iOS vs Android when using Microsoft Services

[Drael646464]

I asked for you lol:

Does Cortana work with this phone? - BlackBerry Forums at CrackBerry.com

 

[wolf_clan]

Why not get a dtek60 then?

BlackBerry DTEK60 - Full phone specifications

I'm with you on the hub intergration with MS services. Adding in android MS apps, and that's a pretty complete solution. Not sure if it runs Cortana, but you could ask around on crackberry. Plus you get to get back your virtual keyboard. It's also more powerful than the incoming keyone - roughly the same hardware as the idol 4s everyone around here often uses.

You could run this same question on crackberry. Could be pretty close to a best of both worlds situation.

I will definitely be taking a closer look into the DTEK60. Just wondering if there is any rumour of a successor to the DTEK60, since I may stick it out with my 650 until next year.

 

[wolf_clan]

I asked for you lol:

Does Cortana work with this phone? - BlackBerry Forums at CrackBerry.com

Thanks! I will be following this for sure

 

[Dmd74]

For basic functionality I think that both are equally good.

 

[Akira X]

depends on what service....The Outlook App for Android is garbage, you cant pinch zoom. The Groove app on Android is garbage as well, if you are not on wi-fi and you start the app, it takes almost 20 seconds to fill in the music,playlist art. Not sure about iOS but the w10m version of these apps are superior to the Android versions.....so much for mobile first....

 

[DJCBS]

Definitely Android.

The reason is simple: iOS is a walled garden. Apple has the system pretty locked up and you won't be able to actually replace Apple's services with Microsoft's.
Android on the other hand allows you to replace everything with Microsoft's services. And even Cortana can be placed in the place of Google Now.

Now, mind you that just because Microsoft's services are better on Android it does NOT mean Microsoft's APPS are. For example the Outlook application is an unmitigated disaster.

The thing about Android is: you have tons of apps on the Play Store which will tie in with Microsoft's services and replace Google's offerings.

The only Microsoft service which is better on Windows Phone is Groove. But, if we're being honest, Groove s*cks when compared to Google's Play Music or iTunes. So, whatever the mobile system you go to, I'd honestly recommend you to ditch Groove anyway.

 

[Christian Hartung]

From my experience with Microsoft apps on both iOS and Android, I would choose iOS. While most apps were about the same, last time I checked, I had a much superior experience in OneNote for iOS rather than Android. I don't know how it is now, but I remember I couldn't do basic things on Android, like move pages between sections (or even create new sections).

But it was a long time ago. As I said, I don't know how any of them are now.

 

[smallmountain]

The answer, for the things you use every day, is "iOS is better", and I don't think it's close. I quit Windows Phone last summer and tried an Android phone first. It was an HTC One M8, not exactly the most modern. I use Outlook.com for mail/calendar/contacts, and trying to work with them on an Android phone was a disaster. Android wants you to use GMail. There is no other way to say it. If you are on something else, you are a second class citizen, and stuff just doesn't work. Do you like using OK Google to quickly schedule appointments? Good luck having that appointment show up on your non-GMail calendar. I couldn't edit contacts really at all.

If you ask me, Android offers the user *too much* control. Too many fundamental things you need an app to do, and you end up with competing apps doing similar things and not working well together.

In January, I gave up on Android and moved to an iPhone 6S Plus, pretty close to state-of-the-art in the iPhone world. Apple doesn't have a dog in the e-mail fight, so Outlook.com for mail/calendar/contacts is a first-class citizen. I can edit my contacts. Appointments I schedule with "Hey Siri" go right onto my Outlook.com calendar. I haven't bothered trying to use Cortana. I wish iOS were a little less locked-down at times (I think Windows Phone nailed the right balance of user configurability better than either alternative), but for things I do everyday, I am extremely happy with the iPhone 6S Plus.

 

[smallmountain]

Maybe you could be specific about which Apple services you can't replace with Microsoft services. The most important services to me (mail/calendar/contacts) I seamlessly replaced with Outlook.com. Android was a complete fail when trying to use Outlook.com. With Siri, I have not missed Cortana. I have always used iTunes for music, so that wasn't an issue.

