The Windows Phone App Gap Thread

[cracgor]

If you look at MSFT's vision, it makes sense, but it's going to take time. That's the biggest issue. We're a society that is very impatient because we're used to getting things yesterday. I don't blame anyone for wanting to jump ship. It's been my experience that most people I know who have switched, did so out of mere convenience. It wasn't that they couldn't do what they wanted, it was they couldn't do what they wanted they way they felt they should. WP didn't have an Instagram app, but we had 6tag, yet people left because it wasn't official, when 6tag is 6 times better. I actually like the outlook interface, it's just different. Like another person posted, I'm heavily invested in MSFT. I have an Xbox One, Surface 3, 640XL and they work amazing together. The reality is Windows 10 isn't anywhere near it's full potential. The irony is I see Apple and MSFT shifting positions. Apple is simply putting out a product and expecting people to buy it off of muscle memory, where MSFT was been forced to really look into accommodating to consumer. Ever wonder why the iPhone isn't doing as well in Europe, or South America, or India or parts of Asia, with the exception or China than in the US?

I really look for Windows 10 mobile to establish itself when the Surface phone gets released. Four years ago MSFT wasn't relevant in the tablet industry. Today they are one of the leaders in it. With the same team working on Windows Mobile now, why wouldn't we expect the same results?

If took this team 4 years to become relevant in the tablet market after the first Surface was released to bad reviews. I still love and use the original. How long before they take a stink ship and make it viable? 10 years?

As far as instagram and 6tag. 6tag does not have all of the features or requires inapp purchases to make things happen, and these do not always work correctly. It is not 6times better. It is almost as good, but like WM10, it takes work and patience to make it useable.

 

[TennisGuy45]

You know who doesn't have to SIM swap? Android users. They don't give two cents about love tiles. I really only use the counting numbers. Live tiles are difficult to use for backgrounds. You have to spend time laying out the tiles. I wish either all tiles were transparent, or there was more empty space like on a PC. They honestly take too much work. Even weather I have to open a couple times a day to get an update. They used to be more useful before backgrounds. I feel like only textured backgrounds make sense, and who wants that? I want a picture of my dog without a chunk of his head taken out by facebook or twitter or office apps.

Odd when I look at my phone I prefer to see useful information not a picture.
The more useful information I see with fewer presses and app openings the better.

I can see a picture of my dog/wife/whatever any time.

 

[dorelse]

Yep, we're leaving as well...HTC A9's for us most likely. I'll keep our 640 so I can dip my toes in the WM waters when WM10 is officially rolling out, but for now, we're moving onward. I think that App parity has as much to do with the App gap, but we're missing things that our kid's schools use...Celly, High School custom app to name a few...plus our Credit Union and US Bank for our business. It's just time.

 

[magicaltastic]

This thread finally did it for me, fed up not being able to bank, control my Sonos, sync my Garmin. In store right now waiting for an iPhone, it pains me, but I want something that I can actually use.

 

[Pierre Blackwell]

If you look at MSFT's vision, it makes sense, but it's going to take time. That's the biggest issue. We're a society that is very impatient because we're used to getting things yesterday. I don't blame anyone for wanting to jump ship. It's been my experience that most people I know who have switched, did so out of mere convenience. It wasn't that they couldn't do what they wanted, it was they couldn't do what they wanted they way they felt they should. WP didn't have an Instagram app, but we had 6tag, yet people left because it wasn't official, when 6tag is 6 times better. I actually like the outlook interface, it's just different. Like another person posted, I'm heavily invested in MSFT. I have an Xbox One, Surface 3, 640XL and they work amazing together. The reality is Windows 10 isn't anywhere near it's full potential. The irony is I see Apple and MSFT shifting positions. Apple is simply putting out a product and expecting people to buy it off of muscle memory, where MSFT was been forced to really look into accommodating to consumer. Ever wonder why the iPhone isn't doing as well in Europe, or South America, or India or parts of Asia, with the exception or China than in the US?

I really look for Windows 10 mobile to establish itself when the Surface phone gets released. Four years ago MSFT wasn't relevant in the tablet industry. Today they are one of the leaders in it. With the same team working on Windows Mobile now, why wouldn't we expect the same results?

