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

[Habib Dagher]

I've been with Microsoft Mobile for the last 2 years but until the last month, i've had it... as much as i loved the platform, it has been a nightmare from the get-go...

The app gap is REAL, stop all the data and studies and statistics. Some apps are basic and needed for everyday functionality and they do not exist on Windows. Simple as that.

WhatsApp is a nightmare to use. Viber is crap. Bing is not the best search engine and Google is a miracle to get working there.

Instagram? LinkedIn? Hangouts? Insta Messenger? News apps? Messenger? Tumblr? OLX? TrueCaller? VK? Shazam? My bank app? Even an app for the movie schedules in cinemas...

None of them is comfortably functional without some missing feature as opposed to Android/iOS counterparts or some severely flawed 3rd party app...

I loved Cortana and the camera, but that is not enough to keep me on that platform... Attaching a photo from within WhatsApp to send is a 40-second process... Opening camera within WhatsApp is another nightmare... And i was on Lumia 950 XL... And let's not forget the overheating and random restarts.

I am sorry, Microsoft should have thrown $1 billion on paying the developers of the TOP 200 APPS TO MAKE apps FOR Windows Mobile OS. I don't care about the cloud and all that. I care to have a mobile with an OS that gives me peace of mind.

Unfortunately, i felt the vast difference with Samsung Galaxy Edge 7... And unfortunately, I will not be eager to look at WM10 until a radical change and improvement is implemented and at a reasonable price.

 

[Habib Dagher]

don't get it.. got it on Christmas... horrible disappointment... random restarts... overheating... takes seconds and minutes to open an app or look up something from within the photo gallery... shuts down midway while shooting videos bc of heat (Liquid cooling my foot), the only good thing is its camera but that isn't enough to keep you satisfied... even the camera hick-ups from time to time... Unless you have a backup Android device.. do not let it be ur main mobile...

 

[anon(8532178)]

don't get it.. got it on Christmas... horrible disappointment... random restarts... overheating... takes seconds and minutes to open an app or look up something from within the photo gallery... shuts down midway while shooting videos bc of heat (Liquid cooling my foot), the only good thing is its camera but that isn't enough to keep you satisfied... even the camera hick-ups from time to time... Unless you have a backup Android device.. do not let it be ur main mobile...

? The Samsung or the Lumia.

Posted via the Windows Central App for Android (V10 or 5x)

 

[TechAbstract]

Re: Phone Suggestion

Windows phones are trash, won't play most type of videos, not even Windows videos, lack of Apps I had a Samsung Ativ Windows mobile swapped it for an Android Samsung S6 Edge, the latter is in a different league, Windows mobile like their Windows RT tablets, becoming obsolete.:winktongue:

Lack of apps I can understand. To play most type of videos, you need something like Moliplayer or VLC. Same thing with a computer.

 

[libra89]

I'm really liking android presently. I have indeed ordered a Sony Z3 to fiddle with. I'm also enjoying that Moto X Pure Edition. Heck even Cortana isn't all that bad on android but in my opinion still works best on Windows at the moment.

I'm thoroughly enjoying all 3 mobile systems. I'm staying away from Win10M for a spell but I still like 8.1 on my Windows devices. :smile:

Yay you ordered it! Looking forward to your first impressions. I'm finding that Android is really interesting.

After trying 3 different Android phones, I am really seeing that there's possible differences between different Android devices...and it's cool. I finally understand why you feel the way you do about all 3 of the systems. They all have pros and cons.

 

[chmun77]

This isn't a case of not having "the same kind of service levels". Google deliberately shut down an existing service so that MS customers could no longer dynamically sync their Gmail accounts with Windows devices such as Windows Phone and Surface Pro. In hindsight, it seems obvious that the point was to force people to choose between Gmail and Windows Phone. The strategy clearly worked, but they screwed over a lot of people, including me. Not the kind of behavior you'd expect from a company that likes to pretend that they're morally superior (aka "don't be evil").

Here's some history from the Windows Central archives: Google drops Exchange ActiveSync. What does it mean for Windows Phone? [Updated] | Windows Central

But ain't Windows 10 is now natively supporting Google services now? I can receive updates from my GMail, Contacts and Calendar on my W10M and desktop. Clearly Google did not force people to choose between GMail and Windows phones. Companies changed their directions now and then. I don't think we can put all the blames on Google just because of that. Microsoft decided to reduce the available disk spaces we had on One Drive too for this coming July - Aug. Can we blame MS for the sudden change of decisions too?

