I called it! CNET has already written a trolly headline that still has to make fun of WP 8.1

[Reflexx]

LOL! What im wondering, is what the app selection has to do with the Windows Phone 8.1 update?!

Absolutely nothing. It's just an opportunity to throw a jab in there.

 

[unstoppablekem]

What sheep...

 

[rdubmu]

LOL! What im wondering, is what the app selection has to do with the Windows Phone 8.1 update?!

When you compare Android 4.4.2 and IOS 7 to Windows Phone 8.1 the biggest issue is missing apps.

Everything else is pretty much on par IMHO. I like Windows Phone more, just there are many apps I need for work that are not released on Windows Phone. I never noticed this as much until I went to a convention and to check in using my phone I either had to use Android, IOS or HTML5 (which sucked). Our company is rolling out a few apps now and not for Windows Phone. I need them. There are plenty of great games that are not released on Windows Phone even thou it has xbox live games. Many productivity apps missing. It isn't about the top 50 apps, most of them are there, it is about the 500k apps that are not there, and no I am not talking about the 200 fart apps, I am talking about legitimate apps that people use.

 

[A895]

What's worse is engadget gave a very fair review, but cons was no google apps? Who cares! Does anyone who owns a WP miss google apps? I wouldn't even use any of them, but possibly youtube.

A lot of people don`t use Windows Phone because there are no Google Apps.

 

[thegregulator10]

A lot of people don`t use Windows Phone because there are no Google Apps.

Agreed. I very much miss Google apps. Not enough to switch back, but still...

 

[Reflexx]

When you compare Android 4.4.2 and IOS 7 to Windows Phone 8.1 the biggest issue is missing apps.

Everything else is pretty much on par IMHO. I like Windows Phone more, just there are many apps I need for work that are not released on Windows Phone. I never noticed this as much until I went to a convention and to check in using my phone I either had to use Android, IOS or HTML5 (which sucked). Our company is rolling out a few apps now and not for Windows Phone. I need them. There are plenty of great games that are not released on Windows Phone even thou it has xbox live games. Many productivity apps missing. It isn't about the top 50 apps, most of them are there, it is about the 500k apps that are not there, and no I am not talking about the 200 fart apps, I am talking about legitimate apps that people use.

...and what does that have to do with 8.1 update?

It's not like an OS update would suddenly create hundreds of thousands of apps.

 

[Reflexx]

A lot of people don`t use Windows Phone because there are no Google Apps.

True.

Google still is a big and popular company. Having their apps available will only help the platform.

...but I'm not sure what that has to do with the 8.1 update.

 

[Guytronic]

Ahhhh
CNET doesn't even like things like pizza and beer.
We can appreciate predictability with their reviews which I seldom read.

They "used" to be the web leader for tech now they're trying to hang on in a tech typhoon.
Remember when it comes to media it's always better to squat than to stand up.
CBS will probably cut them loose eventually.

 

[MyNL822]

LOL! What im wondering, is what the app selection has to do with the Windows Phone 8.1 update?!

When I said this, ofc I know we have an app problem(I need Quiz up), I am a teen I hear all about my friends new apps but we don't get them . But I just thought it was funny how this had nothing to do with the update but they mentioned it a million times.

 

[savagelizards]

...and what does that have to do with 8.1 update?

It's not like an OS update would suddenly create hundreds of thousands of apps.

Hopefully this update (and the migration to a single app store for Windows 8.1/WP 8.1) will do just that.

That said, I think the article was evaluating the impact of WP 8.1 on Windows Phone market share and it was in that context that the lack of apps would temper the migration of existing smartphone users to Windows Phone. It's a legitimate point, and it's not offensive.

 

[muneshyne21]

If you compare WP with iOS I'd say that WP has actually leapfrogged over it in terms of important OS functionality. Lets keeps app numbers out of this for now.

What WP8.1 has that iOS doesnt have:
-SDcard functionality and app install capability
-Larger and denser screens
-latest and greatest quad core 32 bit processors (until we get over 3 gigs of ram, 64 bit isnt used to its full potential)
-SWYPE...or whatever its called
-More complex Personal Assistant
-Live tiles
-More customizable home screen
-Better physical cameras...but to be fair iOS software has awesome reflexes, panorama and slow mo. OK maybe this one is kinda a draw.
-Glance...at least for most of us

I mean, in terms of things you use most through out your typical day, how can't you say WP8.1 hasn't surpassed iOS in a huge number of respects.
Android on the other hand is a much tougher beast to slay in terms of features, but WP (like Apple to be fair) still has a couple of extremely important advantages over Android that cannot be discounted:

-You can update your phone without carrier intervention (rooting doesnt count becuase it can get complicated for non techys)
-The updates, no matter how big and far down the line they are, don't make your phone a huge laggy mess if its over a year old...well, that is if they are still even supporting your phone.
-Less worry of viruses, scams and hacks because we are a smaller community...kinda like the Mac community in regards to PC.

 

[bobsentell]

And I predicted that the ground would be wet after it rained.

Predicting CNET to bash Microsoft is not a leap of faith.

 

[MameTozhio]

is cnet the technology world's cnn.

 

[bobsentell]

is cnet the technology world's cnn.