 

[Burger Nog]

I switched to a Galaxy S6 over this previous weekend. I exchanged my Lumia 950 (had a 1520 for the past year and a half previously). I had no idea the app gap was this huge. I literally now have EVERYTHING. I have a 640 I'll keep handy to play around, but I couldn't keep WP as my daily driver any longer. It's sad, since I prefer the WP OS over pretty much everything, but it's a small sacrifice to be able to use pretty much any app there is.

 

[hack14u]

Onstar has an app for Windows phone and it does work. It's Remote Link by Onstar.

Thanks so much, it looks exactly the same too. Just tossed it on my 640. I was searching for OnStar and it never gave me any results. I think that needs to change too, make it easier to find these apps. I never would have called it remote link.

 

[MikeSo]

If took this team 4 years to become relevant in the tablet market after the first Surface was released to bad reviews. I still love and use the original. How long before they take a stink ship and make it viable? 10 years?

As far as instagram and 6tag. 6tag does not have all of the features or requires inapp purchases to make things happen, and these do not always work correctly. It is not 6times better. It is almost as good, but like WM10, it takes work and patience to make it useable.

Let's hope Instagram releases an official GOOD W10M app before June. At that time they are killing 3rd party apps. If W10M doesn't have a good Instagram app by that time, it will really suck.
Instagram Platform Update - Instagram Developers

 

[phelme]

Yep, we're leaving as well...HTC A9's for us most likely.

The HTC One A9 is a decent phone, if you got it for $399. I'm liking mine.

 

[jhoff80]

It's definitely a conflict. I've got a Note that I use as a backup device, and there is definitely so much more I can do on Android. And pen input for OneNote on the phone is great. And then any hardware accessory that one might want, you have support for that on Android.

I can't stand a lot of things that Android does though. And I get a lot more information density on my W10M start screen as compared to setting up a screen of widgets. Now even my preferred contacts app on Android (Contacts+) no longer has Facebook or Twitter integration, so it's far less powerful than W10M. But even the apps that W10M does have, they're far more powerful on Android. (SmartThings, Facebook, Twitter, Firefox over Edge, File Explorers, VLC, OneNote, Paypal, wallet apps, Netflix, ESPN, etc.)

It depends on what's more important to you. At the moment, the needle tips for me in the direction of W10M, but just barely.

 

[Tim Stone]

I had to pick up another phone for necessity, not convenience. I'm paying a line charge for my Icon every month, and with all of the issues, and delays, that really is silly. I figure we are at least a year out from a viable phone with essential apps, so that's over $350 in line charges for something I can't use currently.

I don't care about all the game apps, or even the social apps, on my phone. I only care about what I need to keep in touch with clients and family, and the apps I need to do my work when mobile. Right now I have 13 apps on my iPhone that I use nearly every day, and none of them ( or substitutes ) are available on Windows Phone. It's not convenience, it's getting work done that pays the bills.

 

[sdrexler11791]

I really think that MS is going to have to put in an android subsystem to run native android apps. I bought the Samsung S6 and "microsoftified it" by putting all of the MS apps on it. I put the Cortana app on it, but it works better on Windows phone, Google now works just fine as a replacement. It's nice to now have access to the chase, amazon echo, mint.com, Honeywell total connect and Bayweb apps that I did not have on my 928. Even the apps that are available for Windows phone are for the most part better on Android. I hope MS can fix this problem soon so I can come back to all windows.

 

[WinOMG]

That's why I am only using my main phones as Androids. Don't get me wrong - WP is awesome, but I have a 1020 with everything I want. It gets updates, has the best camera, etc. I'm not spending an extra 600 bucks for an eye scanner and speed on the 950. So I'm going to get the S6 Edge Plus as T Mobile does not update my S4 and it's lagging and crap.

 

[killakiloz]

I just trial ran an iphone 5s for a few days, and it was such an unpleasant experience that I would never ci sider it again barring a massive change in the OS. First off, that home screen, boring, useless, and just plain unattractive. No cohesiveness. Just random icons. Touch ID (this could be a 5s problem) was terrible. Worked about 10% of the time. Now, the apps. Everyone says the "app experience" is better in iOS. I beg to differ. Facebook is terrible on iOS as well, apps were slow to load and im talking basic social networking apps. I preferred the windows version of everything except twitter. That is a well done app on iOS. Another gripe I had was some settings are changed in your settings menu (which has ALOT of hidden settings and info that is hard to find) and some are changed within apps. Confusing user experience. I also hated having to type in a password every damn time I download an app. iOS 9 is just as, if not more glitchy and unreliable than W10. So unless you need snapchat, or a banking app, I would never, ever consider iPhone as my main driver.

