What is going to convince Android/IOS users to get Windows phone in the future?

[Mikado_Wu]

As a High School Technology Teacher, I have been hearing the same thing from my students for years. Microsoft Sucks, I do not Trust Microsoft, They just use us to beta test, Android and IPhone are superior.

For 9 of the past 11 years I have used a Windows Phone device. While I love it, I agree with the Topic header. There is NOTHING in windows 10 to convince new people to use it. They have had all the best ideas and failed miserably implementing them every time. MS has to change their Culture and Trust with the consumers.

 

[chattoe]

They need some one similar to phill spencer the head of Xbox. All you have to do is look what he has done so far to turn it around.

Get some one like him in charge of windows phone and it will be a strong platform attracting new users.

I myself have used an iPhone since the 3G, I have tried android (which imo is horrid) and tried windows phone to which is the only other platform that nearly pulled me away from my iPhone.

I had a 920 and 930 for a little while and while I was mighty impressed all I saw was potential, windows phone wasn't ready for me. So again I'm back on my iPhone. I'm really hoping windows phone 10 can bring the potential I saw a few years back into reality because I actually saw a contender that would finally prise me away from Apple.

 

[colinkiama]

It's soo easy. All you need is good advertising. Why do you think there are so many brainwashed apple and Samsung fans. ADVERTISING. Your product can be so bad but with advertising it can look like the best thing in the world.

 

[Jezza]

It's soo easy. All you need is good advertising. Why do you think there are so many brainwashed apple and Samsung fans. ADVERTISING. Your product can be so bad but with advertising it can look like the best thing in the world.

You mean advertising like this? ha!

 

[colinkiama]

You mean advertising like this? ha!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cB7AfejC-8c

No. It's good but there is too much spotlight on the iPhone and galaxy but what about the Lumia? We saw iPhone and android's features but what can the Lumia do exactly.

Despite how funny it is, they actually helped advertise their competitors device more than their own.

 

[colinkiama]

You mean advertising like this? ha!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cB7AfejC-8c

It should be all about hyping the product like this: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=gD26Vs7VRK8
And this https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=-ZrfXDeLBTU

But at the same time they are showing off cool features and functionality.

 

[Leonel Funes]

1. MS should stop developing its apps for Lagdroid and iCrap and pull them down from those stores.
2. Aggressive marketing of W10 mobile and its advantages over Lagdroid and iCrap.
3. Make people aware of Project Astoria, Project Islandwood and universal apps as well as Windows Continuum.
4. Highlight and market aggressively the traditional hallmarks of WP such as its strong performance, lack of security issues, aesthetically beautiful UI etc.
5. MS should restrict Lumias to the high-end and let the other OEMs release WP handsets for the low- and mid-range.

#1 is something I doubt Microsoft will do. They want more people to try out its services. Perhaps keeping some exclusivity in its own ecosystem might help.

#2 & #4 is what I think Microsoft really needs to do. Show off it's awesome cameras, hardware, Cortana, etc.

#3 might not be of interest to the average user, but Android/iOS developers may be tempted to use Project Astoria/Islandwood. If this holds true, more apps will make their way to Windows and benefit us all. Continuum is tempting for people that need to do some work on a bigger screen with keyboard/mouse and not depend on a seperate piece of hardware [students, anyone?]

#5 would probably push OEMs away from Windows 10 Mobile. If they want to show off their capabilities, but Microsoft doesn't let them, they'll take refuge with Android or some other OS.

Just my opinions. I'm likely wrong is some areas.

 

[Jezza]

It should be all about hyping the product like this: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=gD26Vs7VRK8
And this https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=-ZrfXDeLBTU

But at the same time they are showing off cool features and functionality.

No, I agree, the original iPhone advertising campaign was faultless. It showed you just how simple the interface was and what the features were, but kept it engaging.

EDIT: To give Microsoft some credit, they have only just entered the phone market after the acquisition of Nokia, so they haven't really had a flagship device to advertise as of yet, they had to leave that up to Nokia's marketing division. If they could use similar marketing to what they have done with the Windows 10 television advert, but apply that to phones, then it would be at least half way decent.

 

[neo158]

Apps like Facebook and Twitter are there, but they are much worse on WP compared to Android.

Oh not this again, what's so bad about them. The Facebook app looks like the Android app, which looks like the iOS app. So if you're still using the WP7 app purely for nostalgia purposes then it's time you upgraded from that POS. Microsoft don't have a say in the design as that is determined by Facebook. The Twitter app, just like the Facebook app, does exactly what it's intended to do so what exactly is bad about that.

 

[Chris Phelps]

OneDrive for Windows Phone will back up full resolution photos if you use WiFi.

OneDrive for Android will back up full resolution photos using WiFi or mobile data.

and IMO, that isn't good enough. It seems like they assume everyone is on metered plans now. I realize most are, but there should be an option.

 

[Laura Knotek]

and IMO, that isn't good enough. It seems like they assume everyone is on metered plans now. I realize most are, but there should be an option.

I agree. I have a 30 GB/month dataplan. I won't exceed that plan by uploading full resolution pictures. I believe that people should have the option of uploading full resolution pictures via mobile data. If they exceed their limits, then it is their problem, not Microsoft's problem. Microsoft needs to let adults take responsibility of their dataplan usage.

 

[Janolssen]

Oh not this again, what's so bad about them. The Facebook app looks like the Android app, which looks like the iOS app. So if you're still using the WP7 app purely for nostalgia purposes then it's time you upgraded from that POS. Microsoft don't have a say in the design as that is determined by Facebook. The Twitter app, just like the Facebook app, does exactly what it's intended to do so what exactly is bad about that.

