The Windows Phone App Gap Thread

[Richie Alex]

I Wonder what those posts are really trying to say. Is people who leave the platform hurt, feel dissapointed because they didn't get what they expected?

Hope. I think, even on the way out, there's a hope that Microsoft will hear their concern and fix things.

A false hope, perhaps. But better than no hope at all.

 

[cracgor]

Hope. I think, even on the way out, there's a hope that Microsoft will hear their concern and fix things.

A false hope, perhaps. But better than no hope at all.

I don't think the fan boys that stay realize the fan boys that leave don't want to. That we feel like Microsoft just doesn't want to keep us, and we see something we love dying.

 

[MikeSo]

This, a thousand times. And It's what I'm trying to say. What's this tantrum, this "yelling at the doorway before slamming it shut"? What does it achieve?

I can't speak for others but I participated here as a way to vent a little and also talk myself into staying. It's not a tantrum on my part, just some reasoning and discussion.

 

[Bradleykinz]

I love both my windows phone but it's time try something new. Never had an android smartphone before, only tablets. I just wanted a phone with great battery life which my 1020 lacks and apparently so does the 950. Still going to use my 1020 for it's camera as a dashcam while running insider builds. Also I love b***hing and moaning so that's basically why I'm here.

 

[X-topher]

Loving my 950 in the UK the only app I,m missing that I value is skygo... hopefully sky will sort their lives out.

 

[anon(123856)]

I can't speak for others but I participated here as a way to vent a little and also talk myself into staying. It's not a tantrum on my part, just some reasoning and discussion.

I agree. This thread has for the most part stayed on topic and also has been relatively free from snarky comments.

 

[GMC262]

Reading the reviews of any number of current, highly rated phones, great battery life seems elusive.

 

[ondeathrow]

I have a the 640 on W10 and it's really nice and I have had the phone for probably half a year and the app Gap is really getting to me I am a 15 year old Boy and i have the basic Facebook,twitter,6tag(instagram) which I think is so much better then the instagram app on Android and Netflix but the only problem is snapchat all my friend have Android and iPhone with there snap chats and everything I really miss my old Android like the apps but not the phone in general it sucked but the apps where amazing when i tell.people in my school what kind of phone I have there reactions are normally a what phone and windows doesn't even have a official YouTube app and i think this month i am probably going to switch back over to Android a Samsung galaxy grand prime but I really loved my experience on Windows everything was great The App Gap is what is really killing the windows phone

 

[X-topher]

I have had the 950 for 2 days now, my first ever windows phone. This is my early experience of the app gap, when phoning EE to activate my new sim I enquired how I would move my contacts to the 950 as the sim cards are different, i was informed there was an android app called zootta and she proceeded to activate the new sim, meaning the old sim instantly loses connection and its generally 2 hours before the 950 sim is activated. So I head to the play store d/l zootta on wifi only to find out the only way to confirm contact move was to enter a sms pin, I try two other android apps exactly the same I need a mobile data connection for them to work, which for me is not the smartest idea of how to authenticate. So I think I will have to go into a shop to get this sorted when a couple of hours later I decide to read the instructions given with the 950 phone(as us males do) 'Transfer my Data' moves my contacts and all my text messages via Bluetooth(smart choice in transfer format) 5 mins later all texts and contacts on my 950. So Android had 3 apps to Microsoft's transfer app but are all flawed where as transfer my data worked seamlessly. I,m loving the app gap...

 

[cawafuoshi]

App gap? What app gap? Seriously, while I can understand that it is an issue and not just a mere question of convenience for some, I helped myself out with a second line on the cheap using a $39 Moto E. Kills several birds with one stone: Network coverage as well as the odd app not available on WP. I understand that this is not viable for some, but as long as you live in the US, that second line can be free of charge if ring plus rings any bells.

 

[MikeSo]

App gap? What app gap? Seriously, while I can understand that it is an issue and not just a mere question of convenience for some, I helped myself out with a second line on the cheap using a $39 Moto E. Kills several birds with one stone: Network coverage as well as the odd app not available on WP. I understand that this is not viable for some, but as long as you live in the US, that second line can be free of charge if ring plus rings any bells.

Yeah see my earlier message about doing the same with a Moto E (great little phone). But after a while it started to be ridiculous that I was carrying two phones. It is an option though, definitely.

