A special request to all Windows Phones users.

[N_LaRUE]

We are seeing a growth in the number of apps, its slow but still, they are growing. Now many useful apps have been made available which was not the case before. We could just wait, or jump to iOS or Android

I know every country has a bit different needs but in general, people want the apps and games that their friends have and when I say same apps I mean completely, not half baked.

To be competitive in an app centric system you need to have the same mainstream high profile apps as everyone else. Yes there will always be those apps that are specific to the platform but in the mainstream apps every ecosystem needs them otherwise you simply won't get the people on board and you can't be competitive.

This is where WP fails.

 

[ShinraCorp]

1. I'm not complaining, I love WP however I can criticize it sometimes.
2. I am except Youtube because F YOU GOOGLE.
3.I don't have any favorite app or games, heck I barely game on my phone in the first place.
4. Between Nokia, HTC and Samsung they're not that many to choose from (in Canada anyway).

We can all agree that Microsoft is at part responsible for it, another part are the carriers who also barely advertise. They're next to no advertisements for Windows Phone. Sure they're product placements in music videos like Katy Perry and Jennifer Lopez but it's not like they say in the video " THIS IS THE LUMIA XXXX" so people are confused as to what the heck are they looking at (if they're even looking at the phone to begin with.)

 

[kataria]

I agree to your point
The games or apps that are free in android are paid in windows store
This leads to the loss of people in windows board !!!!

 

[psoham777]

I know every country has a bit different needs but in general, people want the apps and games that their friends have and when I say same apps I mean completely, not half baked.

To be competitive in an app centric system you need to have the same mainstream high profile apps as everyone else. Yes there will always be those apps that are specific to the platform but in the mainstream apps every ecosystem needs them otherwise you simply won't get the people on board and you can't be competitive.

This is where WP fails.

Forget about what's not in wp! Most of the apps available in wp are more stable as compared to Android or iOS. That's also a main reason that many android users turn to wp, out of the total wp users more than 27% previously owned an Android phone

 

[psoham777]

I agree to your point
The games or apps that are free in android are paid in windows store
This leads to the loss of people in windows board !!!!

Well on many sites you get free android apps & games which are paid in google store, that's not the case with wp

 

[SSgt Bruskowiz]

I blame MS. MS is too greedy. It wants everything! Just give up source code and give it to OEM like samsung, sony, lg, htc etc. Freedom always wins. Restriction is not answer.

No, i say no because then its getting defragmented and ms his drive is side to the point of emptying our pockets is that every user is getting the same experience .
Just like Droid, on one unit its a great experience and on the other its a hell and than people are going to say that wp sucks but its the hardware what really sucks......just like droid.
Droid is good, needs a lot of resources but stil. Most problems are in the low-budget phones of droid....than look at wp in the low budget, its giving the user almost the same experience as on the high-end. They all work the same.

 

[borasar]

Excellent. But my point is this Laura.

All my friends with Android and iPhone devices swarm the stores when a new device is announced.

Been here at WP for a year haven't seen any swarm for any WP devices. NL930, HTC One 8, NL 1520.

I haven't seen anyone swarm the stores in a year time. 90% of Droids and iPhone users upgrade when a flagship is announced.

Not so for Windows Phone users.

Have you heard of carrier exclusives? The phones you mentioned weren't as widely available as the phones your friends have. MS didn't convince the carriers to bring the 930 or 1520 to Canada, the last high-end device we saw was the 1020 and the one before that was the 920.

Please take no offence, but I don't think you realize as to what the issue is. The issue is not with WP community as we are on on board, the issue is with MS, because they can't seem to get the house in order and release devices globally without exclusives and appeal to the majority it seems. They aren't marketing enough and to be honest the OS is great but still has a ways to go. How do you expect a phone to sell when music is still very much subpar after receiving numerous updates? How do you expect to gain business customers when the email functionality is still lacking and has been since 8.0.
The reason for a drop in device shipments is MS and not the die-hard community that you are trying to address.

 

[N_LaRUE]

Forget about what's not in wp! Most of the apps available in wp are more stable as compared to Android or iOS. That's also a main reason that many android users turn to wp, out of the total wp users more than 27% previously owned an Android phone

My point is, I'm not 10 to 19 hanging out with my friends and they all have apps that I don't. This is the age group that MS has trouble cracking. Then you have the 20 somethings where fashion means a lot. WP isn't fashionable in most countries. The issues are many and varied but at least apps is something MS can manage. Image changes with acceptance.

