Official 8.1/Denim for the Icon?

[a5cent]

Yeah GPS is horribly energy intensive. A while back Microsoft was working on a way to offload the computing to the cloud in real time. Hope we get that in Windows 10

You sure? I'm not convinced this is true.

GPS certainly requires much more juice than, say, WiFi or cell tower based location tracking, particularly while it's getting a satellite fix, but otherwise it's a passive technology. I can't imagine how it would use anywhere near enough juice to make a device warm to the touch. I think what you are noticing is your navigation app. It's drawing an animated 3D map at 30 FPS or more. On a 1080p screen that means the navigation app is drawing at least 60 million pixels per second. Just like any 3D game, that will make a L930 hot, much more so than the actual GPS tracking.

 

[MikeSo]

Yeah, the GPS itself doesn't use that much power I think. I use it on my MSN Health & Fitness app in the background and it uses more than when idle of course, but not close to the power use when using HERE Drive for example. Also, I have location turned on for Swarm, and it's not that noticeable.

I still think the worst power use in the Icon has something to do with the networking and possibly IE. It's the only way to explain the 30%-40% power drain when logged in to disqus.com... well, that and the keyboard, which also happens to be heavily used when messaging in Messenger or SMS, which always seem to drain the power as well (though that could also be from connections, I suppose). It's weird that what should be the simplest of uses is the task that drains the battery on my Icon the most. I keep hoping firmware will fix this... :/

 

[feeked]

There are definitely major power issues related to wireless lan, and possibly cellular. I could tell you about my situation, but it probably wouldn't make sense. It just sucks. I also think that the keyboard is a big drainer, though that could be across all devices, and possibly specific to using swipe typing.

 

[awilliams1701]

Unfortunately you can't sell a phone for Verizon or Sprint without their permission thanks to CDMA technology. So Verizon could say we get exclusivity or we won't carry it. MS would then have no choice if they wanted to offer it on Verizon. Personally I think the inclusion of CDMA gives them an out. The 930 and 929(Icon) aren't the same phone because of the CDMA radio. You can't interchange the firmware. Calling it the same phone would never hold up in court.

Not a chance at all! The 930 is the EXACT same phone but couldn't be released in the United States because of the exclusivity contract with a company that didn't give a squat about the phone and actively squashed sales of the device. I suspect Apple knew this phone was better than their brand new iPhone 6 and paid VZW to squash sales of it. This is why Microsoft should NEVER do another "exclusive" phone deal. And if they do, do it with a Phone company that cares about Windows Phones = AT&T! I think Microsoft should do an "exclusive deal" with AT&T for a brand new Windows 10 phone that is an iPhone killer and Verizon can watch all their beloved Android and iPhone users leave their network for AT&T like they did for the initial iPhone!

 

[MikeSo]

Unfortunately you can't sell a phone for Verizon or Sprint without their permission thanks to CDMA technology. So Verizon could say we get exclusivity or we won't carry it. MS would then have no choice if they wanted to offer it on Verizon. Personally I think the inclusion of CDMA gives them an out. The 930 and 929(Icon) aren't the same phone because of the CDMA radio. You can't interchange the firmware. Calling it the same phone would never hold up in court.

Are we sure the 930 doesn't have CDMA radio built in as well? The Icon definitely works on both CDMA and non-CDMA networks, so maybe the 930 does too.

 

[DavidinCT]

Just waiting for the day when I come on here and someone says....Check your phone

sigh....does not look like it's going to happen any time soon

 

[anon(7901790)]

GPS certainly requires much more juice than, say, WiFi or cell tower based location tracking, particularly while it's getting a satellite fix, but otherwise it's a passive technology. I can't imagine how it would use anywhere near enough juice to make a device warm to the touch. I think what you are noticing is your navigation app. It's drawing an animated 3D map at 30 FPS or more. On a 1080p screen that means the navigation app is drawing at least 60 million pixels per second. Just like any 3D game, that will make a L930 hot, much more so than the actual GPS tracking.

I can see Here Drive+ making the phone warm up. It's happened to me. But I also think it has a bit to do with where the phone is while using it. If your car mount is on the dash of your car AND plugged in to a charger, not only are you getting heat from CPU usage, but also from battery charging and heat from sun light. I've countered this by blasting my A/C through the front defroster vents. That helps keep the phone cooler.

 

[anon(7901790)]

Are we sure the 930 doesn't have CDMA radio built in as well? The Icon definitely works on both CDMA and non-CDMA networks, so maybe the 930 does too.

Technically, you can run CDMA using GSM frequencies (i.e. WCDMA). So yes, theoretically the 930 could be CDMA capable, but I don't think it is. CDMA is more of a protocol than a network technology. CDMA actually dates back to the 1930's. When a Soviet professor published a paper on it.

Code division multiple access - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
What is CDMA (Code-Division Multiple Access) ? - Definition from WhatIs.com

 

[a5cent]

I can see Here Drive+ making the phone warm up. It's happened to me. But I also think it has a bit to do with where the phone is while using it. If your car mount is on the dash of your car AND plugged in to a charger, not only are you getting heat from CPU usage, but also from battery charging and heat from sun light. I've countered this by blasting my A/C through the front defroster vents. That helps keep the phone cooler.

Yeah, combine all that and you can easily fry eggs, sunny side up, ? la Icon. :smile:

To me it sounds like people are reporting the device becoming very hot even without that combination of factors however.

I'm only saying that if GPS works as it should, then GPS shouldn't, by itself, be the main source of battery issues or heat. As a counter example, I've used a lot of mid range WP devices that remain completely cool while using Here Drive+, so if it was the GPS, which is identical in all WP devices, they'd all have to get hot.