Technically, they are owned by CBS.

 

[TachyonicCargo]

As a long time Android convertee to Windows Phone myself, not really worried about it. We got two more updates coming this year for WP8.1. Gaps between other mobile OSes and WP are filling in fast. All of 2013, Microsoft promised that 2013 would be all about backend updates, and that 2014 would be about user end updates. Needless to say, none of the user end updates we are getting this year would be possible without Microsoft taking the time to build the backend that could support them in the first place - that includes an actual vision of where they want to take mobile computing, and setting the groundwork for that vision to come into reality. True, it is sort of chicken and egg; no one is going to buy your platform without apps and features. But developers aren't going allocate resources (away from the iOS and Android) to provide those, unless you (whomever the 3rd option is) does as much of the work for them as possible . . . leading to that workable backend Microsoft has spent the last year developing. And yes, I prefer it to the way Google does things. Which is put everything out in beta form, have you (the user) pay hundreds of your own money to participate in their beta, and then just cancel stuff that did not work out; no matter your fiscal/emotional investment in it. That type of haphazard way of building out their OS, has meant that many features they kept around, are simply never perfected, as they quickly move to introduce the next set of features. Samsung has the same problem. If you owned a GS3 (especially the international version), then the GS4 was largely meh, and the GS5 is even more meh, as a result. My point is, you can have all the features in the world, and not be particularly good at any of them. Does not make you the best, just means you got more. And sometimes it means you got their first. I guess in the minds of some, more = best, or first = best. Thankfully I am not one of those people.

As I stated before, from what I can tell, Microsoft spent the past year doing all the hard work overhauling the OS from behind the scenes. Now the gaining parity on the front end can begin. And who knows, perhaps better implementations of some of those features they are catching up on, will result. Does it mean people will suddenly jump ship to Windows Phone? Doubtful. I think people for the most part are stuck in their ways - and I guess I am fine with that. But as Stephen Elop is so fond of saying, "it's about the next billion people." You know, the ones who have yet to upgrade to a smartphone, or a tablet, or other form of mobile computing. And I think long term, so long as the moves Microsoft has made position Windows Phone as a viable choice - not to be confused with an alternative, but as an honest to goodness, viable choice on its own, then they have done their job better than anyone could have imagined. And as the industry moves into satisfying that next billion users, being a viable choice is going to make all the difference in the world at gaining real marketshare.

 

[Chris_Kez]

Why can't I ever resist the urge to read these trolling articles (and the comments)? They're all bad and incredibly frustrating in their own ways, and I KNOW there is no good reason to click the link and take the bait, but I just. can't. resist. I'll count it as a small victory that I didn't post a comment on the site itself.

 

[wuiyang]

what?! oh wait... i forgot CNET is a apple ******...

 

[neo158]

To me its not the lack of apps, its the lack of companies not coding for WP, I mean looked at how long it took for Instgram for instance. Its ok for the media to spout of about lack of apps, but they need to look at the ones refusing to make these apps and the excuse there isn't a demand for WP's

If companies start making these apps for WP as they are done for Android and iOS maybe there wont be as much to talk about.

Exactly and with support for Universal apps then these companies have no excuse if they have apps for Windows 8.1 and RT 8.1, ironically I'm looking at you CNET!!!!

 

[drelewis]

The quality of most of the apps is actually better than on iOS/Android, as the infrastructure is better (both the design language implementation and the IDEs available. Tried my hand at Android development, after using Visual Studio for years, and believe me, it's UGLY. The frontend looks nice, but all the elements, e.g. navigational drawer, are so hard to implement properly that you simply give up. Of course, they provide more flexibility (you can fill a nav drawer with your own custom list items, for example), but the overall developer experience is not that good).


For Windows Phone, we have a few clearly set design guidelines, which are incredibly easy to implement (especially with the MVVM patterns and Data Binding), and that's actually the reason why there are so many crappy apps on the Store. Seriously, if I did not run into at least 5 "Features"/"Specials" apps (which detail the upcoming/existing features of bigshot apps, e.g. Instagram, Windows Phone 8.1, Facebook, etcetera) for each big name, then I haven't seen any. Now, when Microsoft accepts such apps, that does say something about the platform and its app store. Don't misunderstand me please, I love WP - but this thing truly disgusts me.

And CNET can go s*ck it. A few years back they were one of the most reliable tech sites, now they just feed on the fame they collected back then. They've been at their Appleballs-licking for the past two-three years, bashing any other platform, no matter how good those are doing.

"The quality of most of the apps is actually better than on iOS/Android"

"the reason why there are so many crappy apps on the Store. Seriously, if I did not run into at least 5 "Features"/"Specials" apps (which detail the upcoming/existing features of bigshot apps, e.g. Instagram, Windows Phone 8.1, Facebook, etcetera) for each big name, then I haven't seen any"

I have both phones on my desk. I have say 5-7 apps that I don't have on my wp. To add the main ones fb instagram etc all have more features on android. Added to that I can change how my phone looks on android please take the blinkers off.

I am a WP fan boy just to add but the gaps are clear to see for those that want to.

 

[hopmedic]

CNet is the tech world's MSNBC. Not worth watching.