The reason I own an Android tablet is because there are apps I cannot get on WP that I want to use. There are also functions on Android that I find useful for me that WP doesn't have. Along with that, I've yet to see these 'unstable' apps you speak of. I've had more apps crash on WP than on Android so far.

 

[rdubmu]

I will never be satisfied. I won't stop complaining about the app gap because it is real for me. I am not going to be quiet and complacent.

Many third party apps like 6tag are light years better than the official app.

I will use the 3rd party apps. What's funny is that some third party apps are better than the first party on other platforms. I will support the developers who make great apps but won't blindly support them.

What is becoming a bigger issue then apps is there are no new phones coming out except for low end. If I have a choice between a 630, S5, or 5s, I am not getting the 630. If they had a 930 or similar device I would be much more compelled to buy windows phone.

The fault of the low market share falls 100% on MS. There is no energy behind windows phone and their only
Abdicate was Nokia who used to pay developers to make apps exclusive to Nokia phones. Nokia doesn't exist anymore. (Well they do but the important piece doesn't)

I ask all to not be complacent and demand more from this platform and ecosystem.

 

[Kevin Rush]

Another special request to all Windows Phone users that really like their phones: "Share the Wealth". Show your phone to someone today. Just show them one of the features you like.


I like the big "lively" Live Tiles and I have them arranged alternating with small and medium "static" Live Tiles. I try to avoid the boring grid of icons that the old fashioned phone OSs use. I leave an open small tile space, here and there, to let the background show through. This looks especially good in a row of medium size tiles with only two small tiles (diagonal from each other) next to it.

People are amazed when I show them the tiles flipping.

Best Wishes.

 

[Great deal]

In the second quarter, Microsoft's smartphone shipments dropped to 7.4 million units from 8.2 million in the same period of 2013. At the same time, the Windows Phone global market share fell from 3.4% to to 2.5%.

Is MSFT is to blame for this decrease or would you blame the Windows Phone community?

Your thoughts?

Neither are to blame. This is just a natural state of things due to the Nokia takeover. Nokia stopped investing due to the takeover bid (Normal action) and MS didn't (couldn't) develop until the merger complete (again normal) and after the acquisition the process of integration begins, that's the reason for the lack of devices and lack of push on the WP area. MS are focussing on the next OS and most of their resources including WP are geared towards that launch and rightly so. WP8.1 is not going to improve that much however 9 will be a major step forward, if it isn't then they have a MASSIVE problem and may as well flush WP down the toilet. Wont happen though as all the signs and actions from MS point towards congruency.

 

[borasar]

WP8.1 is not going to improve that much however 9 will be a major step forward, if it isn't then they have a MASSIVE problem

Same thing was said about 8.0, that it will the breakthrough OS and will be a major step forward.

 

[psoham777]

My point is, I'm not 10 to 19 hanging out with my friends and they all have apps that I don't. This is the age group that MS has trouble cracking. Then you have the 20 somethings where fashion means a lot. WP isn't fashionable in most countries. The issues are many and varied but at least apps is something MS can manage. Image changes with acceptance.

The reason I own an Android tablet is because there are apps I cannot get on WP that I want to use. There are also functions on Android that I find useful for me that WP doesn't have. Along with that, I've yet to see these 'unstable' apps you speak of. I've had more apps crash on WP than on Android so far.

You might be the most happiest tablet user then! Otherwise Android's tablets suck, they suck big time. I have read it in the WPcentral news that apps crash more in Android as compared to that of wp

 

[fatclue_98]

Which community?
On-line
Developers
Power users
Business users
Generic consumers
Vehement fans of the platform

I'll take the blame for using and being mostly quiet.
My take is:
Oh shoot this doesn't work now ... Grrrrrrr ... oh well a chocolate doughnut with coffee sounds good about now.
Or:
Golly when did this start working? ... I haven't checked this in months and forgot to uninstall it.


I already am here mostly, yet I like to complain ... however I get tired of others complaining.
My complaints matter so I don't listen to the complaints of others.