 

[zigzagr63]

Unfortunately I just switched to iPhone only because android is so unsecured and Windows phone isn't supported for my works BYOD. I have to say my iPhone is pretty much running as all Microsoft. I also have to say that it all runs very well. I was having an issue with my outlook for a bit but the built in messaging system directly with support through the app fixed my issue in no time. So yes I think the apps on iPhone are improved over windows phone.
I really do miss using my 950XL and my wife still uses her 950. If things ever change for windows phone, and using my BYOD, I would come back in a heartbeat.

 

[desosav]

I switched to android quite recently and while I was setting up my ms account to Outlook android app, I realized that i unable to edit my contacts. Microsoft will address this in a future update but til that day comes I had to transfer all my contacts to google to make sure that they will be backed up. Not only you can not edit your contacts but you can not add new ones either.

 

[Luuthian]

Your mileage may vary honestly.the apps themselves are more refined and "clean" on iOS devices. If you want deeper integration, however, you'll require Android. Cortana works better on an Android for example, and OneDrive can be used closer to the way a desktop would use it.

Personally I prefer iOS. I don't crave that deeper level integration (Cortana isn't all that great compared to Siri or Google Assistant IMO). I'd rather have the cleaner, snappier interface that the iOS apps have. Obviously everyone will have their own feelings on the matter though.

 

[anon(9057135)]

Having switched from Android to iOS, I think iOS's Microsoft apps are better designed and don't lag as much. YMMV.

 

[Luuthian]

I switched to android quite recently and while I was setting up my ms account to Outlook android app, I realized that i unable to edit my contacts. Microsoft will address this in a future update but til that day comes I had to transfer all my contacts to google to make sure that they will be backed up. Not only you can not edit your contacts but you can not add new ones either.

I'm literally only quoting you to say you user profile pic is EXACTLY the same picture I use for my MS profile! Hahaha! High five :smile:

 

[caelironstaff]

App quality is irrelevant to this question. Not being able to set true default app alternatives in iOS relegates it to a second class alternative. If you are going to use a service as your default, you need to be able to set it as default. Android wins this regardless of app quality. That being said, used the rest, switched to Windows phones and never looked back.

 

[sdreamer]

Think iOS is the best if you just want to just get on with your life. All the MS services are there that you need, but if you feel the need to be testing the latest MS apps and launchers, Android probably suit you better.

 

[Kopacha]

It's a matter of test and preferences. From the time i have to cope with a work phone (Android 7.0 based ZUK Z2) and a personal one (Lumia 950XL), usually the reliability and general behavior of the apps vary, but for me it's more of an issue with the android:

