I want THIS on my Windows Phone!

[DaveGx]

Ok, well forgive the crapness of my 2 second and unfinished mockups, but maybe what Microsoft *might* do one day is Windows 8 style colour themes instead.

I can't imagine they'll want people walking around with their pink/green colour schemes or photos behind their tiles, it would not reflect well on the brand, but themes could possibly work.

http://i.imgur.com/yBpkyUa.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/M3Djvqz.jpg

Nice job. Something so simple, yet it seems to escape MS devs. Or more so, they get so stubborn sometimes and refuse to do things like this for reasons I will never know.

 

[DaveGx]

You guys should really tweet/email images of these to some Devs or other higher ups who work at MS on Windows Phones. No reason they couldnt implement some of this easily.

 

[rhamblet]

A few minutes is a huge underestimate. But even so, a few minutes wasted on something that doesn't matter is still a few minutes wasted.

Plain and simple: This will not happen. There is no point in wasting your efforts here. Suggest it on uservoice, but it's not going to happen. Suggest it here, and it has even less chance.

No, I think you are overestimating how much work it would take to change background.png
it would literally take a half hour, max. Plus there is an obvious demand for the feature, so it is well worth that half hour.

Bet on it happening.

 

[DaveGx]

No, I think you are overestimating how much work it would take to change background.png
it would literally take a half hour, max. Plus there is an obvious demand for the feature, so it is well worth that half hour.

Bet on it happening.

I wouldn't bet on it but would like to see it. I like MS but they can be very stubborn when they choose to. Look at how we still have limited amount of tile color options, 3 years into WP. That is bs, and they refused to do it for some reason. A simple color maker would've taken them a half hour to do.

 

[Morpheus Phreak]

A few minutes is a huge underestimate. But even so, a few minutes wasted on something that doesn't matter is still a few minutes wasted.

Plain and simple: This will not happen. There is no point in wasting your efforts here. Suggest it on uservoice, but it's not going to happen. Suggest it here, and it has even less chance.

Actually speaking from experience, no it wouldn't be an underestimate to say it's a few minutes to put the code in there. You act as if the code responsible for this doesn't already exist in Windows, when it in fact does.

I don't get why people think that everything requires coding from scratch...

 

[Morpheus Phreak]

If all the 'ideas' from users were taken on by MS, we would end up with the bloated whale that is Android.. All style and no substance. A background image in the start screen makes zero sense, and I'm sure MS will have the good sense to ignore it. An image that would never be seen.. Good one!!
Some ideas are quite good and should be considered, but let's not just port ideas from Android or iOS. WP can offer more elegant, and useable, solutions...

I'm usually on Microsoft's side on a lot of things. Not allowing backgrounds is one that I'm not for though. I've tried to convince them since the Zune HD that allowing backgrounds is a good thing.

Personally I'd love to put a blurred raindrops on glass shot as my background....but no...

 

[falconrap]

Ok...are some of you seriously against allowing this option? Seriously? I can GUARANTEE you that this option would be wanted by a large number of users. I would like the option. I can imagine some basic backgrounds that would work well with tiles. At the very least, I want color options besides black and white. Since they are going to merge with RT, I believe they will need to do this anyways.

 

[colinkiama]

Ok...are some of you seriously against allowing this option? Seriously? I can GUARANTEE you that this option would be wanted by a large number of users. I would like the option. I can imagine some basic backgrounds that would work well with tiles. At the very least, I want color options besides black and white. Since they are going to merge with RT, I believe they will need to do this anyways.

Reasons why we need this:
1. iOS has this similar feature. People from iOS will feel familiar with the start screen and will ease them to move to the os
2. Customisability in the OS would. Makes the phone more personal to the cater the user's.
3. How does it not look good!

 

[LumiaWorld]

Woah, I'm surprised with the amount of posts... Considering I just posted this thread yesterday.

Yeah, I agree with the others. If ever this feature would be implemented, it will be nice if MS would provide an option whether to use a background or not...

 

[Reflexx]

I'm usually on Microsoft's side on a lot of things. Not allowing backgrounds is one that I'm not for though. I've tried to convince them since the Zune HD that allowing backgrounds is a good thing.

Personally I'd love to put a blurred raindrops on glass shot as my background....but no...

Agreed. A nice pattern or design in the background would be sweet.

It's not a deal breaker by any stretch, but the option would be nice.

 

[Dave Blake]

I have to agree this is one of those things where I have to scratch my head and say "Why not". What needs to happen is your phone background needs to match your PC/Tablet background and it needs to ne automatic when you sign in to your Microsoft account.

 

[neo158]

You guys are also forgetting one other thing, Battery Life. Having a background image or even just background colours would kill battery life on devices using AMOLED displays.

 

[rhamblet]

No, it would not "kill" battery life, but it would eliminate some of the battery savings from using an amoled display.

 

[spaulagain]

http://img.imgur.com/AKncxxw.jpg

http://img.imgur.com/5KbKZxE.jpg

You can't even see what it is. What the heck is the point?

Everyone has a right to their ugly I guess.

i feel they should make tiles semi-transparent, like windows 8/8.1 desktop taskbar. if they combine this with a wallpaper that would keep data and text on tiles distinct, while adding to the looks.

Oh god no. The tiles semi transparent? Seriously? You think that will look good? Or even more importantly, usable?

 

[Dave Blake]

Oh god no. The tiles semi transparent? Seriously? You think that will look good? Or even more importantly, usable?

I am talking edging like on my Surface pro background. Just patterns around the edges like a picture frame. How would that hurt anything and it sure pull some of the boarding out of the Black or White themes.

 

[distilledoreo]

I hate the idea of a background image, personally. I think they should utilize the title of the OS... WINDOWS phone. A solid background, but with Live Windows instead of Live Tiles. The tiles/windows would be transparent and an image would be displayed behind it. Here's an example...

 

[LumiaWorld]

I would love to have transparent live tiles

 

[falconrap]

Using the phone with a white background is the most battery intensive. Other colors would be less. Seriously...it should be an OPTION.

 

[cckgz4]

Why would you want a background image when 99% of it is covered with tiles?

Exaaaactly

 

[lephan133]

I doubt something as basic as the ability to change background would require more than a few minutes of their time, it's not rocket science to add this in.

Having more choice to customize the look of the OS is always good. For people that want to keep the current look no one is forcing you to change it, that's why its called an option.

Things are not that simple. They do not only code the feature but they'll have to test it. Do you want to get a system crash due to just tiny little thing?