Is Windows Phone worth to switch?

[elnatura]

Alright. What about the app quality? You say that Galaxy Phones annoyed you? What about using another device with Android running? 4.4 is said to be a completely overhaul. Performance improvements, although on YouTube, I watched a video in that was compared the Lumia 1520 with Nexus 5. The Lumia was still more fluid. Actually, all apps I need are available on all the 3 devices. It just depends on the app quality.
BTW: Is this website based internationally? After playing with Lumia 1520 in a T-Mobile store, I felt that live tiles were a bit too big. The whole interface is to simple hold. As I was in any menu, there was only one option to choose. They should have combined many options and put it onto a page. I totally dislike the retro approach, but I like the flat style of iOS7.
As I started an app, it crashed. But IE went ok. It doesn't open 6 tabs but much more than that. I checked it out and opened 20 tabs. Then I got bored and closed the IE. On the WP Store, you simply don't have local mediatheks.

 

[Blkacesvf41]

Alright. What about the app quality? You say that Galaxy Phones annoyed you? What about using another device with Android running? 4.4 is said to be a completely overhaul. Performance improvements, although on YouTube, I watched a video in that was compared the Lumia 1520 with Nexus 5. The Lumia was still more fluid. Actually, all apps I need are available on all the 3 devices. It just depends on the app quality.
BTW: Is this website based internationally? After playing with Lumia 1520 in a T-Mobile store, I felt that live tiles were a bit too big. The whole interface is to simple hold. As I was in any menu, there was only one option to choose. They should have combined many options and put it onto a page. I totally dislike the retro approach, but I like the flat style of iOS7.
As I started an app, it crashed. But IE went ok. It doesn't open 6 tabs but much more than that. I checked it out and opened 20 tabs. Then I got bored and closed the IE. On the WP Store, you simply don't have local mediatheks.

It's true that some of the "Official" apps on WP don't have as many features as their counterparts on Android or iOS. But some of the third party apps are incredibly good and in some cases even better than the "Official" ones. This is an issue of personal preference. How many apps does anyone use or need? Everybody is different. Android and iOS fans always make this argument, that their stores have thousands more apps. So what! Lots of those apps are useless! I been using WP for a year and a half and so far I'm only waiting for one app to arrive and that is Sirius XM. As far as Android goes, my wife has a GS4 with the latest OS and once in a while it does show some instability and lag.

 

[Grand Master K]

yes

 

[SSgt Bruskowiz]

Wel put it around and ask the users why they stay on the wp ecosystem?
Becouse the most users come from different platforms, Ios Droid or bb
I came from droid, and had a lot of fun with it.
But it was never trustworthy, especialy the lowbudget ones.
Lags and crashes, gps was nothing but drama........although Co pilot was good.
And the support, if you had a new model it went oke, until a new "star"was born.
With some models you had to be grateful if you ever had a firmwareupdate.
MS blew it with the 7x phones and had lessons learned.
Now even the lowbudget phones get there updates.
I cant speak for the Samsung or Huawei, but the Nokia's come with a good basic package.
And yes even the Nokia software get there updates.

The store is a different story, lag of apps, wel it depents on what you need.
I found every app i need, and without the question would it work or not ( its stil a gamble with some Droid apps ).

I wasnt shure either, therefore i bought a cheap L520 at first.
Ha, you cant find any iphone for that ;-)
Altho its a cheap phone it gives a very good impression of the wp ecosystem.


The reason why i wont return is simple.
Its snapy, sleek and it never let me down.
It provides me with the apps i need.
The mail and agenda sync is great.

And i hate the mainstream, i am the only one with a WP in my thigt cirkel of friends an relatives.
And i like the looks of the lumia's.
But i am currently not the onlyone anymore,
my wife has replaced her Note with my L520.........shes loves it, but finds it to smal, so i have to hide my 1320
No not realy she hates the tiles :-/
That's also something you have to love or hate

 

[ThaKrazyOne]

For me it's the Live Tiles that first got my attention. Second was the Office integration. The rest just falls into place. I did hate that it wasn't as customizable, but GDR3 took care of that with the tones and text alerts. A bit more app support and WP8 should gain more ground

 

[elnatura]

Live-Tiles were the attractors for me as well.
Are WP8 apps really stable and good enough? I don't lkike those several YouTube apps, cause they are held in black. I simply dislike the jumbo tiles-size. Their resolution should have been smaller.
But what do you mean with "lag of apps"? Apps lag like in Android? Actually, Microsoft's lack is that they have great optics. They copy everything in a great way. Just look at Visual Studio, Microsoft Mail/Hotmail/Outlook, Zune and also Windows.

I just don't like the waste of places in WP8 and apps.

 

[Alain_A]

is the browser would just as good as on the galaxy note 3 I would say yes for switching....I have a Lumia 520..the browser ( IE ) is horrible

 

[Ordeith]

is the browser would just as good as on the galaxy note 3 I would say yes for switching....I have a Lumia 520..the browser ( IE ) is horrible

The browser is fine. The proprietary no-standard code some websites use is a problem. Google is creating IE6 all over again with chrome.

 

[elnatura]

About the Internet Explorer, I've read negative issues as well. Am I correct if I say that on bigger devices, approx. 42 small tiles suit? If it's so, I could live with WP8.1 . And NOW I've detected some apps that support Windows Phone 8.1 as well. Actually, WP8 apps held everything minimalistic. As comparison to iOS apps (I'm comparing the evernote app), the iOS apps look more graphical. It's like comparing OS X' Aqua with Windows Classic theme.