Okay I will


No problem ... I love in-app nickel and diming :smile:


Right on!
Which one?

This could be like a phone pledge of allegiance...

Make that 2 doughnuts and a large coffee. :grin:

 

[fatclue_98]

Did we forget that early this year Microsoft was in the middle of closing the Nokia deal as well as replacing its CEO? As the largest supplier of WP8 devices I'm sure we can understand if shipments were down and new models were put on ice. Given today's market conditions and the nature of stock speculation, if Warren Buffett sneezes the shares of Robitussin go through the roof.

I suggest we all fix ourselves a tall Margarita, pop some Marley in the CD player and let the world turn.

 

[N_LaRUE]

You might be the most happiest tablet user then! Otherwise Android's tablets suck, they suck big time. I have read it in the WPcentral news that apps crash more in Android as compared to that of wp

I don't think I'm alone in my experience with my tablet and slagging me with nonsense is not conducive to the conversation we're having about why WP is 2.5% of the market. Your opinion on Android is simply that. Other's happen to like it, that's why it has the highest consumer numbers.

Many people on here have issues with apps and the WP OS. Are you going to tell me that they're imagining things? I'm not alone with these issues either.

 

[viswa]

Very gud OS yep It can beat all ,, But need More free Apps , x box games , folks need front cam in low end ms phones and flash

 

[psoham777]

I don't think I'm alone in my experience with my tablet and slagging me with nonsense is not conducive to the conversation we're having about why WP is 2.5% of the market. Your opinion on Android is simply that. Other's happen to like it, that's why it has the highest consumer numbers.

Many people on here have issues with apps and the WP OS. Are you going to tell me that they're imagining things? I'm not alone with these issues either.

Android has highest consumer number due to their phones, not tablets, I already said before if anyone are having some serious problems with windows, they can switch, the apps crashes because it has bugs. The only downfall of windows is there are less number of apps

 

[N_LaRUE]

Android has highest consumer number due to their phones, not tablets, I already said before if anyone are having some serious problems with windows, they can switch, the apps crashes because it has bugs. The only downfall of windows is there are less number of apps

Whatever. I'm not going to argue your point anymore.

WP downfall is that it's missing key apps and games and making them comparable. That was my main point many posts ago. Number of apps means nothing as long as you have the popular ones to begin with that people want. Let's not forget how long Instagram took to get on board and then it's still half baked. That was my main point at the beginning.

My owning an Android tablet or phone is irrelevant to the conversation. I'm having no issues with my tablet or the apps on it and I know many people with android phones who are quite happy. If I wanted to go simply by experience with one device on WP I should have stopped using WP back in January 2013 when the device died on me after a month owning it.

I'm not saying WP sucks, I'm not saying it's terrible. I'm saying it needs to get itself sorted and soon. It's a good enough OS for most people but not everyone is patient when it comes to apps or phones they want. Many will leave for those reasons. That's why WP is so low this year. Nothing great with handsets and the apps are still miles behind.

 

[Laura Knotek]

Whatever. I'm not going to argue your point anymore.

WP downfall is that it's missing key apps and games and making them comparable. That was my main point many posts ago. Number of apps means nothing as long as you have the popular ones to begin with that people want. Let's not forget how long Instagram took to get on board and then it's still half baked. That was my main point at the beginning.

My owning an Android tablet or phone is irrelevant to the conversation. I'm having no issues with my tablet or the apps on it and I know many people with android phones who are quite happy. If I wanted to go simply by experience with one device on WP I should have stopped using WP back in January 2013 when the device died on me after a month owning it.

I'm not saying WP sucks, I'm not saying it's terrible. I'm saying it needs to get itself sorted and soon. It's a good enough OS for most people but not everyone is patient when it comes to apps or phones they want. Many will leave for those reasons. That's why WP is so low this year. Nothing great with handsets and the apps are still miles behind.

I think the app issue depends on what device/platform someone used previous to Windows Phone.

I've never owned any Android devices. I used legacy BBOS prior to Windows Phone. BlackBerry didn't even have Netflix, which is one of the apps I use regularly. BlackBerry doesn't have OverDrive (ebook reader for library books) anymore either, which is another app I use regularly.

So for me, Windows Phone has way more apps than BlackBerry had.