Going from iPhone 4s to Windows 8

[twinmomma416]

I went from being a blackberry user to an iPhone 4 user. When our contract with ATT was up (services was ABYSMAL in our house to say the least) we switched to Verizon and bought Galaxy S3. We had them for the weekend and took them back and got the iPhone 4s. The two biggest issues were the inability to easily transfer iTunes music to the Galaxy (partly because the phone picks and chooses when it wants to "speak" to my macbook) and the massive amounts of bloatware taking up memory in my phone. There were a ton of things I loved about it, but the music thing honestly was a dealbreaker because I use my phone as my running partner when I train, along with providing music in my office and in my car - and because I don't have unlimited data, streaming music isn't an option.

That said, I'm BORED with a capital B with iPhone, and my Macbook is almost dead and I'm considering a windows 8 laptop as well. I've read some of the threads comparing WP to iOS. I'm really interested in people's experiences transitioning from iOS to WP and what you miss, what you hate, etc... I should add I'm a gmail user, and I know that can be an issue. My mother in law's phone is up for an upgrade and I'd like to switch it to my line to get a WP because then I'd only be stuck with it for a year if I hate it. I should also add I'm fairly tech savvy, and not afraid to dink around with things to make them work how I want.

Thoughts? Experiences?

Thanks!!!

 

[naosuke]

While I've never owned a Iphone 4s, I was an avid android user since the Nexus One. While it was great for the time, it got extremely annoying years later. Lack of updates, buggy software, laggy touchscreen, etc. Even when I switched to the Samsung Galaxy S2, which was praised for being the best android phone out back then, ..it still suffered from the same problems that annoyed me. While I enjoyed Android's strength (Customization), I realized it's strength was also it's weakness. I spent so much time baking custom ROMs, switching ROMs, etc, etc. , Only to realize that I was customizing so much because I was never satisfied with how ugly it was. You're also right about the stupid preloaded apps that you CANNOT DELETE without rooting. Very stupid indeed.

I digress.

While Windows phone 8 isn't perfect, but it's definitely a breath of fresh air, and I believe it's a step in the right direction for mobile computing. I love the experience, the Live Tiles, the fluidity of the OS.

Other OS's designs seem painfully too similar to iOS and Android, they share the same stagnant grid icon scheme (BB10,Firefox OS, Ubuntu OS, etc.) But Windows Phone 8 is the only one that truly gives a different experience all-together in my opinion. Give it a try

 

[realwarder]

There are lots of similar threads here. Search.

Summary: WP8 is refreshing over iOS. Lacks a few apps, lacks a few features but is super cool to have. Rock solid stability. Fast.

Email works great - you have an unread email view unlike iOS.

You can tinker with it as much as an iPhone, which means you're limited to the options you see.

I moved and until Apple learn to innovate again, won't be going back.

 

[rob45]

I went from a 4S to WP8. Missed some apps at first but then more and more started to appear on the Windows Store. I like to get into the settings and tweaks and found IOS to be too locked down. I like growing with the product not having everything dictated to me about what I can do and not do with my phone. Very happy.

 

[explosive0]

Went from iPhone 5 to HTC 8x, Lumia 920 and back to the iPhone. I advice you wait maybe another year before giving Windows Phone a shot, especially if you're using it primarily for music. Windows Phone can't even get gapless playback right - It's 2013 and Microsoft completely ignores constant complaints about this.

 

[James8561]

besides the obvious app disadvantage Windows Phone 8 as an OS is much better than iOS in my opinion. Sure it has a few annoyances such as the slightly mediocre xbox music interface, the idiotic combined volume control, and minimalistic camera interface (there's ProShot for this) it is overall a very good OS and I think if you aren't needing very specific apps you will be fine with the phone.
The email experience is excellent. Although if it's your first time going WP from iOS you'll have to spend around a day getting accustomed to the better GUI with live tiles as opposed to icons. just spend a weekend loading in the music, playing around with it. I'm sure you'll love it

PS: Welcome to Windows Phone Central

 

[PeltFrelken]

Are there any deal breaker apps that you don't see on the Windows Phone app selection? That's a good test to see if you are ready for WP8.

 

[moegumby]

My experience switching from iPhone to WP. I didn't use alot of games and such so that wasn't a issue. Flipboard doesn't exist on WP, but Nextgen, Fuse and many more fill the bill nicely for RSS. I can honestly say I have found almost every app I used on my Iphone on WP. And those I didn't, WP had a alternative that was just as good.

Now for the OS! The OS is reason enough to switch. I can get so much more accomplished with minimum effort then I ever did on IOS. People hub is fantastic. Mail is as good as my BB and IOS, no complaints.

Everyone has different tastes, to each their own, but I say go for it, you'll love it.
Sent from my HTC6990LVW using Foroplex

 

[jrdatrackstar1223]

I just recently came back to Windows Phone after using a 4s for about 2 mons, and I now know I will never leave this platform....