At all, I like iTunes' Festival, Podcasts and University apps. Is there any similar app or setting in Windows Phone as well?
Music Streaming services are missing on WP8. Both, iOS and Android offer such services, but not WP8. Only Spotifys is on WP8 which looks even unsorted and almost ugly - looking like a inferior app. Compare Spotify app of WP8 with iOS7's. Thank iOS7's flat design, everything looks much better now.

 

[Alain_A]

The browser is fine. The proprietary no-standard code some websites use is a problem. Google is creating IE6 all over again with chrome.

i don't know about standard code or non standard.... the only thing I know is that the Note 3 work so fast on every site that I need to go on to as opposed to the lumia 520....same thing with BB horrible and slow...

 

[Ixia]

I buy my phones for the camera and I like Nokia, I was gutted when they dropped Symbian for windows and I dithered over getting an 808. Eventually I settled for a 1020 and actually l'm surprised that I love WP8. It looks good, it's quick and fluid. It has most of the apps I want.
However I'm not happy with Here, I use it in the UK and it picks the most tortuous routes. CoPilot is a good alternative though.
I have an Ipad, which I like a lot, but I didn't want the same format for a phone. Also have an Android tablet, which I hate, have had a lot of trouble with malware and it's got more bugs than a tramp's mattress.

 

[Lumia777]

To reply to the original post, your best bet is to wait for the Windows 8.1 update coming out in April, hopefully.

Switching now will be painful. Windows Phone has its pros, but has some terrible UI decisions and lacks some basic features that will frustrate you, like a control center or decent music player built in and, crucially, poor cross app integration (nowhere near as smoothly integrated as IOS.)

I've been patient with WP since last July on my Lumia 521, and am willing to give 8.1 a go next month. If Microsoft botches it, for me it'll be time to switch to iPhone.

Regarding maps, I think it's an understood fact that Google Maps is by far the best mapping and navigation tool available right now, anywhere on any platform. HERE Maps is a novelty to keep offline in case. It is nowhere near as useful, smooth, or detailed as GMaps. Let's not kid ourselves (despite all the pro-HERE bias 'here'.). I've been in multiple situations where I just wanted to go somewhere and enter the address, and HERE Maps let me down, whereas Google Maps found what I wanted.

The built in Office Apps are excellent. The built in Music app is garbage. Live Tiles are very attractive and unique, and a feature that got me interested over Android. The single list of apps is a bizarre UI decision and a waste of time. The 'lack of apps' argument is not really valid, as there are plenty and if they do what you need, you'll be fine. The App Store itself is very clean and well presented. Internet Explorer is terrible, very stupid UI decisions again (e.g. one button that can be customized for refresh or bookmarks or tabs). Bing Search has a dedicated hardware touch button, and is basically useless, but has very pretty background pictures updated everyday.

So, as it is right now, you come across a lot of these 'WP is great at this and sucks at that' type situations. My suggestion is, wait for Windows 8.1 to release. You may also find newer hardware coming soon. The current back/home/search layout is not practical or customizable. Right now the UI and integration between email/maps/phone/contacts is still very rough around the edges and lack of Control Centre gets very annoying. Wait a month or two and then see.

 

[elnatura]

Thank you Lumia 777. I am going to wait til summer or autumn. But I also tend to the iPhone 6. About Android and Live-Tiles: I was told that Android can also get such tiles, if you simply download the Launcher8 for e.g. and you could even have the same feeling. I doubt you could really get the same feeling, because of lacking animations while opening or minimizing an app on WP8. Didn't know, the gaps between all 3 OS would be that great. However, it seems like Steve Jobs had thoroughly thought about what he was making and that the iPhone is still a great thing, although the optics or design could be slightly different.

 

[James8561]

i don't know about standard code or non standard.... the only thing I know is that the Note 3 work so fast on every site that I need to go on to as opposed to the lumia 520....same thing with BB horrible and slow...

how could you compared the speed of a high-end $710 phablet with quad-core CPU and 3 GB RAM vs a low-end $50 phone with dual-core and 0.5 GB RAM??? of course the note 3 is faster.

 

[DaT Franchise]

The 1520 is faster then the note 3 period. Run sunspider on the note 3 and the 1520 you will be surprised.

 

[JMBasquiat]

i don't know about standard code or non standard.... the only thing I know is that the Note 3 work so fast on every site that I need to go on to as opposed to the lumia 520....same thing with BB horrible and slow...

Yes, and a Ferrari will go faster than a Fiat 500... what's your point, that a high-end, $700 phone works faster than a low-end, $150 phone?

Wow, I'm impressed.

 

[elnatura]

Who cares which one is better? Android user just care for faster or not, but not about useable or not. I'll stick with iPhone except Microsoft can bring a thoroughly improved WP8.1.

 

[immortalmatt]

In my opinion, the only thing that is keeping people on apple and android is the hardware. No 8" tablet? No decent HD phone that is small in the UK?

 

[DaT Franchise]

Um the icon and 1520 use the same hardware as the top android phones.

 

[ListenUpGuys]

I prefer IE in Windows Phone over the Android browsers, and it was one of my reasons for yet again choosing Windows Phone this week. I can list dozens of problems with it, but most of the time it's fine.