are Cortana and Live Tiles, although I have seen in this thread I can do both on the S7. I think the other thing is the cost. I already shelled out $700 for the 950XL and the thought of doing it again is painful.

I have heard that Cortana has improved a lot on Android. @Robinsonmac shared great images of this. To me, it seems like the best of both worlds. I wish Cortana was as good on iOS.

 

[Bondte]

Not very helpful info in this thread

I wanted to find an excuse to move to android (just can't get used to apple) but it appears not to be that flawless either ...

Same story here, been on BB as long as I could last to move to WM 8. Liked it, got a 1320. Not the best phone but could handle most of what I needed. Got on the insider program to try W10, pure misery. Surely part because of limitations of the 1320. 3 months before contract end got a 550 not to spend too much money. Nice basic phone but if this is what a 950/ -xl is build like it is not very convincing. Also, the maps app isn't very good to keep it polite. Many notifications issues etc but I was willing to stay around another year to see what improvements MS would bring.

Sadly though, I am getting to the end of my patience. There's just too many things missing. Having both a personal and business 365 account is impossible to work with. So I'm thinking to sit out for a year or little longer and see what MS brings but in the meanwhile I need my mobile to be more productive.

 

[farukdgn]

Microsoft is now removing FM Radio application. Congratulations.
You have the device for it inside your phone but you can't use it because Microsoft doesn't feel like it. GJ.

 

[farukdgn]

Use what you like. Your reasoning is not my reasoning, and I don't expect anyone to see it my way. I just upgraded from a 920 to a 950, and I'm more than happy with the device. In my last job, I had a Galaxy 5s, and much prefer using a Windows Phone. That's my preference. You see it differently, great.

Do you (actually any of WP users) have any reason to prefer Windows Phone? I seriously wonder.

 

[libra89]

Microsoft is now removing FM Radio application. Congratulations.
You have the device for it inside your phone but you can't use it because Microsoft doesn't feel like it. GJ.

Where did you read this or is this speculation?

 

[Peter Zanutto GSC]

Do you (actually any of WP users) have any reason to prefer Windows Phone? I seriously wonder.

So your premise would be what then?

That all WP users secretly like iOS or Android better but were forced to buy a Windows Phone? I mean I can understand why you would be confused if you hang out on these forums enough given the constant negativity and whining about everything. Suffice it to say that many of us true WP fans stick around because the OS is just better. Personally I could never give up live tiles, period. Why would I want to use an interface that has static pages of icons? That shtick was old 15 years ago when Microsoft used it on the old Windows CE and Mobile.

 

[farukdgn]

Where did you read this or is this speculation?

Windows 10 Mobile's FM Radio app goes missing from latest Insider 14322 build | Windows Central