Furthermore, I see Google is still supporting Windows phone 7 & 8 from their support page:
https://support.google.com/a/users/answer/138636?hl=en&ref_topic=2752493

 

[davede]

I was planing to replace my Lumia 1520 and buy Xiaomi Mi5 but finally I just gave a new chance to Lumia 950. For now, it's something like huge test. Maybe in 2017 I will switch to Android.

Why? I just though, Microsoft will provide to Windows 10 Mobile true UWP apps like Facebook Client, Messenger or Instagram and more. Those are the biggest communities but it seems like we will receive apps from iOS that don't work on Continuum fuction. Of course maybe something will change or not, so I will wait one more year and then... we will see!

 

[JunoVkool]

If you want to jump ship, jumping to iPhone seems better. Suddenly I felt bored with my Lumia 1520 and wanted to try something new, you know, like if it works well and bring better experience why stick yourself to a limited choice. Then I borrow a Lenovo Phab with android 5.1 installed. Honestly, it was painful. I can't see anything better than windows phone: Contact app is awful and can't handle things well, not connected to facebook for images, alternative apps is not better in any way. I can't even find a proper music player apps in thousands of players there, old fashioned UI, bad operation, etc... I gave up after oneday and came back to my ultimate lumia 1520. There're few interesting apps for fun in android but it can't exchange overall bad experiences.

 

[H-Simpson]

If the app gap doesn't matter much to you then it is OK but I think the horrible battery draining while using a simple app like whatsapp and overheating and daily restarts for over than four times a day would matter for any one, other than that just go for it

not to mention disappearing of many apps now (Here Drive , Here Maps, Paypal, GMaps) and the horrible stupid navigation app and battery draining

 

[BernhardE]

My first smartphone was a Windows Phone 7.5 - HTC, then Lumia 920, a Lumia 830 at least, now last since last friday I got an iPhone. So far I'm happy with the iPhone more I will see.

With Windows Phone I was so happy until I upgraded to W10M last december. After that for me a nightmare began: Random restarts two or three times a day. 5 months later and after a lot of updates I "only" had 3 random restarts at week. But still a lot of small bugs here and there, stutterings, screen hangs and more. The Lumia 950 was also a big disappointment for me. I looks so cheap, boring and crappy even the camera has problems with focus.

 

[telmob]

Ok, so...
I came from a Lumia 930. Nice camera and overall performance, but the heating and the display issues... crap. Then i was looking for a larger display and bought a Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 (really nice OS), that apparentely stopped charging for no reason, and was 'forced' to switch to a iPhone 5C (Thanks mother-in-law!). Well... i was surprised how good it runs, but i found it so boooring i couldn't use it for long. The display was too tiny for me.
So, now i was tired of both big and tiny displays and went looking for a normal sized phone. I friend of mine from college had a Lumia 730 to sell, which i found gorgeous. The size was right and appart from lacking 4G, it was a very decent phone. So i found the Lumia 735 for a bargain online and bought it.

The app-gap everyone talks about is actually not that great, at least for me. And although i have a somehow outdated phone, i'm really loving this phone. Its fantastic! Sure, the camera could be better and there's no glance, but it works perfectly and its so confortable to use, i'm seriously considering buying another one for backup.

I have a wireless charger, three covers and a 32gb micro sd card. Really nice config. Appart from the value, i wouldn't trade it for any iPhone or whatever.

 

[Angry_Mushroom]

Am I the only one here thinking that getting 950XL is a great choice??

I use Nexus 6P, I am using Google services for last few years however my phone usage is very simple: calendar, email, basic browsing and news. I am REALLY thinking of getting 950XL and migrating my stuff away from Google. App gap does not exist for me. Of all Android apps I did not find maybe two that I can live without on Windows Mobile platform. Microsoft already expressed commitment to Windows Mobile so we seem to be safe here. So why not to get 950XL??

Because other app makers have not expressed commitment, or have withdrawn support from the platform. While a few basic apps are nice, I've started using more of them since going over to Android. Among them the banking apps have become of great importance to me, and the huge spread of games and other useful apps has helped keep me away from Windows Mobile.

At this point, Microsoft seems to be floundering/giving support at the same time which is damn weird, and does not fill me with any real trust in the platform as the company's dedication is fairly weak at best. For the time being, LG/TMO's support of my G3 has been quite satisfactory, and put the support of my L810 to shame.

 

[camptime]

Grabbed 3 Lumia 730 for my family they all love the phone . My 11 year old son was not happy that he did not get an iPhone like his friends but after 12 months use and abuse his phone still looks fantastic and works where his friends have had replacements phones or are using phones with cracked screens. over all he is happy with the decision I forced upon him now.

