3 Years of Windows Phone!

[distilledoreo]

Apparently three years ago, today, Windows Phone (NOT Windows Mobile, obviously) was released. I just find it interesting to see how far it's come in three years, and to compare it to other major mobile operating systems at three years. Windows Phone 8 Update 3 vs. Android 2.3 Gingerbread vs. iOS 4.0

Android​

At 3 years, around 2011, Android was on version 2.3 Gingerbread, but close to the release of ICS. The Android Market had approximately 300,000 apps at the time. It added support for front-facing cameras and higher resolution displays, along with a newer UI.

iOS​

At 3 years, around 2010, iOS was at version 4.0. The app store had 225,000 apps in 2010, keeping in mind the first iPhone didn't even have an app store. The OS looked almost exactly the same as it did when it launched, except you could use a custom wallpaper for the homescreen, and it added multitasking.

Windows Phone​

So, where is Windows Phone now? Well, GDR3 was basically just released, which adds support for higher end hardware and 1080p displays, multitasking is improved allowing you to close out of apps from the multitasking view, custom notification tones, and screen rotation lock were added. The Windows Phone App Store has "over 175,000 apps" according to the windowsphone.com webpage. Just like ICS was soon to be released on Android, Windows Phone 8.1 is rumored to be coming early next year, and just like ICS, it is supposedly a big change compared to the GDR updates that have been coming out.

Overall, Windows Phone is an excellent contender in the Smartphone race, and if it was released at the same time as iOS or Android, it would have blown all of the others away... except for the apps. During their third years, Windows Phone still didn't have the same amount of apps as iOS and Android. The consumer should get the total app count out of their minds. At the time I remember people complaining Android didn't have as many apps as iOS, but it did. Most people would agree with me that iOS apps were of higher quality than most Android apps back then, so it distorted the image of the apps. Windows Phone does not have as many apps as the others, but it has many great alternatives, 6sec, Phonly, HERE Maps and Drive, etc, which are sometimes better than the actual app, 6tag for example. Nokia World will be a great start to WP's third year. As long as Microsoft keeps giving people what they want in the OS, and people support it more and more, it will last for many more years (and hopefully get enough apps to stop people complaining).

 

[noknok79]

but for the record, Windowsphone 8 is just 13 months old. the Brand Windowsphone is. WP8 is not 3 years old.

 

[distilledoreo]

True, but I didn't say Windows Phone 8 is 3 years old. I compared Windows Phone to Android to iOS all at their third year. I didn't say iOS 4 is 3 years old, neither did I say Gingerbread was. Sorry if I came off as rude, but I just wanted to clarify that I wasn't specifically saying WP8 was 3 years old.

 

[jmshub]

While Windows Phone isn't knocking on the door of Android or IOS for marketshare, I think Windows Phone is stronger than ever, and their partnership with Nokia appears to have been just crazy enough to work, even if it meant Microsoft out and out buying them.

 

[jiggaman135]

I think its an exciting time to be a wp owner!

 

[Graven Pshya]

Awesome post OP. I love WP and my first smartphone was a L900 (now 920). I've tried iOS and much prefer this. Windows Phone isn't perfect, but it's exciting to see what the future will hold.

 

[noknok79]

exciting times are coming! Nokia Black will end our year right! much more next year for WP8.1 plus Business feature packed. VPN is included woot woot!

 

[JoelBennett]

Similar story here: My first WP device was an LG Optimus 7 (which I'm still using, despite a few major niggles). Prior to that I had an HP iPaq messenger running Windows Mobile 6.5. The change from WM to WP was interesting, as there was definitely a few features left out in the process (autocorrect dictionary, I'm looking at you!), but I'd say as a whole the WP experience has been better and continues to get better. As someone who is getting ready to write his first WP app, it definitely is interesting to see it taking off, especially in foreign markets.

 

[dreamfly]

If China were to follow the same path as the US or other advanced countries, it wouldn't be as developed as today. To catch up a leader, you don't spend the same amount of time to accomplish the same thing, you invest a lot more effort to catch up in a hurry and built in more future features. Most of the features that GDR3 added should have come last year. At this time, WIFI EAP-TLS Authentication is still not implemented (WP7 had it) so it pretty much out of the considering of big corporations, the ones who cares about security, the ones who are getting rid of black berry.

I'd say whoever decided on the features of WP8 had very little vision, even though it didn't take much to see what's out there and what's to come.

Don't hate me for saying the truth. I have been using windows phones exclusively since the Motorola mpx200.