 

[DavidinCT]

Technically, you can run CDMA using GSM frequencies (i.e. WCDMA). So yes, theoretically the 930 could be CDMA capable, but I don't think it is. CDMA is more of a protocol than a network technology. CDMA actually dates back to the 1930's. When a Soviet professor published a paper on it.

Code division multiple access - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
What is CDMA (Code-Division Multiple Access) ? - Definition from WhatIs.com

I remember reading this, that WCDMA is not compatible with Verizon... CDMA requires a KEY that Verizon puts on their phones, so you cant just take another CDMA phone and run it on Verizon....For example a Sprint phone....

I could be wrong but, from what I remember, Japan is WCDMA and it's different than Verizon...

So, the 930 might work on AT&T or TMO but, getting it to work on Verizon with 8.1 installed is not going to happen...

 

[MikeSo]

I remember reading this, that WCDMA is not compatible with Verizon... CDMA requires a KEY that Verizon puts on their phones, so you cant just take another CDMA phone and run it on Verizon....For example a Sprint phone....

I could be wrong but, from what I remember, Japan is WCDMA and it's different than Verizon...

So, the 930 might work on AT&T or TMO but, getting it to work on Verizon with 8.1 installed is not going to happen...

Right. Not saying you can just take a 930 and put it on Verizon like you do with a GSM phone, just saying that hardware-wise they might still be the same.

 

[kevvan]

It costs money but IMO it should be sunk cost for bringing the phone to market. While it is a DEV effort, in the grand scheme of things it is rounding error on Verizon's balance sheet. The fact that they released the phone IMO means they have some obligation to support it for a period of time - sales or no sales. Sales aside, is this how they want to treat their customers? Also, whether they continue to sell this phone or not is irrelevant to me - one of their loyal customers of 10+ years. I know that I'm going to pay for the services to use it for two years - and wouldn't a common person think that there some inkling of an implied support for firmware updates during it's reasonable - usable, lifespan?

 

[Trevor Wolfe]

Talked to a rep online and she said Nokia hasn't released the update. Hmmmmm doubt she knows what she is talking about

 

[awilliams1701]

That's because the Icon has both CDMA and GSM radios. The 930 only has GSM. Even if it had CDMA it wouldn't work without Verizon's permission. Also LTE isn't CDMA and as a result this problem is going to be over at the end of the decade when Verizon shuts down their 3g network. You also can't get the Icon to work on Sprint either for the same reason. It would need Sprint's keys to work.

Are we sure the 930 doesn't have CDMA radio built in as well? The Icon definitely works on both CDMA and non-CDMA networks, so maybe the 930 does too.

 

[David Feifer]

I almost swear that most of the issues that people have are app related. When I got the phone the first thing I did was remove all eroneous apps. Ie. All Verizon. And the only app I have added to it was facebook.
This is a work phone so I use it all day and usually by the time I get home I still have at least half battery. Wifi on my network is actually better then my ios devices and the phone stays cold compared to my iPad.

 

[David Feifer]

using the 8.1dp since it came out. For some reason neither chrome or ie are letting me edit my post to add. keep hitting the save button but nothing happens.

 

[AR2186]

That's because the Icon has both CDMA and GSM radios. The 930 only has GSM. Even if it had CDMA it wouldn't work without Verizon's permission. Also LTE isn't CDMA and as a result this problem is going to be over at the end of the decade when Verizon shuts down their 3g network. You also can't get the Icon to work on Sprint either for the same reason. It would need Sprint's keys to work.

At this point, its likely they are the exact same phones with a different firmware on
them to allow different frequencies and different technologies. It doesn't make sense for Qualcomm to manufacture CDMA specific chips now that they have to incorporate the GSM and LTE radios for global roaming and LTE. Just look at the iPhone 6, the AT&T iPhone and Verizon iPhone are the same model, but the VZW is unlocked and allows CDMA. Apple uses a Qualcomm radio/modem in the iPhone, so clearly the techology is there

 

[anon(7901790)]

I remember reading this, that WCDMA is not compatible with Verizon... CDMA requires a KEY that Verizon puts on their phones, so you cant just take another CDMA phone and run it on Verizon....For example a Sprint phone....

I could be wrong but, from what I remember, Japan is WCDMA and it's different than Verizon...

So, the 930 might work on AT&T or TMO but, getting it to work on Verizon with 8.1 installed is not going to happen...

It wouldn't work on CDMA networks in India either, unless they are partnered with VZW. Verizon does partner with non-US carriers to allow customers to use their phones over seas.

 

[AR2186]

It wouldn't work on CDMA networks in India either, unless they are partnered with VZW. Verizon does partner with non-US carriers to allow customers to use their phones over seas.

Verizon does, but not through CDMA. Roaming occurs over GSM networks, with the possible exception of Spring in the US for domestic roaming agreements

 

[JK75]

Verizon and Microsoft are really close to killing the WP ecosystem for me. With the announcement of the Nexus 6 yesterday, I am really close to scrapping the Icon and Verizon and buying the Nexus 6 when it comes out and using it on AT&T. This plan seems to have all the positives and none of the negatives of Icon/WP:

• Flagship-caliber hardware
• Updates directly from Google
• Excellent app support
• Microsoft apps for XBox Music, Outlook.com, OneDrive
• Wireless charging
• Being able to tell Verizon to shove off

The only thing I would really miss is Cortana, I think. Anyone see anything I am not considering?