After spending the weekend with my 950, i have to say i haven't had severe issues like some others have posted but overall i'm disappointed. I didn't participate in the Insider Preview for WP10, so this was my first exposure to it. All I can say is, it's a typical OS upgrade from Microsoft. They improve a few things, and break a bunch of things that were already great. Here's my list of gripes.
Design - Who suggested that putting a picture in a circle and framing that circle in a square was a good thing? It looks like MS is literally trying to put round pegs into square holes. Keep your icon photos square. It's Microsoft, your icons should be square.
Menus - I'm not going to get into the big debate of Hamburger vs. Dots. Just pick one and be consistent. I never know where to look for option settings from app to app, and it's very disorienting. Instead of taking everyone's feedback and measuring votes, creating an endless feedback cycle where no one is ultimately happy, find one system that works and let the masses adapt.
Windows Hello - If my lock screen doesn't require a password after 3 mins, don't engage until 3 mins. Also, just too inconsistent, and a battery drain. Maybe it will be better after an update, but staring at my phone for 2 seconds to unlock it right now just feels unnatural.
Voice recognition - Just sloppy, and it's not learning. Maybe it'll get better?
Cortana - The biggest offender of all. You were the crown jewel of Windows Phone, beautiful, smart, and deeply integrated. What we have here is not Cortana, it's just Bing search. Get the look right. Get the integration right. And the "Hey Cortana" responsiveness is *TOO RESPONSIVE* - it starts chirping in responding to my regular conversation, when I did NOT say a word that sounds like "Cortana".
It's a shame really, because it so many ways it's the no-compromise phone we've been waiting for. Might not be the prettiest phone on the block, but it has better specs than an iPhone 6S or Galaxy S6, future-proof design, expandable storage, wireless charging, replaceable battery, excellent camera, etc. etc. Even Continuum, which I haven't had a chance to use yet, whether I like it or not, I love the idea of it and what it bodes for the future of Microsoft.
But it kills me, because this is supposed to be their phone for the fans. And it ends up being the classic Microsoft story - the last OS was better, "let the upgrader beware".
Design - Who suggested that putting a picture in a circle and framing that circle in a square was a good thing? It looks like MS is literally trying to put round pegs into square holes. Keep your icon photos square. It's Microsoft, your icons should be square.
Menus - I'm not going to get into the big debate of Hamburger vs. Dots. Just pick one and be consistent. I never know where to look for option settings from app to app, and it's very disorienting. Instead of taking everyone's feedback and measuring votes, creating an endless feedback cycle where no one is ultimately happy, find one system that works and let the masses adapt.
Windows Hello - If my lock screen doesn't require a password after 3 mins, don't engage until 3 mins. Also, just too inconsistent, and a battery drain. Maybe it will be better after an update, but staring at my phone for 2 seconds to unlock it right now just feels unnatural.
Voice recognition - Just sloppy, and it's not learning. Maybe it'll get better?
Cortana - The biggest offender of all. You were the crown jewel of Windows Phone, beautiful, smart, and deeply integrated. What we have here is not Cortana, it's just Bing search. Get the look right. Get the integration right. And the "Hey Cortana" responsiveness is *TOO RESPONSIVE* - it starts chirping in responding to my regular conversation, when I did NOT say a word that sounds like "Cortana".
It's a shame really, because it so many ways it's the no-compromise phone we've been waiting for. Might not be the prettiest phone on the block, but it has better specs than an iPhone 6S or Galaxy S6, future-proof design, expandable storage, wireless charging, replaceable battery, excellent camera, etc. etc. Even Continuum, which I haven't had a chance to use yet, whether I like it or not, I love the idea of it and what it bodes for the future of Microsoft.
But it kills me, because this is supposed to be their phone for the fans. And it ends up being the classic Microsoft story - the last OS was better, "let the upgrader beware".