Android/iOS users, what's keeping you from switching to Windows Phone?

[Brecht Callens]

Im a windows phone user for about a year now and i could say i enjoy it much especially the 8.1 update. But you know what, apps in windows phone are still lacking and not really competitive with android and ios. An example of apps are facebook, viber, skype, instagram, and other common apps. These apps works great on android and ios but not in wp. Apps on wp is not well polished.

I know apps are better on IOS and Android, but I would never give up my Windows phone for an iPhone or Android. The reason? I love Windows Phone being the third less known OS which has a powerful community and lots of great third party developers. For example: Tinder, a popular app on IOS and Android was released but there wasn't a version for Windows Phone coming in the next couple of months. And? A month later Rudy Huyn, a well known developer on Windows phone, released the 6tin app with the same design and feel of the Tinder app on IOS. A very short period for making an entire app on your own, knowing Tinder worked a year on their app with a team.

What I just want to say is that Windows phone is often forgotten by app developers, but has probably the largest amount of independent great third party developers which make unique apps.

 

[chezm]

Security.

Why Windows Phone is More Secure than Android | Windows Phone content from Windows IT Pro

How Windows Phone guards against malware

How Secure Is Android, Really? (more pro-Android than the others, and raises some excellent points about the greatest threat being unwise users themselves).

Productivity. Native integration with OneDrive which is a storage option within Office desktop. I can create a PowerPoint on my desktop, save to OneDrive, and view on phone without ever telling anything to sync. If I save contacts in my Outlook desktop app, they're automatically available on my phone. Automatically seeing OneNote and OneDrive files and Outlook calendars that clients have shared with me.

If your primary use of a smartphone does not require working seamlessly across all your devices, then WP may not have distinct advantages for you. For me, it enables me to be more productive.

Fair enough, I wont argue those points as they don't apply to me. I don't need to seamless sync between my desktop/pc and phone, although using Onedrive to sync with my Xbox one is great fun for pictures.

The native integration with WP has diminished with 8.1, you gotta admit it. 8 was nice because SkyDrive was part of the whole syncing experience, noe OneDrive is used as a cloud storage more like dropbox. MS had something before, and while I agree the choices to move in 8.1 make logical sense, they broke the pillars that make the platform somewhat unique. If the integration comes back great! But we are left waiting.

As for security, I see what you mean but as long as you the user are mindful of what you're doing, you'll be fine on Android. It was worse a few versions ago but from what i hear has improved a lot.

 

[anon(8938849)]

This post is your opinion, but you're stating it as fact. None of it is true IMO.

The only thing they want necessarily a fact was WP operating more smoothly on 512mb ram. I haven't seen conclusive studies to this point but the evidence would suggest WP would run better on low end hardware, because it always has.

As far as everything else, Android phones cone with more pre installed bloat, it's well known. It's also well known and often discussed that there are many inconsistencies within the OS due in part to fragmentation and also Google's own apps not following the same design guidelines.

This is all well known so I don't know exactly what you're claiming is my opinion. Windows Phone is not known for having such issues, and my only opinion is that that makes for a more pleasing user experience.

 

[Craigtrain]

The only thing they want necessarily a fact was WP operating more smoothly on 512mb ram. I haven't seen conclusive studies to this point but the evidence would suggest WP would run better on low end hardware, because it always has.

As far as everything else, Android phones cone with more pre installed bloat, it's well known. It's also well known and often discussed that there are many inconsistencies within the OS due in part to fragmentation and also Google's own apps not following the same design guidelines.

This is all well known so I don't know exactly what you're claiming is my opinion. Windows Phone is not known for having such issues, and my only opinion is that that makes for a more pleasing user experience.

1. Tell me what pre installed bloat came on my Nexus 5

2. Tell me which Google apps do not follow the same design guidelines.

 

[tgp]

I'm not talking about syncing, ohgood. I'm talking about opening Word or Excel or PowerPoint and having OneDrive storage right there, along side local and SharePoint sites. When I open Office on my WP, OneDrive and SharePoint are right there. Office files I've recently stored or accessed on OneDrive or SharePoint are immediately visible. Seamless.

