Potential iOS to WP convert. Hello :)

[GolfingFox]

Hey, all!

My name is Justin.

If you don't want to read the following novel, I will simply say HI! Thanks for stopping by to say hello! I hope to potentially soon have a WP of my own! If you'd like to help me make my decision, please read below (give yourself ample time)!

I am strongly considering a switch from my 64gb iPhone 4S to a Nokia Lumia Icon.

My iPhone has done a wonderful job for over 2.5 years but has started to show it's age and spaz out on me lately with an intermittently unresponsive home button, glitches and freezes, and a battery that only last about 1/2 a day with moderate/slightly heavy use. I was going to live with it but then...
...it finally happened. I guess it was inevitable after 2.5+ years running without a case..

I could just replace the rear glass but all things considered, I may just use it as an excuse to get a new phone.

I have an unlimited data plan through verizon so I will be buying my next phone outright because verizon...is verizon.

The Icon caught my eye when it was released and WP in general has always intrigued me somewhat for the past year and with 8.1 out in the wild now, the idea is very enticing!

I am wondering if it is the right choice for me though. I've read a few threads here (as a guest) and this community seems pretty genuine and unbiased in their opinion. Of course some biased towards WP is to be expected (this is a forum for WP enthusiasts after all!), but I've read enough to feel confident y'all will help guide me to the right decision.

My two main concerns:

1.) The camera. I am very intrigued by the Icon's camera. And not just because it's "20 megapixels" because I've been doing just fine with my measly little 8 megapixel shooter on the 4S:



But the control that Nokia gives you with their camera app is very enticing to me. I'm not sure if the above photos are "good" by today's standards (since I'm shooting with nearly 3 year old tech) but can I expect similar/better/worse results with an Icon? The camera in my next phone is really important to me.

2.) ...the apps. But not in the way I was expecting. I keep hearing that "core apps" are all there or available in a round about way on WP and the only real "app gap" comes in the way of games/entertainment.

I thought I was all set to switch to WP because I'm really not into mobile gaming on smartphones. I've never even bought an app (gaming or other). Ever.. But I've been looking at the apps I DO use and so far have yet to find them in the Microsoft Store.

My phone is my main business tool and I rely pretty routinely on Ubersense/Dropbox/Square as part of my daily/weekly/monthly routine. My credit union (BECU) also has a mobile app that allows me to perform mobile deposits. As I get paid primarily by personal check on a daily basis and don't always have time to run to the bank, this is a HUGE convenience. It is not available on WP.

Having made these points, I will still have my iPhone (will not be selling/trading it in). I can use my mobile banking app at home with my wifi, which is not as convenient but IS an option. Square/Dropbox/Ubersense, however, I would need to use at anytime on the fly where there is no wifi. And even if there were wifi, I'd have to carry my old iPhone in addition to my potential future Icon. Not very convenient..

Can anyone help me, given my concerns?

I'm really not tied to Apple's ecosystem (in addition to never purchasing an app ever. I've also never purchased a single song on iTunes..) so that is not a concern. The iOS itself is also not a huge deal to me either. I don't own any other apple devices either. I actually much prefer the customization and personalization of WP (especially now with 8.1 closing many needed OS gaps and even potentially excelling in some areas).

The only concerns are the ones listed above.

If I had any other concern, the only thing I can think of off the top of my head (now that I'm concluding this novel) is the Icon's limited screen brightness options. Should I be concerned?

Thanks for stopping by and reading (if you made it all the way through. Lol! Sorry)!

Justin



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[ven07]

Let me start by saying "Hello" so Hello.

I'm happy to know that you're considering to join us
If your main concern is just simple day to day apps; I can tell you this, we might not have the official apps but our devs do amazing jobs with third-party apps.
For dropbox you could use this one: CloudSix for Dropbox | Windows Phone Apps+Games Store (United States)
It was designed by one of our top devs "Rudy Huyn" (He likes the number 6; Don't ask why because I have no idea lol)

I would say give us a try and you might never leave again!