 

[libra89]

Slipping my sim back into the SE. I really liked the Xperia Z3 but apparently the signal sucks in my area particularly with this device. Having major battery drain because something just doesn't compute with it (everything else is normal). Weirdly enough, it seems to be the same issue that I have had with the Lumia 735.

I don't regret trying it though, lets see how much the XA would be if Sony decides to release it here...

 

[rromerof]

Grabbed 3 Lumia 730 for my family they all love the phone . My 11 year old son was not happy that he did not get an iPhone like his friends but after 12 months use and abuse his phone still looks fantastic and works where his friends have had replacements phones or are using phones with cracked screens. over all he is happy with the decision I forced upon him now.

Maybe he has another hidden phone, that's why your son still has his in good conditions.

 

[rromerof]

Slipping my sim back into the SE. I really liked the Xperia Z3 but apparently the signal sucks in my area particularly with this device. Having major battery drain because something just doesn't compute with it (everything else is normal). Weirdly enough, it seems to be the same issue that I have had with the Lumia 735.

I don't regret trying it though, lets see how much the XA would be if Sony decides to release it here...

That's a funny thing. I knew Nokia for having good signal devices, but I think that's over, my 6S detects LTE signal where a Lumia 830 struggles with 3G.

 

[libra89]

That's a funny thing. I knew Nokia for having good signal devices, but I think that's over, my 6S detects LTE signal where a Lumia 830 struggles with 3G.

I agree, it is funny. I do also think it is area dependent too, for sure.
For some people, the 735 and 830 are just fine in their areas. In my area though, it is either LTE or Edge (2G), which is an awful experience to have them switch like that.

To be fair, when I had a 5C, I noticed a similar thing but unlike the Lumias, it had more of a regular range from LTE, 4G, 3G and Edge/GRPS.

With the SE, I only see Edge in the building I work, because my work area sucks in general. Otherwise, I never see it really.

 

[mark233]

...and here is my iPhone 6s that is THE slowest when having to switch from a 3G signal back to 4G/LTE. My 830, 735, Moto X Pure, and HTC One M8 are much faster to do this. I've had to toggle my iPhone's airplane mode to get back to 4G LTE more than once lol. My 925 is also a bit slow (and it's t-mobile branded like the HTC). However, this is getting off topic so I'll just stop there ....

 

[miketer]

Microsoft has done that before, i.e. to pay developers for certain apps. After the initial coding, keeping them interested by giving regular updates is the problem. How will you solve that.

 

[Bonovski]

Satya Nadella was named Microsoft CEO February 2014. What was the Microsoft Mobile world like before he started? Well here's an article to remind everyone from January 2014: Kantar data shows Windows Phone holding 10% sale share in EU5

Basically, Nadella has crushed Microsoft Mobile with bad strategic and tactical decisions. He thought he could drop Windows Mobile OS and devices, but deliver services on Android and iOS that people would use. He was completely and utterly wrong. People are strongly biased to use the services native to OS.

Nadella's complete failure on "Mobile First":
Microsoft?s Office Being Dominated by Google Productivity Apps on Mobile? - WinBuzzer

So not only did Nadella kill Microsoft Mobile OS and devices, his strategy is killing Microsoft in Mobile services too.

PC's continue to be on the decline, while the area Nadella abandoned (phones) are on still on the rise. Phones are the consumer IT of the present and future. Running to the Enterprise will only protect him until the new Android/Google users become decision makers in companies. Once that generation is in control of the enterprise decisions, Microsoft will be done.

In other words, if leaders of a company use Android phones, Chrome, Gmail, Google, etc. for their personal devices, they will be strongly biased to chose Google services and products (stuff they are comfortable with) for the Enterprises they run. IBM already learned this lesson decision makers chose Microsoft products (stuff they used at home), but Microsoft (and specifically Nadella) didn't learn from IBM's painful decline from relevance.

Look, everyone loved Nadella when he started, but every new CEO gets a honeymoon period, and that takes the stocks to unreasonable heights based on speculation of future greatness. Remember when Mayer took over at Yahoo? However, it is clear to see that Nadella has already made too many mistakes. The stock is starting to slide, Nadella abandoned Mobile, while PC's decline. How long before Google fans become enterprise decision makers, and Microsoft fails in Cloud and Enterprise too? It will take 5-10 years for Microsoft to recover from his 2 year term, and that would be if they fired him today.

I couldn't have put it better myself.
This is the utter and complete disaster Nadella has managed to pull off in just a few years.