Posted via the Windows Central App for Android

 

[hf199]

I hear you! Loved the OS but the app got me too! I got the PRIV! Loved my previous BB and then switched to MS (1520, 640 XL, 640) but went back BB for PRIV

 

[X-topher]

Surprisingly Microsoft doesn't seem to do very well in USA phone market 3%, so I can understand the pessimism. I know this might surprise a few Americans but there is this place called 'The rest of the world' where Microsoft have 10-15% of the market and the populous are more aware of the Apple 'mutton dressed as lamb' scam and Androids 'Swiss Cheese' security policy. I only hear of AT&T and Verizon, are there only two network providers covering the whole of the free trade USA?

 

[asikis]

Maybe it is my idea, but the last week I have seen quite many updates of existing 3rd party apps switch to universal apps and also new games going out as univerasl apps. Is this a sign that things might start change in the near future? I also had a discussion with a friend working on MSFT and he told me that the univeral apps ecosystem is expected to reduce this app gap in 2016. I do nopt know if this is just his personal opinion or this is based on internal facts.

 

[cracgor]

Maybe it is my idea, but the last week I have seen quite many updates of existing 3rd party apps switch to universal apps and also new games going out as univerasl apps. Is this a sign that things might start change in the near future? I also had a discussion with a friend working on MSFT and he told me that the univeral apps ecosystem is expected to reduce this app gap in 2016. I do nopt know if this is just his personal opinion or this is based on internal facts.

One could hope. belfiore thought windows 8 would close the app gap in 2013 I think with its universal apps.

I really hope it saves it, but time will tell.

 

[derek533]

Maybe it is my idea, but the last week I have seen quite many updates of existing 3rd party apps switch to universal apps and also new games going out as univerasl apps. Is this a sign that things might start change in the near future? I also had a discussion with a friend working on MSFT and he told me that the univeral apps ecosystem is expected to reduce this app gap in 2016. I do nopt know if this is just his personal opinion or this is based on internal facts.

Here's the thing though: I needed a new phone a couple of weeks ago as my 1520 was dying. My only option for a high end current phone was to wait for the 950XL but after seeing the user reports and bugs reported, I really didn't feel like being a real-world beta tester for W10. As much as I love WP and have supported it all these years, there was just no option for me personally, that would keep me in a WP. The 950/950XL are great phones with great hardware. The problem is, they're running a half-baked OS that shouldn't have been rushed to be released. Was there even a good, reliable developer preview of W10 prior to release?

In any event, I ended up getting a new old-stock Galaxy Note 3 for $200 unlocked. It's a great phone with great features and it sure is nice being able to see an advertised app and actually being able to download that exact app. I will return to WP when the universal app thing gets going but until then, I had to have something and the very real app gap was one of the reasons I had to switch for the time being.

 

[garak0410]

Well, I resisted as long as I could, but the flash on my Nokia 928 died and I needed a new phone as the phone did not perform well with W10m and was hanging on W8.1m randomly. I seriously thought of switching from Verizon to AT&T to get the 950 (which would have cost me more per month and required a phone payoff on another line), but ultimately, the app gap got me. I have lost Chase and Mint and had no availability of quicken, bayweb, Honeywell home control and many others on Windows Mobile. Plus, all of my favorite Microsoft apps are now available on Android including Cortana. So I had to bite the bullet and get the Samsung S6. . I hate giving up live tiles and glance, but ultimately the app gap swayed me. I really hope that this is fixed sometime in the future so I can come back.

Did the same back in October but went Note 5...if Verizon had gotten the 950xl, would be on that. But really, the app gap is real for a lot of us. I am loving my Amazon Echo and no way to get it to work with Windows Phone...period...not even a mobile site...and it is needed for the shopping list and to-do lists.

 

[garak0410]

Sad part is that the MS apps perform better on the other OS's, especially Outlook.

I LOVE Outlook on Android but I never could get it to fully integrate contacts/calendar across Android as a whole...so back on Stock E-Mail and Google for calendar/contacts...

 

[Bradleykinz]

So I just got my first android phone. Why is the windows central app on android ten times better the windows phone one?

Posted via the Windows Central App for Android

 

[derek533]

^^Talk about irony LOL.