Who is still using a Windows Phone? Honest Question.

[Sedp23]

I love my 950XL and the camera is great. Jpegs are wonderful but I like being able to use the dng's with Lightroom.
W10 is easy to use and together with a PC the integration is something MS should be pleased with. The front end is clean, easy to change, and is much nicer than Android or Apple. Come on MS, re think, there are manu out there who love them. My wife has a 650 and although she some times shouts at it I hate to think if she had Android!
It is simply years ahead of Android.

How is it light years ahead of Android? The notification center in Android is light yesterday ahead, split screen Android multi tasking is light years ahead, picture in picture is light screen ahead, the settings menu is light yesterday ahead, app store is light years ahead, and battery saving settings and battery menu is light years ahead on Android

 

[dazcoull]

Honest answer - it still runs well, I don't need any latest trending app that will be forgotten in a year, and I enjoy it. If I was to be a clutz and break the phone (unlikely, I actually look after nice things) then I would look for an upgrade to get a better.....Windows Phone! Currently 640XL, would love to find a 950XL, or similar high-end device. The wife also has one, and my son did have one but he's a roof tiler, and the inevitable happened :-(

 

[falconrap]

How is it light years ahead of Android? The notification center in Android is light yesterday ahead, split screen Android multi tasking is light years ahead, picture in picture is light screen ahead, the settings menu is light yesterday ahead, app store is light years ahead, and battery saving settings and battery menu is light years ahead on Android

Your opinion is exactly that: your opinion. How is the Android notification shade better than the Windows Notification Center? I have 4 email accounts, 3 of which regularly get numerous emails a day. I can quickly see all of the emails I get with the notification center, while Android's notification shade misses many of them, and tends to only show me one or two emails from each batch that my accounts get. The notification shade also gets flooded with tons of notifications for practically everything. It seems every app you install on Android wants to notify you of something mundane and unnecessary. I have to turn off notifications for every game I install. The split screen multi-tasking is only useful on a phone in rare circumstances, and the method by which Android lets apps sit in memory causes slow downs.

Battery saver? At least on my phone (Nougat 7.0) I have to 1) realize that a block of text has to be tapped to get to it, and 2) it simply has a toggle for on and off. Keep in mind that my phone uses the default Android experience. Maybe your phone has added additional functionality. Windows Phone is much simpler and better laid out than Android. I don't find a lot of people who actually enjoy Android's UI. More like they tolerate it because their phones can do so much with the apps they can get.

 

[Adrian Molcan]

I am still using my Lumia 950 and I will untill it will work and untill I have all he apps I need. This phone is just amazing with its camera and screen and I do no need to buy a new phone every year just because it is cool. MS is really incompetent company, but Windows Phone was/still is a really great product.

 

[Ferkner]

I am still using my phone simply because I do not have the money to buy the Android phone I have had my eye on. If it wasn't for that, I would have already switched. I love Windows Mobile, but the apps are so limited, and some of the one I have are crash happy, including OneDrive and Camera. So even the one from MS that should always work don't always work. The fire sale on the Alcatel Idol is a bit tempting, but I don't know if I want to stick with Windows Mobile long enough to justify buying it at the moment.

 

[Pairadyce]

Wow, Zac Bowden, way to alienate readers with the insults in your article [http://windowscentral.com/chime-are-you-still-using-windows-phone-if-yes-why]. Us "crazies" and "normies" have better things to spend our hard-earned cash on than to replace perfectly functional, 100% paid for phones that do what we need them to do for the time being. Crazy would be me blowing $1000-2000+ on new phones for the family. Articles like yours are one more reason for me to not bother visiting the site, but maybe once a month anymore.​

Yeah, I don't think this thread went in the direction Zac expected. That is my biggest grip in the tone of the W10M articles for the last 6 months... essentially calling people dumb for continuing to use phones if they aren't impacted by the changes. Ever since Cortana added Smart Home integration I haven't even thought about changing OS's. It's not at the "move on, it's dead" point yet so I felt the message being hammered by the writers was irresponsible even though I was interested in the news they were reporting.