You're correct, but what he was saying is that it's not a standout feature, because iOS and Android have the same thing. In fact, Microsoft's services are mostly better on iOS & Android than on WP. I have a Nexus 5 with OneDrive, Office, and OneNote installed. They all integrate completely seamless. Office programs and OneNote have more features on iOS & Android than on WP. I can even automatically sync my photos to OneDrive. I'm not sacrificing anything related to Microsoft's services!

 

[Nerdy Woman]

You're correct, but what he was saying is that it's not a standout feature, because iOS and Android have the same thing. In fact, Microsoft's services are mostly better on iOS & Android than on WP. I have a Nexus 5 with OneDrive, Office, and OneNote installed. They all integrate completely seamless. Office programs and OneNote have more features on iOS & Android than on WP. I can even automatically sync my photos to OneDrive. I'm not sacrificing anything related to Microsoft's services!

Then I stand corrected on that point. Now, can you also see SharePoint sites and other people's OneDrive and OneNote files? The SharePoint app is a must have for me...

 

[magicdesign]

I need do not disturb.

 

[unstoppablekem]

I need do not disturb.

We have it, it's called Quiet Hours.

 

[anon(8938849)]

1. Tell me what pre installed bloat came on my Nexus 5

2. Tell me which Google apps do not follow the same design guidelines.

Android has a lot more system apps in general, and even stock Android has more Google bloat. But it's more than that. For example WP comes with the ability to fully uninstall many pre installed apps. Including all the Lumia stuff and even carrier bloat. Android can't do that. You just have to hope you can at least disable stuff, otherwise it just runs.

And a few apps that don't look or operate the same would be like Gmail, gplus, the settings app, etc.

 

[Craigtrain]

Android has a lot more system apps in general, and even stock Android has more Google bloat. But it's more than that. For example WP comes with the ability to fully uninstall many pre installed apps. Including all the Lumia stuff and even carrier bloat. Android can't do that. You just have to hope you can at least disable stuff, otherwise it just runs.

And a few apps that don't look or operate the same would be like Gmail, gplus, the settings app, etc.

You're basically saying nothing, and grasping for straws that don't exist. All of Google's apps share a distinct design language, and there is zero bloat on my Nexus devices. I will say though, that at least all of the Google apps work flawlessly on my Android devices, which is something I cannot say about my 920. Read through this forum and take note of all the complaints of what's broken on Windows Phone. It's crazy.

 

[DER1996]

I don't think it's really fair to use the Nexus 5 as an axis point because even though it is te "official" android , we all know the androids that truly represent android are the galaxy family ( pretty much like Lumia = WP ) , and with my experience , touch wiz is the biggest bloat ware since not only does it slow down the damn thing and eat a whole lot of ram , it is frankly , in my personal opinion, a whole lot uglier than anything since Symbian , and even that looked acceptable with Symbian belle and changeable themes..

 

[tgp]

Then I stand corrected on that point. Now, can you also see SharePoint sites and other people's OneDrive and OneNote files? The SharePoint app is a must have for me...

Absolutely! You can pretty much figure that any Microsoft service you have on your WP is also on iOS & Android, and it will probably work better and have more features. Excel & Word have more editing features than on WP, and Skype actually works properly. With the OneDrive app on Android (and I'm assuming on iOS as well) you have the option of automatically backing up photos in full resolution. That's not even possible on WP8, but it's coming with WP8.1.

WP has some advantages, but Microsoft services are not one of them.

One of the big complaints you see here on WPCentral is that Microsoft seems to prioritize the competing OS's with their services, and it's certainly true. But in a way it makes sense. The WP OS has some limitations that restrict some things from working properly, and the market share is a big issue as well.

And we're only talking Microsoft services here. Apple & Google each have their own ecosystems that work pretty much the same way. And except for the advanced features of Microsoft Office, they're every bit as good.

 

[Craigtrain]

I don't think it's really fair to use the Nexus 5 as an axis point because even though it is te "official" android

That doesn't make any sense. The Nexus phones are real, true Android, exactly the way Google designed them. This debate isn't about TouchWiz, Sean David is calling out Android, and real Android is what you get on Nexus devices.