Facebook app is slower and missing functions. Just look at the horrible user reviews. The messenger app is slow, and it doesn`t update if you read messanges trough your PC. You also can`t play GIF files in Messenger.

 

[cmlael67]

I think Microsoft needs to do what they did with Xbox. Be prepared to lose a bunch of money for a while. Throw a ton of money at developers to write QUALITY apps for Windows Phone. And keep selling decent devices like the 640 for dirt cheap prices, even if they lose money on them. It may take a few years, but I think it they really want Windows Phone to succeed and get more market share, they can.

 

[Steve Thackery]

I think Microsoft needs to do what they did with Xbox. Be prepared to lose a bunch of money for a while. Throw a ton of money at developers to write QUALITY apps for Windows Phone. And keep selling decent devices like the 640 for dirt cheap prices, even if they lose money on them. It may take a few years, but I think it they really want Windows Phone to succeed and get more market share, they can.

I agree with that. Also, it needs some marketing skill to create the impression that WP is cool and modern, and Android and iOS are clunky and old-fashioned in comparison. That fact that they both are should make that message much easier. (Seriously: after using WP7.8, Android and iOS suddenly felt like something from the last century.)

 

[neo158]

Facebook app is slower and missing functions. Just look at the horrible user reviews. The messenger app is slow, and it doesn`t update if you read messanges trough your PC. You also can`t play GIF files in Messenger.

I really don't know what version of the Facebook app you're using but on my Lumia 930, Lumia 630 and Samsung ATIV S the Facebook app is just fast on all of them. As for the Facebook Messenger app, something that was NEVER mentioned in the original post, I've never had a problem with it updating messages when they are read through the PC but then why would I look at them on my PC anyway. Animated GIF files are not an absolute essential to have anyway so that's really a moot point.

 

[cz9h3d]

I too think MS has missed big Enterprise opportunities. Having a device that is 110% integrated with all the business tools (email, IM, online Meetings, sharepoint, onedrive, etc) in a way that the others can't could be a big win. At my super giant automotive corporation, the phones to select from are the prior generation iPhone or Galaxy. MS should be working over these companies to make Windows phone an easy choice. In our Overdrive group discussions (another chance!) I have made the only 2 windows phone posts in the last 15 months!.

Unfortunately, I use my Lumia 925 less and less often vs. my iPhone 5s or LG G2. Why?
-The interface I loved is now short-lived, so it's easier for me to say goodbye now. If WM10 apps look like Android/iOS, why bother with Windows?
-I need to use CarPlay and Android Auto for my job, so Windows is a non-player there.
-Our latest radio software doesn't play nice with bluetooth for audio on my Lumia (I'm working on getting that fixed), so I just get frustrated during my commute. I'm sure I'm the only person using a Windows phone, so only I have the problem.

The handsets have been unexciting for a couple years now. That's huge in mobile! Getting a Lumia was always a smart choice for a great camera - not anymore, not even camera buttons on the flood of low markets phones we've seen the last 18 months.
All this makes me sad, but I've come to the conclusion that for me windows phone is my betamax - at one time the better option, but going nowhere.

 

[colinkiama]

HTC and other android builders spend a lot of cash on ads, and they fail. The great succes of Android is driven by Samsung succes. If we can learn anything from Apple it is how image works. And Microsoft keeps failing at selling the image. The Hololens could make Microsoft cool again, someday. But for now they just have to prevent people from jumping ship. Keep them connected to their services and customers will start to buy any Windows device someday again, just because that is the name they know as the device platform they have their services on.
The succes of Android is more about Youtube and Google Maps than about Android itself. Even the Google owned Motorola could not make a profit on those phones. If there is no reason to not buy a Windows Phone more people will take one.

HTC still sold more than the lumias did and that's just their flagships against the whole series

 

[colinkiama]

Facebook app is slower and missing functions. Just look at the horrible user reviews. The messenger app is slow, and it doesn`t update if you read messanges trough your PC. You also can`t play GIF files in Messenger.

The Facebook app is compared to other platforms. No inline video playback, no friends you may now, weird ghost notifications and birthday notifications that send you to am sorry calendar event. If you don't believe it's bad then the a look at this. The most download app in the whole has a rating like this.

The one on iOS has a respectable 3 stars and Android has 4 stars.

 

[SnakeHaveYou]

This is a list of what made me try Windows Phone:

- Almost no fragmentation because of the OS images (i think is just like a generic image or kernel)
- Less and better devices
- A little customizable and more simple OS that just works


and after that not using Android again:

- Yes, it work
- Windows 10
- Its performance
- There isn't a lot of app gap, but there is a quality issue on some apps
- The Microsoft Services, a lot better than Android, they have Latin American teams in Sport app
- Astoria or Continuum

 

[kpluck]

As someone who switched from iOS to Android a few years ago (and I am about to upgrade my android phone) I would say the biggest issue for me is lack of hardware (I am on T-Mobile).

From what I have seen, I think I would be fine with WP and the current app selection, I just can't find a phone I want to buy for T-Mobile. The 640XL would be close but that isn't officially on T-mobile and lacks wifi calling. If WP had a competitive line up of phones, similar to what Motorola has with its Moto E, Moto G, and Moto X (for example) that I could get on T-mobile with wifi calling, I would give serious consideration to switching.

As it is now, MS seems to make their best phones as carrier exclusives and I am not moving from T-Mobile to AT&T or Verizon (both of which I have used in the past).

I can't help but feel if there was a greater variety of hardware available for WP it would attract a lot more people. Unfortunately, I don't see that ever happening.

-kpluck