 

[s_praino]

I still use a Lumia Icon. I use and support Microsoft products at work. I have a Microsoft Band 1 as a smartwatch, and everything just ties in together. My emails and calendars are synced, and I can manage my Cortana info and reminders from my desktop or phone. Everything is backed up to my OneDrive space, and for me anyway, everything just works. Not that I couldn't do all of that on a different phone platform, but I like how different the Windows Phone OS is. I've never used an iPhone or Android phone. Every single smartphone I've owned has been on Windows. I like the ecosystem and I have little reason to switch.

 

[wpguy]

Yeah, I don't think this thread went in the direction Zac expected.

To me he came off as one of the high school kids I help mentor, who really don't have a full grasp on how much things cost, useful life and value vs time to replace, etc., because they aren't footing the entire bill, if any.​

 

[silentintrigue]

Assassin Cold

I still use my Alcatel Idol 4S and absolutely love it. Everything I need to work still does so for the time being all is good. The camera, albeit slow, is decent enough and between the phones 64GB and my 128GB sd card I have a ton of storage; most of it filled.

My line, when people say, "What kind of phone is that", I always reply, "A windows 10 mobile phone. I am one of the six people in the country still using one. "

 

[slippercream]

Yep. Still on both the 950XL and X3 (on VZW). Still constantly pissed at how things are starting to come unhinged - even Cortana is starting to not even recognize voice. I don't know why I even bother sometimes. But, truth? I really can't see myself switching to Android. Apple is really not even a choice. Other than the abysmal store options for the occasional convenience feature (e.g., home automation and connectivity), I have everything I really need in a Phone, and more. If I wanted to do more, I have my laptops and desktop for that.

Made me sad playing with Continuum last week. Still holding out for hope that I could replace the head unit in the car with a reliable version of a hot-dock mobile brain. Alas - will wait and see what's announced in MWC and beyond.

Back to Windows Phone - Keeping this alive for as long as I can. I just really hope MS makes good with those it left high and dry with the next iteration of... whatever WP is going to be replaced with... "the ultimate mobile device." Because to me, WP was almost there. All MS needed to do was give up on UWP and make it easier for developers and media producers to harmonize from/with their own products from other mobile platforms.

 

[Guzzler3]

I tried Android (Moto G4+) for 3-4 months. AAAARRRRGGGHHH!!!! Drove me nuts. I put all the Microsoft apps on it and it just wasn't as easy to use as my L650. So I went back to my L650.

The main reason was Text messaging: Text->speech/speech->text via Bluetooth. I get a lot of texts while driving (car and motorcycle) and being able to have the phone read the messages to me and being able to respond hands free is paramount to me. I tried EVERY app available for Android that is supposed to reproduce the same feature built into a Windows phone, and none worked as well or worked at all.

PLUS I don't have to say "comma", "question mark", "Period", etc. My phone puts those in for me AUTOMATICLY because it can understand proper inflections. I just shake my head when I hear people saying those words when doing speech to text on their Android or iPhone.

Second reason, the UI on windows phones is just plain superior to Android, or iPhone. Live tiles, resizing tiles, moving tiles, the number of tiles you can put on the home screen.

Oh, predictive text suggestions is another thing. On my phone I can practically type a complete text message without actually typing, by just use the predictive suggested words.

I've never understood why Satya called Windows Phone/Mobile "evolutionary" when in my opinion it really was "revolutionary" compared to what was available at the time (and still is IMHO). I still show off my phone when people ask me "What phone is that?", I start showing off the cool features and such. It's only when I say "Windows..." they get weirded out

I still stand by my opinion that MS did a **** poor job of advertising in the USA. I swear they hired someone that did the advertising for Apple, because their ads were just clone copies from Apple, expecting people to buy it. (I know they did the same thing for their brick and mortar stores... exact copies of Apple Stores).

 

[Alfred Neequaye]

Still have a 640XL as my daily driver still does all I need it to do.

 

[toshdellapenna]

Yeah, I don't think this thread went in the direction Zac expected. That is my biggest grip in the tone of the W10M articles for the last 6 months... essentially calling people dumb for continuing to use phones if they aren't impacted by the changes. Ever since Cortana added Smart Home integration I haven't even thought about changing OS's. It's not at the "move on, it's dead" point yet so I felt the message being hammered by the writers was irresponsible even though I was interested in the news they were reporting.