Btw nice pictures

 

[hyperthermia]

Give it a try. Wp is a different experience and a great one

 

[hopmedic]

Welcome to WPCentral.
As you said, you'd be giving up some convenience due to missing apps if you switched to WP. But only you can really know if the amount of convenience you'd be giving up is acceptable or not. Unfortunately, we can't really tell you that using your iPhone at home would be good enough (though you could use tethering on the Icon and use the iPhone on wifi anywhere :wink.

As for the camera, I haven't done a side by side comparison of iPhone to Icon (which I just got a couple weeks ago, so haven't taken many pics) or my 928 (which I have had lots of pics on), but I can tell you that the 928 has about the best non-DSLR camera I've ever used, and the Icon seems so far to be even better (though, again, I haven't taken many pics with it yet). So while I can't tell you that side-by-side the Icon will be better, I can tell you that it's a mighty fine camera, and when I'm taking "real" pictures, I have a Canon 50D with more than $3500 worth of lenses.

Your pictures look pretty doggone good, that's for sure. I really like the strawberry picture, and I have many like the moon-jelly, from the Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta, Brookfield Zoo in Chicago, and the John G. Shedd Aquarium in Chicago. Good stuff.

 

[GolfingFox]

Thanks for the insight, so far, guys!

CloudSix may just be my answer for one concern!

I only use Square with a few clients but I was hoping to expand/offer it to more clients, as it's convenient for both of us..I'm assuming WP does not have an answer unless i go with something WP supports.. Different credit system?

Ubersense?? Anything like it on WP? Video Analysis & Sports Coaching App | Ubersense

BECU has acknowledged their lack of support for WP but it understandably doesn't make financial sense for them (at this time) with WP still being niche. I have to "understand" that, living in the Seattle area, where more people seem to be open to WP due to Microsoft's home turf, paints an unrealistic picture of WP popularity. On top of that, BECU is not technically nationwide so releasing an essentially local app in a niche market where WP may be more widely accepted (haven't looked at statistics, just a wild guess) isn't really a priority to them...

I guess I can still pin the website to my home screen (or start screen, or whatever you guys call it!) and perform more basic online banking if necessary.. I usually do my mobile check deposits at home anyway, so it's not a deal breaker per say...more of just a sacrifice in convenience..first world problems, eh?

Thanks again, and any more feedback is very much appreciated!

 

[metalchick719]

Welcome to WPCentral! I think you'll really enjoy migrating over to WP. I did it in November 2012 and I used an iPhone 4 before that. :smile:

 

[Highdefjunkie]

I was a iPhone\iPad user before I tried WP7 through work. Never looked back. In fact, I totally moved into MS services because One Cloud works so damn seamless with all of it's products now. I will tell you this WP is the most unique OS on the planet. It's hard to explain all of it's appeal (without using it), but I love this phone in ways I never did with the iPhone. I think it's because it's an extension of your personality. Each phone is uniquely different based on your interests.

 

[GolfingFox]

Oh, and I totally forgot about the Nokia's SST screen! <3

I wear thin gloves a lot in my line of work (I teach figure skating and am in a cold rink all day long).

I constantly either have to take off my gloves to use my iPhone (because I don't have the fancy ones designed for touch screens) or I peck at the screen with my predominant German nose (my students find it amusing). The SST feature is just sweetening the deal for me!




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[ven07]

Oh, and I totally forgot about the Nokia's SST screen! <3

I wear thin gloves a lot in my line of work (I teach figure skating and am in a cold rink all day long).

I constantly either have to take off my gloves to use my iPhone (because I don't have the fancy ones designed for touch screens) or I peck at the screen with my predominant German nose (my students find it amusing). The SST feature is just sweetening the deal for me!

Hope to see you posting from your Lumia soon Which one are you getting??