 

[Melinium]

BlackBerry and Android user, 90% of my phone use is for tethering my laptop where all work is done, the remaining is voice call, SMS and peek at the mails.

I use less than 10 applications on my phones, mostly train timetable, meteo, bank app and ebook reader.

My current setup work fine, i have tried a Samsung Ativ S in december 2013 and the device was nice to use, but currently i see no reason to switch.

 

[ohgood]

I'm not talking about syncing, ohgood. I'm talking about opening Word or Excel or PowerPoint and having OneDrive storage right there, along side local and SharePoint sites. When I open Office on my WP, OneDrive and SharePoint are right there. Office files I've recently stored or accessed on OneDrive or SharePoint are immediately visible. Seamless.

dropbox, mega, google drive, or whoevers cloud I'm using when I open a word doc with star office, the files are right there. if I edited it on the computer 40 seconds ago, now it's on my phone/tablet, and whatever application in using can see it in the list of available files.

it's not something I'm really excited about doing much though. if I'm doing docs and stuff it's usually work, which is meh.



when changes are made, and the file is saved, that service syncs it to the rest of my clouds. it's really not a big deal.

 

[ohgood]

Android has a lot more system apps in general, and even stock Android has more Google bloat. But it's more than that. For example WP comes with the ability to fully uninstall many pre installed apps. Including all the Lumia stuff and even carrier bloat. Android can't do that. You just have to hope you can at least disable stuff, otherwise it just runs.

And a few apps that don't look or operate the same would be like Gmail, gplus, the settings app, etc.

what applications that can't be uninstalled are you referring to?

 

[ohgood]

I don't think it's really fair to use the Nexus 5 as an axis point because even though it is te "official" android , we all know the androids that truly represent android are the galaxy family ( pretty much like Lumia = WP ) , and with my experience , touch wiz is the biggest bloat ware since not only does it slow down the damn thing and eat a whole lot of ram , it is frankly , in my personal opinion, a whole lot uglier than anything since Symbian , and even that looked acceptable with Symbian belle and changeable themes..

OK, so you don't like touch wiz?

yes, lots of people don't. I don't. but then again lots of people don't like grape snow cones. they still like snow vibes though, and will happily accept the flavor of their preference.

 

[anon(8938849)]

what applications that can't be uninstalled are you referring to?

You can't hardly uninstall anything that comes pre installed on any Android device. Carrier bloat is a perfect example. Like all the T-Mobile apps. An Android phone like the LG g2, or g3, come with like 7 or 8 T-Mobile apps, and you can only uninstall one or two. You can't even disable T-Mobile my account, or the system manager app, both of which constantly run in the background monitoring every aspect of your device, including location, and send info back to T-Mobile. WP only comes with like 2 T-Mobile apps, all of which can be completely uninstalled.

 

[fatclue_98]

I don't think it's really fair to use the Nexus 5 as an axis point because even though it is te "official" android , we all know the androids that truly represent android are the galaxy family ( pretty much like Lumia = WP ) , and with my experience , touch wiz is the biggest bloat ware since not only does it slow down the damn thing and eat a whole lot of ram , it is frankly , in my personal opinion, a whole lot uglier than anything since Symbian , and even that looked acceptable with Symbian belle and changeable themes..

Just because the Galaxy series is the best selling Android doesn't make it the example for all Androids. By your logic you're giving the Android crowd ammunition against WP for the fragmentation argument. As for OEM skins, I think Sense is the best but sales figures don't bear that out. AOSP is the proper version of Android and any discussion that involves OEM skins puts WP at a disadvantage.

 

[carlos12001]

Just because the Galaxy series is the best selling Android doesn't make it the example for all Androids. By your logic you're giving the Android crowd ammunition against WP for the fragmentation argument. As for OEM skins, I think Sense is the best but sales figures don't bear that out. AOSP is the proper version of Android and any discussion that involves OEM skins puts WP at a disadvantage.

WP fragmentation is not nearly as bad as android.