 

[cracgor]

I switched to a Galaxy S6 over this previous weekend. I exchanged my Lumia 950 (had a 1520 for the past year and a half previously). I had no idea the app gap was this huge. I literally now have EVERYTHING. I have a 640 I'll keep handy to play around, but I couldn't keep WP as my daily driver any longer. It's sad, since I prefer the WP OS over pretty much everything, but it's a small sacrifice to be able to use pretty much any app there is.

Agreed. As soon as I get my refund, I'm switching.

 

[justreason]

To what device?? I thinking having my 1520 satisfies my Windows itch.. But that nexus 6p looks beautiful and the 6S+ just does everything good..

 

[cracgor]

6p I think.

 

[JonathanBNYC]

I completely understand your sentiment. I was incredibly excited about the 950. I'm on Verizon and was prepared to switch to At&T, however, switching would have quadrupled my monthly payments (I'm on a family plan now.) I've been with Windows since WP7. I never really worried about the app gap, especially while I was in college. However, it's become pretty embarrassing as of late. Now that I'm working I daily have to say "no... I don't have that app..." I know that there are numerous apps coming to Windows. And Windows 10 is good. But I haven't the slightest clue if I'll ever get it on my M8. So I'm currently waiting for my S6 to arrive in the mail. It's been a good four years, and I hope that I can return to Windows.

 

[WindowsSoccerCentral]

I completely understand the "App Gap"...but to be fair...I knew that going in. Since WM5.0, Microsoft has been behind the popular phones curve. iPhone hits..and it has not caught up. It's the Zune of phones (I own Zune(s)...and VERY happy with them). I am okay with it though. I agree with tboling, though...it IS mean that developers won't port or even let 3rd party developers create options. Mac users have been doing it for years?! The "official" apps we do have...are sub-par at times, too. My phone, however, is my phone. First and foremost. It is for me to connect with others, primarily. If I can't download a dating app, update Twitter like the Android guy or Instagram like the iPhone girl...I'm okay. I can...don't get me wrong, and I think we have some good apps that allow MOST of the social media needs, but, what I can do on my phone...and what I will do with my WM10 phone in months to come...that's more important to me. So I can't hook up via Tindr...when I do have a Netflix & chill night...I will use Continuum to port on a large screen with the movie I brought. LOL

 

[chmun77]

I just trial ran an iphone 5s for a few days, and it was such an unpleasant experience that I would never ci sider it again barring a massive change in the OS. First off, that home screen, boring, useless, and just plain unattractive. No cohesiveness. Just random icons. Touch ID (this could be a 5s problem) was terrible. Worked about 10% of the time. Now, the apps. Everyone says the "app experience" is better in iOS. I beg to differ. Facebook is terrible on iOS as well, apps were slow to load and im talking basic social networking apps. I preferred the windows version of everything except twitter. That is a well done app on iOS. Another gripe I had was some settings are changed in your settings menu (which has ALOT of hidden settings and info that is hard to find) and some are changed within apps. Confusing user experience. I also hated having to type in a password every damn time I download an app. iOS 9 is just as, if not more glitchy and unreliable than W10. So unless you need snapchat, or a banking app, I would never, ever consider iPhone as my main driver.

If Facebook is horrible on iOS, I think the version on Windows Phone deserves to be killed. From what you posted, seems like the root of the problem is that you are not used to iOS. Or perhaps you refused to relearn a new OS.

I have switched over to iP6s+ since October and I never look back to Windows phone. I don't fancy "live" tiles at all because to me, those are simply shortcuts in squares. I don't wait for the tiles to flip for updated information and most of the time, they are not even updated. Should I need latest information, I will simply launch the apps anyways.

Since on iOS, I have so much apps choices, besides regional banking apps and snapchat. Even Instagram are the latest on iOS unlike the forever BETA tag on windows phone. Furthermore, iOS users receive regular updates for their apps. Missing apps on windows phone is only tip of the ice berg. Keeping the apps polished and updated is also another major issue with the platform.