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[spaulagain]

Thanks for the insight, so far, guys!

CloudSix may just be my answer for one concern!

I only use Square with a few clients but I was hoping to expand/offer it to more clients, as it's convenient for both of us..I'm assuming WP does not have an answer unless i go with something WP supports.. Different credit system?

Ubersense?? Anything like it on WP? Video Analysis & Sports Coaching App | Ubersense

BECU has acknowledged their lack of support for WP but it understandably doesn't make financial sense for them (at this time) with WP still being niche. I have to "understand" that, living in the Seattle area, where more people seem to be open to WP due to Microsoft's home turf, paints an unrealistic picture of WP popularity. On top of that, BECU is not technically nationwide so releasing an essentially local app in a niche market where WP may be more widely accepted (haven't looked at statistics, just a wild guess) isn't really a priority to them...

I guess I can still pin the website to my home screen (or start screen, or whatever you guys call it!) and perform more basic online banking if necessary.. I usually do my mobile check deposits at home anyway, so it's not a deal breaker per say...more of just a sacrifice in convenience..first world problems, eh?

Thanks again, and any more feedback is very much appreciated!

Cube
http://www.windowsphone.com/s?appid=258cc5d5-f676-42fc-8f69-2e3a904ae710

 

[Markham Ranja]

IMHO, while there exist alternatives like Cube, mentioned above, since it is something crucial to business, I would stick with a popular and well recognised app like Square. If Cube or similar decide to shut down or you find that it's not suitable for whatever reason, you would have a serious problem. Otherwise, WP should work well.

 

[GolfingFox]

Thanks again so far for the great feedback and suggestions.

ven - being on (and staying with) verizon, I am only interested in the Icon (white)

Paul/Markham - Thank you for sharing both sides of the coin on the cube app. At the moment, I only use Square with a few clients. If I pull the trigger on an Icon, I may just back off on promoting it as a method of payment to anyone else until (if at all) Square decides to support WP (which would be the bee's knees!!).

Any comparable apps to Ubersense? Does the Icon's camera have slow motion capabilities of its own?

It's a really great tool for me to be able to slow down and zoom in on videos and side by side/transparently overlay two videos together for comparison and analysis (especially in such a detailed sport, such as figure skating) but slow mo video playback at all would be at least SOMETHING. Any suggestions?

Thanks, again! You guys are helping a great deal!


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[Markham Ranja]

In general, my perspective is that a phone is just a phone and must fit my needs - not the other way around. I'm a fan of WP's UI and the general stability-smoothness but as of now there are some things I need from my phone that WP is not capable of (both WP as well as apps). Therefore, I use an Android phone (iOS can't do it all either and I want a bigger screen).

I'd recommend that you stay with whatever OS does what you need it to. Perhaps try getting a cheap phone like the Lumia 520/521 - it's not on Verizon but at least you can use it on Wifi and it will give you a feel of the OS and can be got for <$80 off-contract for AT&T and T-mobile. Or get a Lumia + iPod Touch, but I see you may not want to carry around 2 devices.

 

[mike13ftw]

I have a Lumia 820 and iPod touch 5 . Of course IOS had more apps than wp8 but wp8 is more stable , and especially with wp8.1 it's beautiful. The app gap is not much a problem because It has the most useful apps and you can live with them . I suggest you buy a Lumia 520 with 50$ off contract and see if you want to spend more money on a wp8 phone . Note that Lumia 520 doesn't have some games because of the 512mb ram

 

[GolfingFox]

Hasn't really thought about the low cost options to test drive the platform. Probably because I don't like to spend money twice, no matter how little.

I've gone in to verizon about a billion times to play around with an Icon. The only thing I haven't gotten a true sense of is the weight of the device in my hands. It's always tethered to the display table being pulled out of my hand with a big nub on the bottom, so I don't know what it truly feels like "in the hand".

I have a good enough feeling in my gut that I will like the 8/8.1 UI and get used to anything that might be a little different. The mere fact that it is different is something I like.