I have always loved smartphones and trying different operating systems because there wasn't a single one that had EVERYTHING I needed (still isn't, really lol). I initially started with webOS(its a shame what happened to such a beautiful OS...), and after it started dying, I moved to Android for a while. After finally getting fed-up with no updates, having to root, lag, etc, I went with Windows Phone 7 because I hate Apple and swore to never buy an iDevice. I loved it, and though it had NO APPS (which never really bothered me anyway, except for gaming like Modern Combat), it was the OS for me. Started off with the Arrive, and after dropping Sprint, went through various Windows Phones on T-Mobile and AT&T...

Fast forward about a year later, and we get the news about WP8 not coming to legacy. That ticked me off, but since I'm not on contract and only go prepaid, I found a way into an 820 because Microsoft had hyped it up so much; it having the NT kernel, finally getting apps I wanted, NFC hardware, etc. However, after I got one, it was like I ran into a bunch of lies and empty promises. The apps weren't there that were promised close to launch (even 3 months after release), NFC is limited by ISIS mobile wallet (which will never see the light of day), there were (still are, but better) a lot of bugs and annoyances that were not present in Windows Phone 7 (Xbox music *cough*), and the list goes on. On top of that, it didn't feel like a significant upgrade since the OS was the same, only more colors and different tile sizes, which would've come to the Lumia 900 anyway that I had. There were also bad hardware bugs I had, such as people not hearing me on phone calls, music screeching and popping noises, etc, creaky unibody casing (the 920 I eventually go into after the 820), etc...


I finally caved and bought a 4s, since it had "everything" I needed (minus a nice UX and NFC payments), and had decided that I had to put my Apple bias behind me and purchase something that just WORKED to meet as many of my needs as possible. For a while, I swore to never go back to Windows Phone because it was such a breath of fresh air: apps were there (games I was looking for, mostly), no insane bugs, huge amounts of support for the platform (both in terms of software and hardware accessories), Siri was amazing (and actually WORKED nearly all the time)etc; life was good. Then little things started to annoy me about the UX, like how email is handled (it has more features, yes, but is insanely clunky with the unread number badge count ALWAYS showing up if you hadn't read EVERY SINGLE EMAIL SINCE DAY ONE OF YOUR EMAIL....). There were other SMALL UX inconveniences that pushed me to looking at Windows Phone again because they've basically nailed it (to me) when it comes to a consistent, easy-to-use OS.

I checked WPcentral everyday, and it seemed like developer interest had really picked up. Maluuba and Indigo were coming (I have to have a good voice assistant since i drive with the kids ALL the time), Gameloft (and other big name companies) finally came around, hardware support us coming (MOGA, remote controlled helicopters, etc)...

I finally came back around 2 months ago now, and after being around everything there is to try, I finally said that I would rather wait until the bugs get squashed and Microsoft get 'everything' right, then to go with a "perfect" OS that makes me miserable. The only thing keeping Windows Phone from being 100% perfect for me (outside of bug fixes and new features like VPN, seperate volumes, remote desktop) is NFC payments; once that arrives, I will have enough to satisfy me nearly 100%...

Its also nice having a consistent UX with Windows 8, especially SkyDrive (OMG, syncing to SkyDrive seamlessly is unbelieveably nice lol)...

 

[dgr_874]

Windows phone is great, unless you like music. If you stick to just the XBOX music pass, you will be fine. Once you try and load in your own collection, prepare for much disappointment. I own several windows 8 and 7 phones along with several iPhones and use both daily.

 

[rob45]

I see a lot of music complaints with Xbox.I don't use music much but what about Spotify? Any complaints?

 

[snowmutt]

First of all- the heart of the matter is that you are unhappy with iOS. At some point, you need to jump off that OS.

Second of all- music seems to be the most important part of your smartphone use. So:Be warned Twinnmomma: You will need to walk away from your iTunes selection. The fact is Microsoft wants you in their ecosystem. Yes, they are trying to get Google to support a little better, but you need to like Bing, you need to be okay with the still-developing app selection, and musically you need to start all over again to save yourself the pain of thinking you can make it work. XBOX Music for WP 8 is not as good as the Zune interface with WP7, one of the main reasons I am not in a hurry to get to WP 8. However, it is a very reasonable service, with a growing catalog. There are a lot of people happy with spotify, Nokia Music, and there are some decent apps that include the option to play radio stations. I LOVE Tune In radio. If you can live with walking away from iTunes and starting over, you should have plenty of options.

WP is a great, fun, and personal OS. It is such a simple idea and at the same time time allows you to keep and add what you want while not forcing you to live with things you do not want. The only real problem with the OS? Microsoft started it in 2010, instead of 2008. That two year difference really put developers and ecosystems into iOS and Android. Now, it is taking longer to get caught up, and is harder. If you understand the parts of the OS that are still growing going in, you will love it.

Try it for the amount of time you have to do a free exchange. See if we have steered you right.

 

[realwarder]

I see a lot of music complaints with Xbox.I don't use music much but what about Spotify? Any complaints?

There is Pandora too, as well as Nokia music which is dirt cheap for offline downloads of any songs.

