What do I lose by switching too a non-Nokia Windows Phone?

[Generalheed]

I currently have a Nokia Lumia 928 on Verizon and I'm due for an upgrade in a few months. Clearly there won't be any new flagship or high end Windows Phones by then. I'm not sure how long I can wait to upgrade my phone once I'm off contract, but I doubt I can wait another year. So I might just have to upgrade to another Windows Phone for the next 2 years.

Currently, Verizon only offers the HTC One M8 and the Samsung Ativ SE. The M8 looks nice, but the 5 MP camera just feels like such a downgrade from my Lumia 928 camera. So if I switch, it'll probably be the Samsung Ativ SE. So my question is, what do I lose by switching to a non-Nokia ecosystem? I know the Denim update was only for Nokia phones, but what exactly will I lose by switching to the Samsung Ativ from my Lumia 928? Or does anyone know if it'd be possible for me to wait a whole year for flagship windows phones?

 

[mj0]

Can't help you with the waiting part of your question since back in the US I never owned a carried-provided phone but always free-market alternatives instead.

What you'll lose:

* The entire Nokia/Lumia-Suite of applications, including Lumia Camera, Lumia Panorama, etc.
* The entire HERE-Suite of applications, including HERE Maps, HERE Drive+, etc.
* The Nokia ringtones and notification sounds (probably not a big deal)
* Certainty of quick updates since Microsoft now provides you with both hard- and software

At least part of the Lumia-Suite will be included in Windows 10 so you might get that back. There's no way of telling how well HTC and Samsung are going to handle the upgrade to Windows 10 but from experience with both companies I'd say chances are slim to null. With Lumia devices at least Microsoft has clearly stated that all Windows Phone 8 devices will receive the update but then again this might still change in the coming months. However, given that you're on Verizon I wouldn't expect to receive any updates ever once you've bought the phone anyway.

That's about it I guess, can't think of anything else.

 

[Generalheed]

Can't help you with the waiting part of your question since back in the US I never owned a carried-provided phone but always free-market alternatives instead.

What you'll lose:

* The entire Nokia/Lumia-Suite of applications, including Lumia Camera, Lumia Panorama, etc.
* The entire HERE-Suite of applications, including HERE Maps, HERE Drive+, etc.
* The Nokia ringtones and notification sounds (probably not a big deal)
* Certainty of quick updates since Microsoft now provides you with both hard- and software

At least part of the Lumia-Suite will be included in Windows 10 so you might get that back. There's no way of telling how well HTC and Samsung are going to handle the upgrade to Windows 10 but from experience with both companies I'd say chances are slim to null. With Lumia devices at least Microsoft has clearly stated that all Windows Phone 8 devices will receive the update but then again this might still change in the coming months. However, given that you're on Verizon I wouldn't expect to receive any updates ever once you've bought the phone anyway.

That's about it I guess, can't think of anything else.

I don't use the Nokia apps too often. Sometimes I'll use Lumia Camera but for the most part, the default camera app is good enough for me. If I lose HERE Drive+, what's the default GPS app for Windows Phone? As for updates, I'm in the developer preview so I'll still get Windows 10 hopefully.

 

[Kevin Hill2]

The HERE- suite of app's are available on all Windows phones, you really will not be missing anything but the Lumia camera and that will come with Windows 10.

 

[AluminiumRims]

You will not miss out on anything. All of the Lumia SW and Here SW will be partly from Microsoft and Nokia and they will get paid for it.

I predict that Microsoft will back out of the hardware manufacturing and let others do that like HTC and Samsung. In the future you are more likely to have WP not from Microsoft.

 

[Jonnie LasVegas]

You will not miss out on anything. All of the Lumia SW and Here SW will be partly from Microsoft and Nokia and they will get paid for it.

I predict that Microsoft will back out of the hardware manufacturing and let others do that like HTC and Samsung. In the future you are more likely to have WP not from Microsoft.

You're probably right, but I hope you're wrong. Or maybe they'll at least put out one flagship a year, if they decide to get out of the hardware end.

 

[thirdday2002]

I'd also point out that you'd lose the ability to use the Lumia Software Recovery Tool (if needed). While you'd hope your phone never bricks or needs to be re-flashed, as far as I know Samsung or HTC don't have an equivalent utility that will help you recover from a bricking scenario without sending it off to someone.

 

[Generalheed]

The HERE- suite of app's are available on all Windows phones, you really will not be missing anything but the Lumia camera and that will come with Windows 10.

So based on that, do you guys think I should upgrade my Lumia 928 in April to the Samsung ATIV SE? Or should I wait until Microsoft's Windows 10 Lumia flagship phone? If I were to upgrade, it'll be another 1.5 years (special contract) before I can get another phone.

 

[rollindice]

call +sms filter to block calls from unwanted numbers or with-held #s ,only found on lumias

 

[Jonnie LasVegas]

So based on that, do you guys think I should upgrade my Lumia 928 in April to the Samsung ATIV SE? Or should I wait until Microsoft's Windows 10 Lumia flagship phone? If I were to upgrade, it'll be another 1.5 years (special contract) before I can get another phone.

Honestly, I'd wait for a Windows 10 flagship phone.

 

[aximtreo]

I would wait at least until the Win 10 preview for phones is released. The 928 will be able to upgrade to this and you won't need Verizon to get it for you. You will then have the time to see how Lumia phones with Win 10 run and then decide if you would loose anything by going HTC or Samsung. I believe the HTC and Samsung will be able to get the Win 10 early release as well.

 

[bo_woods]

Yeah you should definitely wait for the flagship as your contract ends in April right?? And Microsoft had said there will be a Lumia flagship in the summer, so you'll only be waiting 2-3 months while your contract is up before you get to take action

 

[dlalonde]

I've said it somewhere else but I've gone from HTC to Lumia because of all the frustration that came from non-Lumia phones. Missing apps, missing features, hope for firmware updates, etc. I had an HTC for a year and a half and changed to a Lumia and never looked back. That plus HTC was horrible at handling the announcement of whether or not Windows Phone 8.1 update 1 was coming on my phone and I couldn't get it from Dev Preview because of a firmware update missing on HTC phones.

I wouldn't go there but it's not because HTC makes bad phones.

 

[Generalheed]

Ok, I guess I'll wait for the announcement of the flagship phones and see if I should wait to upgrade. I am on Verizon after all and I don't know what their plan is to support windows phones in the future. They've already dropped the Lumia Icon. I may have no choice but to upgrade to one of their only 2 remaining Windows Phones if there won't be anymore Verizon Windows Phones.

 

[Carlos002]

Well you could try the Lumia icon, and basically you'd be losing just the Lumia collection apps and it's replacement's but not to much, depending on hardware if you're concerned