I do plan to stick with my one choice of the Icon and hold on to my 4S for use on wifi when it is necessary. And who know. Maybe throwing my 4S in my work bag won't be such a big deal just to have it with me.

Thanks again though for the wonderful suggestion of a lower risk alternative.




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[ven07]

Yes I would get the icon too

 

[BIGPADDY]

Welcome to WPC!

 

[GolfingFox]

I DID IT! I pulled the trigger on an Icon over the weekend. Got it tax free on my vacation in Oregon but had to pay retail to keep my unlimited data plan through Verizon. I didn't want to hassle with bidding on ebay and missed out on the only local ad at the time on craigslist (white - brand new - $400 ...really kicked myself for not jumping on it that)

Before downloading a single app (aside from the Preview for Developers one) I updated to 8.1 which helped the transition from iOS to WP. Look for my impressions in the days to come, once i've had a bit of time to play with it, but I do have some questions..

1.) I just finished a Skype video call while the phone was charging and it got ...hot.. like, REALLY hot. Is this normal?

2.) I have battery saver on, kill apps all the time, not much is running in the background, and am using the device moderately. The battery is lasting about 2/3 of a day.. (auto brightness)

3.) iFunny crashes on me. I love iFunny

4.) Sometimes there is no voice guidance in my "voice guided" Here+ navigation... am I doing it wrong?

Overall, I think I am going to have a lot of fun with this phone but it's definitely taking some getting used to.. Again, look for a more in depth impression (with probably more questions) soon.

Thanks again for everyone's input!

 

[Golfdriver97]

Welcome. Bummer about your device...:unhappy:

 

[GolfingFox]

Well... That was short lived. Just returned my 2nd icon in 10 days and am now back on my old iPhone until I can figure something else out..

Don't get me wrong. I'm pretty much IN LOVE with WP 8.1 but the phone itself was not working for me..

The first one got extremely hot with minimal use. I tried to live with it, but it was really getting to me so I finally took it in (yesterday) before my 14 day return policy expired..

My 2nd one I returned the very next day (today).

The backlight was uneven and noticeably brighter and kind of yellow on the right side.

The power button did not protrude from the side of the phone (it was almost flush with the side compared to the other buttons. and was very hard to press in to interact with the phone. The first one was not like this).

The phone still ran really warm.

Between 8:30 am and noon, the battery went from 80% to 10% when I finally handed it back to verizon. All I did within that time was stream pandora for 15 minutes. Browsed the web for 10-15 minutes. Played a game for 5-10 minutes and the rest of the time it was on standby. No texts or phone calls and I had every battery saver option I could think of turned on.

I want to be as unbiased as possible though. The phone itself was beautiful. And felt amazing. WP 8.1 has huge potential. Any updates it received from here on out will only make it better part of me is sad for the masses who will never give it a try but at the same time I feel like WP is a neat little secret. An exclusive club sort of for those willing to "form their own opinion" to quote a famous person promoting a competing product.


A few other things that weren't working for me were the camera. The camera itself seemed of quality and, with time to get used to it, I'm sure I would be happy but something that wasn't going to change, no matter how good I got at using it, was the shutter delay. I need this phone for quick shots (and slow motion playback) which is not integrated into the phone (and I really enjoy Ubersense)

The other main thing was the size. I can't fault the phones size but it was too big for me personally. Didn't fit comfortably in my pocket or with one handed use.

Combine this with the heat concerns and horrendous battery life I was experiencing, this phone was not the right phone for me at this time.

Again, I absolutely had a BLAST experiencing WP 8.1 and really really hope the WP can. Stay in the game because I still want to be part of the family. The Icon really had me excited. I'm disappointed in my personal experience, but I am excited to see what may come along in the future.

I have come away from my brief fling with WP impressed and excited for things to come. Sad I couldn't stay longer but hopefully I will be back.


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