Windows Phone has always been a mobile OS that I've always wanted to give a shot. The Metro design language is gorgeous, Lumia devices have fantastic cameras, and they have the benefit of tying into other Microsoft devices. I've had the opportunity to use a Nokia Lumia 925 for the last couple of months, and I have to say, it's been a mixed bag. The 925 is a fantastic device, with a great camera, great build quality, wireless charging, a great screen (still fantastic even if it's only 720p or whatever), and really snappy, even with the slightly older hardware. The Metro (or Modern, but I've become used to calling it Metro and I prefer that) UI looks gorgeous and the consistent design language across apps is great, but Metro just seems to have been designed more for aesthetics than for function. The "tap on the letter to skip to other letters" means more taps than needed and was very hard to discover at first and the massive text that Metro has means that sometimes 1/3 of the screen or more is taken up just by text. The Microsoft apps are fantastic on other platforms, but many are no where near as good on Windows Phone as on other platforms (Skype, for instance). The keyboard is not as terrible as iOS's but still is not very good. Its corrections are very rudimentary (not as good as on many third party Android keyboards), the keyboard itself is huge, and its overall a very uncomfortable experience in portrait (a little better in landscape though, not filling up the whole screen is a great feature that I wish other keyboards would have). Media playback is awful, not supporting many file formats and the default apps themselves just being designed terribly (Zune was my music player of choice back in the day, so I hate that they can't get it right here). Internet Explorer looks fine, but again is extremely basic compared to other browsers. The App situation has improved, but many are so out of date that they are almost unusable. There are other things that just don't make sense, like why there are so many camera apps (why not offer lenses support in Nokia Camera and make one camera app?) and why only categories can be swiped away in the Notification Center (or Action Center, whichever one is the correct name).
However, the real problem is that Windows Phone just doesn't' have a purpose. It doesn't have a niche that it fits in or an identity beyond offering an OS for people who love Microsoft devices. It's locked down and not very customizable like iOS but doesn't offer the same polish and attention to detail that Apple has in their devices, but at the same time, doesn't offer the same customization that Android offers, both to consumers and OEMs alike. It just doesn't know what it wants to be. If it wants to be locked down, then why are they letting various OEMs make devices (it leads to the situation that it currently has now where Nokia devices are the only ones worth using)? If they're letting various OEMs make devices and claim that they are the most personal OS (a claim that I just don't understand), then why is it so extremely locked down? It's trying to be an in between OS where it does nothing as well as either of its main competitors.
It's not just with Windows Phone that Microsoft has problems, but with Windows 8 and Xbox as well. Xbox Live Gold is extremely unnecessary, offering no benefits to warrant the money that you have to pay to use Xbox Live and it's main competition, Playstation Plus, which while you still need to pay, has things like cloud saves, discounts, and free games on three platforms (Games with Gold is laughable at best). Xbox seems to be more focused with advertising Doritos and Mountain Dew than getting things like the increasingly important indie devs on board the platform and getting worthwhile exclusives besides Halo. Windows 8 also has an app problem, but just isn't very good as a tablet or desktop interface. On desktops, the Start screen gets in the way and on tablets, the same massive size of the OS, the prevalence of viruses and malware, and the maintenance needed to get Windows to run smoothly hold it back.
I really want to use Windows Phone, but there is just so much holding it back and so much that needs to be worked out that I don't think I could. There's much more that needs to be fixed than just notifications and virtual assistants. Windows Phone being a new platform may have been a good excuse in 2012, but it's been four years since it's launched and it still isn't a mobile OS that is competitive with the other big two (in four years, Android went from an ugly OS only for developers into a worthwhile competitor to iOS). There are other smaller OSes that have started to come out (and there's definitely room for more than two OSes), but at least those ones have a clear goal and niche that they're trying to fit into. I may come back to Windows Phone later on, but in it's current state, even with 8.1, it just isn't good enough to use full time.
However, the real problem is that Windows Phone just doesn't' have a purpose. It doesn't have a niche that it fits in or an identity beyond offering an OS for people who love Microsoft devices. It's locked down and not very customizable like iOS but doesn't offer the same polish and attention to detail that Apple has in their devices, but at the same time, doesn't offer the same customization that Android offers, both to consumers and OEMs alike. It just doesn't know what it wants to be. If it wants to be locked down, then why are they letting various OEMs make devices (it leads to the situation that it currently has now where Nokia devices are the only ones worth using)? If they're letting various OEMs make devices and claim that they are the most personal OS (a claim that I just don't understand), then why is it so extremely locked down? It's trying to be an in between OS where it does nothing as well as either of its main competitors.
It's not just with Windows Phone that Microsoft has problems, but with Windows 8 and Xbox as well. Xbox Live Gold is extremely unnecessary, offering no benefits to warrant the money that you have to pay to use Xbox Live and it's main competition, Playstation Plus, which while you still need to pay, has things like cloud saves, discounts, and free games on three platforms (Games with Gold is laughable at best). Xbox seems to be more focused with advertising Doritos and Mountain Dew than getting things like the increasingly important indie devs on board the platform and getting worthwhile exclusives besides Halo. Windows 8 also has an app problem, but just isn't very good as a tablet or desktop interface. On desktops, the Start screen gets in the way and on tablets, the same massive size of the OS, the prevalence of viruses and malware, and the maintenance needed to get Windows to run smoothly hold it back.
I really want to use Windows Phone, but there is just so much holding it back and so much that needs to be worked out that I don't think I could. There's much more that needs to be fixed than just notifications and virtual assistants. Windows Phone being a new platform may have been a good excuse in 2012, but it's been four years since it's launched and it still isn't a mobile OS that is competitive with the other big two (in four years, Android went from an ugly OS only for developers into a worthwhile competitor to iOS). There are other smaller OSes that have started to come out (and there's definitely room for more than two OSes), but at least those ones have a clear goal and niche that they're trying to fit into. I may come back to Windows Phone later on, but in it's current state, even with 8.1, it just isn't good enough to use full time.
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