 

[explosive0]

I see a lot of music complaints with Xbox.I don't use music much but what about Spotify? Any complaints?

Equally abysmal currently.

 

[hartenvonk]

Well due to a defective powerbutton and a horrible repair i decided to move from iPhone 4 to a Lumia 820. I had already some experience with WP8 because i use a HTC 8S for work, so i decide to buy a new Lumia 820 instead of a second had iPhone 4 which has the same price here in Holland. I love to listen music on my iPhone and i do love it again on mij Lumia 820... Nokia Music is really good! Nice an clear sound and if you use the original Nokia headset you can use the dolby sound enhancement which is in my opinion really nice. Not for all kinds of music tough but for the most it's quite good!
I cannot find a technique in this phone which is walking behind iOS. De GUI is really intuitive, and customizable. Yes, iPhone is maybe a statement, WP8 is a refreshing and good working phone OS. You can really give it a go!
And antoher nice thing is the integration with the whole Windows 8 thing!

 

[vaultsurvivor]

My entire music library is through itunes at the moment, and I havnt experienced any problems syncing music to my 920; ive just been using the drag and drop on W7, anything that needs converting is prompted, and appears on the phone fine, audio is good, and controllable from anywhere on the phone. That said, I havnt bothered creating any playlists yet and I have seen a few complaints that it can be a pain. I love the OS, i came from an original galaxy s, and the lack of lag still amazes me. Definitely not disappointed by the swap, I like being a bit different and WP8 is different and actually pretty good! (And ive converted two people since getting my phone!)

 

[MrEsy]

I just made the switch from the 4S to a Lumia 928 (Verizon). So far I'm pretty content.

The biggest miss is not having imessage. All of my friends have iphones and it's really annoying to have to use my old iphone on wifi to imessage. It's really frustrating that apple essentially has tons of people bound to their products because of the accessibility of imessage. Adding further insult to injury is the fact that standard group text messages don't even work on the 928 (or any WP8 phone supposedly) because of Verizon having turned off group texting (?). Supposedly this is going to be fixed when a new update rolls out, but it's very frustrating.

The app environment is probably what most people find to be the problem with WP8 phones, but it isn't a huge deal for me. I've found plenty of basics, like a Flashlight, some soccer apps, etc. I don't use instagram and facebook is dead but I know for a lot of those apps there a quality third-party apps to fill in for non-existant/poor official apps.

Another small thing is the visual voicemail isn't standard (I think you have to pay more) on the WP8 as opposed to iphone. I don't know much about it, maybe I had been paying more on iphone, but what I do know is I used to have it and now I don't. I hardly get phone calls anyway haha.

--

There are a lot of things I like about the phone though. The hardware of the 928 far exceeds the 4S. I'm getting better battery life, better data speeds (obviously with 4G compared to 3G), I'm finding the AMOLED screen to be displaying great, better RAM, better camera, and more useful buttons.

The WP8 OS is easy and fun to use at the same time. Honestly I was getting bored of iOS and iOS 7 hardly looked like an improvement. Same thing with Apple's new hardware. Don't see anything ground-breaking happening with the 5S.

 

[vmares MARES]

I recently moved from iPhone 4 to Nokia Lumia 1020 with windows 8, on at&t. I did it because of the 41 megapixels camera of the Lumia 1020. Video and pictures are 10 times better than on any iPhone. I compared it to my daughter's iPhone 4s too. I love the windows 8 experience and the bigger screen with higher resolution than the iPhone 5. Retina technology has met its match. It takes about a day to figure things out, but once you do it's a pleasure to use it. An inconvenience is setting up visual voicemail. Unlike the iPhones that have it ready to go when you connect it to a wireless service company, with windows 8 phones you have to call to set it up. I'm not missing out on anything as far as apps and social media. The only thing to keep in mind is that Windows 8 is in diapers. I compare it to when the first iPhone was released. One thing I can't do right now is deposit checks to my Paypal account by snapping a pic. Paypal added that feature to their androind app a few months ago, and now they are working on their windows 8 app so it can be done. My bank does not have an app for windows 8 or android. I can still do online banking with the browser in my phone, no problems so far, but I am trying to find windows 8 users with accounts in the same bank to create a campaign to push them to make it. :smile:

 

[spapakons]

Why you say one cannot upload his/her MP3 collection to the Phone? Is there a restriction or something? In theory you can always copy some files in a memory card and access it, but again I cannot tell since I haven't a smartphone yet. I know there is a restriction in iPhone, but there is a workaround. Forget iTunes, use a third party utility to send music or ringtones to your iPhone (I don't recall the name now). Surely something similar can be done for Windows Phones, no?

 

[ilovenokia]

I had Android before, I used iPhone also (s4 & 5)

believe me I found Windows Phone 8 different and simple in away that I don't intend to leave it to any other OS, all what I can say is Windows Phone 8 providing different experience than Android & iOS
one thing also is the Apps market and if you got Windows Phone 8 you may not find Apps you used to use in iPhone but there is a good amount of alternatives for most important Apps and soon Nokia will release new Windows Phone 8 smartphones with better hardware & software too.