My biggest issue is that Dan and Zac, who are two of my favorite writers and who's opinions I respect highly, abandoned Windows on Mobile almost overnight in favor of Android and the MS launcher. This surprised me not only because of how devout Microsoft fans they are, but also because they are lucky enough to be running Windows on Arm builds on their Elite x3's, yet they tossed them in a drawer in favor of Android. Meanwhile, us 100% faithful users aren't even able to get those builds, but we hang out because Android with Windows bolted on isn't a viable alternative :/

 

[tgp]

My biggest issue is that Dan and Zac, who are two of my favorite writers and who's opinions I respect highly, abandoned Windows on Mobile almost overnight in favor of Android and the MS launcher. This surprised me not only because of how devout Microsoft fans they are, but also because they are lucky enough to be running Windows on Arm builds on their Elite x3's, yet they tossed them in a drawer in favor of Android. Meanwhile, us 100% faithful users aren't even able to get those builds, but we hang out because Android with Windows bolted on isn't a viable alternative :/

Although I made the switch to Android awhile ago, I understand your frustration. Yet, we all know that W10M as we know it is on its way out. I don't think it is reasonable to expect tech journalist professionals to keep promoting a dying platform.

Their expertise are better used getting us onto what's coming next. WoA you say? Well, who knows when, or even if, that will happen? We have iOS, and we have Android, right now. Those two are the only viable alternatives for someone looking to move on.

Sure, W10M still works. But it has been becoming, and will continue to become, less viable. Maybe WoA or whatever is coming next will be here before W10M is gone completely; maybe it won't. Either way, for most people it's time to move ahead. Don't expect Dan and Zac to spend their time giving us workarounds to keep W10M working.

 

[mtf1380]

How is it light years ahead of Android? The notification center in Android is light yesterday ahead, split screen Android multi tasking is light years ahead, picture in picture is light screen ahead, the settings menu is light yesterday ahead, app store is light years ahead, and battery saving settings and battery menu is light years ahead on Android

@Sedp23, with all due RESPECT, I think it's obvious that most people on this thread don't care what Andriod, or Apple, is offering (they will be out-dated in 6 mos anyway, and something new will come along...of course we hope it is a Microsoft not-a-phone, phone), we like the "to-the-point" ecosystem of Windows10 Mobile and, I for one, wish to continue using that unadulterated version of the ecosystem until I ABSOLUTELY have no other option :^)

No offense to your choice intended, just "my" POV...cheers!

"GO PATS!"

 

[toshdellapenna]

I don't expect them not to cover the alternatives or the launchers/services for said platforms. What surprised me was how quick they went from geeking out on an early woa build to completely ignoring it. This sort of thing used to be their deal. I'm not surprised at all by the lack of coverage on Win10mo at all.

 

[libra89]

I don't expect them not to cover the alternatives or the launchers/services for said platforms. What surprised me was how quick they went from geeking out on an early woa build to completely ignoring it. This sort of thing used to be their deal. I'm not surprised at all by the lack of coverage on Win10mo at all.

What's there to cover if there isn't much going on? There's only oh so many times you can say the same thing often. I figure that they will have something to say when there's more information that they can find.

 

[toshdellapenna]

Let's hope so. I'm hoping for the mystery Andromeda device. If that doesn't happen then it's onto a 7 or 8" sim based win 10 tablet for me.

 

[Dono Newcomb]

I really don't understand why we are even in this boat considering how much better the WP experience generally is. I have to say that all those developers who shunned Windows Phone back when they were in the 60 million+ user range, really need to kiss my posterior.

I have wondered about this myself quite a bit, most people I have talked to who love their iDroids have never even used a windows phone. I wonder if when MS tried to break into the phone "Hardware" end of the market if the negative campaigning by the competition had that big of an impact on the market.

 

[Christos Ringas]

Why am I still using my Hp Elite X3??Why in 2018 no other phone maker has a 4100mAh battery? Yes Samsung, and Huawei have their own blend of continuum, but one of the latter...The note 8 has a much smaller battery, and the Huawei has a 4000mAh battery with a continuum like feature but no sd card support.I mean really,like the title says it's 2018 so why can't I find a phone in 2018 that gives me the best of Samsung and the battery life of Huawei??The Elite X3 can go a day and a bit in a single charge,I don't want to lug a portable charger for my phone like it's on life support, that's Microsoft's job with Windows 10 Mobile lol