• before Android 6.x the permissions system was a joke. Now it's different story BUT
• Now when the security and permissions system is much more tidy and conservative it's causing multitude of issues, regarding, notifications, access to specific areas of the phone (contacts, sms, location, etc) AND
• This is not easily maintainable from the third parties (i.e Microsoft in this case) and relies on the way the phone manufacturer handles it's own core distro.
• In ZUK's case for an example, there is a separate security center, you can't easily remove at all. You have to tweak, tinker, test, rince and repeat, for an example, until i made Outlook Mail to work and show properly notifications. Again, this is not so much app problem, but core OS problem. This is rarely or barely an issue on Windows 10 Mobile from an example, since the permissions system, has been built much more thoughtful from the groundup
• Setting up Office 365 and particularly Exchange 365, is tad easy to setup.
• Integration with the address book for Contacts and Calendar for Office 365/ Outlook accounts, are a pain if let's say the phone vendor uses proprietary Contacts and Calendar clients. Sure you can sideload Google's ones, but sometimes, they act as a "spare wheel" hence syncing is done via phone Vendor's APP, then via Google, and then in Outlook which is tedious. No such thing in Windows Mobile however - everything is channeled through MS's well thought Exchange ActiveSync protocol, seamless
• OneNote client for Android (yes i'm a pretty heavy user for that too) has a debatable UI/UX with anything different then Windows 10 Mobile. Also rather often then rare, on my Android device , after an update of the application X (insert random Microsoft application for Android here), it tends to lose cached credentials, and i have to login again. This may be an application problem, but it tend to weigh more toward an OS problem. This is not an issue for me with Win 10 Mobile.
• The way the Calendar views are implemented in the Android versions, are not to my taste. I've got used to, and i love the original Windows 10 mobile implementation and UI. Generally, too many hamburger menus.
• MSN is pure **** on Android and barely usefull (and yes i use it as my primary on the Lumia)
• Office Lens is also a mixed bag, weighing toward Windows 10 Mobile. Even though my ZUK Z2 have the same sensor found in Galaxy S7, Samsung's own ISOCELL, the software and the driver for it, is ****. The stabilization and the "straightening the page" function (from software standpoint), is one of the thing i use mostly in (and because of) Office Lense, is ****. Hence because of those, it's almost unusable on Android, but it's almost perfect on Windows 10 Mobile. Can't speak about the OCR capability, since neither version works well with Cyrillic.
• Nothing to share (on my end) about Cortana - due to a similar issues i've mentioned above for Office Lens - voice assistants are useless for me, until they start to understand my native language. It's not a nitpicking, it's purely practical problem. And under this line i'm putting all other Voice assistant crappers. Still when tested, Cortana works best for me, on both platforms, but i don't generally use it. So some other chap from the forums, can share impressions on it
• Skype Preview (i'm using all the Insider versions on both devices) is (now, ages ago it was the exact opposite) better on Windows Mobile, compared to the android ver. Not only as an UI, but also from UX perspective
• Remote Desktop for me as a look and feel, and usability is about the same
• SwiftKey even though non-existent per-se on Windows 10 Mobile, it's the closest thing i get to have, as an alternative to the (for me) wonderful keyboard in W10. Still swift key has some bells and whistles, that can be very helpful on the go, which are lacking in the W10 counterpart
• Xbox App are basically identical, with their upsides and shortcomings. This is however a purely app nitpicking which MS should address across all platforms
• The FLOW app, is mixed bag across both platforms. But it's understandable - it's rather new app, compared to the webservice. Still i would say nearly identical on both platforms.

Those are a few things, on a get go i can remember and vouch for, based on my own usage and way of working with the devices and their services. In a nutshell, (and this is affecting not only Microsoft's products) as usual, one of the Android greatest strength, the open source/device/customization, is also it's biggest. You simply always suffer from the "open barn" effect in one form or another, been one user or another. For my usage, i'm doing well with only one phone, and that been the Lumia. However, there are other daily work cases for me, and the company i work for, that require me to carry both devices, and cope with both

Those are my two cents, from the get go.

 

[Piyush Ranjan3]

Which operating system is better when using Microsoft services extensively? I have no point of reference as I have never owned an Apple or Android product (and not that anxious too either) but I'm leaning towards one of them for my next phone. I'm just tired of feeling like I'm making due with what windows10 mobile offers me. I've only been a windows phone user for about a year now (Palm and BlackBerry before that) but have been relatively "all in" on Microsoft services for quite sometime.
So, when you're "all in" with things like OneDrive, Office365 subscription, Outlook2016 desktop client, and even an Outlook.com email account.... which OS (ios or android) works best?

I have been avid Lumia/windows phone user for last 6 years. I find windows platform very efficient for my usage. Android is little cumbersome for me and i am not very used to it. But from last one year, i have been facing end number of issues with windows phone (Lumia 650) which is my 3rd windows phone. I also do not see several apps being updated on this platform and sometimes it is irritating. News of surface phone has been for quite some time but there is no solid information from Microsoft if they are actually working on it to launch and what kind of device that would be, and this wait is making me lose interest in windows phone.

I would like to move to Android now and i am seriously thinking to switch to Android as next option. Google is actively working to keep it up to date with own services and also the third parties to be active and keep the apps/services updated. So, i believe android would be an option as compared to iOS which still has some restrictions in terms of usage of services.

 

[Piyush Ranjan3]

I have been avid user of windows phone for last 7 years and lumia 650 is my current device. I really liked the efficiency of lumia phones. but from last one year i am facing lots of issues with this phone and seriously thinking to opt for Android device. iOS has still some restrictions in terms of usage of service but i find android more user friendly.

 

[Drael646464]

True, and one drive doesn't work as well on android as it does in windows either.