Should I buy another Windows Phone or switch to Android?

[alinauman97]

Hello Windows Central community!

Let me start off by giving a brief introduction to myself. I`ve been a big fan of the Windows Phone OS since 2010. It was the first smartphone platform I ever liked and still is my favorite. I even convinced a number of my friends to try it out. And my first phone was a Lumia 520, which I got back in October 2013.

But almost a month ago, my 520 stopped working. Turns out, the motherboard was damaged and needed replacement, but I didn`t want to spend any money on it, as there were a number of other hardware issues too, some of which couldn`t be fixed.

Hence I am in need of a new phone. My budget is pretty limited and from the Lumia lineup, I can only get the 540. If I want an Android phone, I`ll have to look into some used ones. The problem is that I can`t really decide if I should switch to Android or stick with Windows for a while longer.

I like Windows 10 Mobile and really want to use it, since I couldn`t really do that on my 520. But I don?t know, the lack of some apps on this platform makes me want to reconsider. I don`t know for how long I will have to wait before I can get a better device so it?s a tricky decision. And one more thing, is a 540 running Windows 10 good enough for a typical user? I`m talking about listening to music, web browsing, using social apps and maybe light gaming.

So help me decide guys: Stick or switch?

 

[spicypadthai]

540 should work ok, but it's the minimum specs (1 GB RAM, 8 GB storage) to have a decent experience and you'll want to add a SD card to get the most out of 10. Check out the 540 forum here to see what people are saying. But it sounds like you have an Android itch that's probably worth scratching. The new Windows phone options aren't getting better anytime soon so if you're ever going to see if you like Android, now's the time.

 

[libra89]

Yep, this is the best time to try out Android. What options do you have in mind?

 

[cracgor]

I had a similar situation, but I was in the high end boat. I decided to go from a busted 1520 to the 950xl and was not happy. I switched to a V10 and have been happy. If you get a cheap android phone, the problem will be updating it to a current build of the OS. If you are stuck on a build before Lollipop, you will probably be unhappy.

 

[MarCou]

I would switch to Android.
f. e. used moto g with sd-slot.

Posted via the Windows Central App for Android

 

[alinauman97]

Yeah, I suppose so...

Yep, this is the best time to try out Android. What options do you have in mind?

I`m considering an LG G2

 

[libra89]

Ooh that would be a good choice! I think there's a high possibility that Microsoft will come out with something interesting next year. Why wait, you should just try the G2 and see how that is.

 

[Ten Four]

Don't know where you're located but here in the USA you can get a Lumia 640 for about $30 and it runs W10 well. It's the best smartphone bargain out there. For the price you can afford to buy it and give yourself more time to see what happens with W10.

 

[alinauman97]

Ooh that would be a good choice! I think there's a high possibility that Microsoft will come out with something interesting next year. Why wait, you should just try the G2 and see how that is.

Yeah, I hope so!

Don't know where you're located but here in the USA you can get a Lumia 640 for about $30 and it runs W10 well. It's the best smartphone bargain out there. For the price you can afford to buy it and give yourself more time to see what happens with W10.

I`m from Pakistan and the 640 will cost me about $190... I can get the G2 for a little more than half of that.

 

[Ejay Lozano]

Nokia since 1999. I think I might switch to another platform. I'm looking to the Sony xperia line for an option. Unless the rumored Nokia comeback changes things and gets me staying. Only time will tell...

 

[Werentuckl]

Since we have a member here from Pakistan. Welcome Ali.

And your best bet is going to be to go used. If you want to stay on the windows wagon. Pakistan wont have very many other options for a while. But on the bright side, you can easily get a 1520 for around 18-ish grands if you can push your budget to that. And also, the LG G2 is a really good purchase. You just want to be careful with the glass. It cracks super easy. And, Pakistan also has a bunch of grey market G2s, with their boards changed or region codes changed. So you cant update the OS without going the XDA route. A friend got a lemon like that once. But so yeah, theres your options right there.

-- W

 

[TimboNJ]

I just switched from a Lumia 640 to try a Galaxy S5 to give Android a try.......I hate it!!! If it wasn't for the apps, I much prefer my lumia phone. A better layout, no bloatware....even the GPS is more accurate on my Lumia. If I use Slacker radio on the Android phone, it locks up unlike my Lumia phone.

I can go on and on, but what can you do when there are no apps for the Windows phone. It's a shame.

 

[Player Piano]

Might be a good time to take a year off from Windows Mobile.

 

[cracgor]

Is there really no bloatware? My 640 and 1520 both came with all the bloatware installed on it from Microsoft (Groove, Office, Outlook, maps, etc), AT&T (Locker, GPS, etc). Even the 950xl came with Microsoft bloatware and others (uber, facebook). In both cases you can "uninstall" most of the bloatware, but it sits in the background on both phones forever.

 

[P1ng0fDeath]

Is there really no bloatware? My 640 and 1520 both came with all the bloatware installed on it from Microsoft (Groove, Office, Outlook, maps, etc), AT&T (Locker, GPS, etc). Even the 950xl came with Microsoft bloatware and others (uber, facebook). In both cases you can "uninstall" most of the bloatware, but it sits in the background on both phones forever.

I'm not sure apps like Outlook and Groove can be considered bloatware... And what do you mean with "sitting in the background forever"? Once you uninstall an app it's gone AFAIK. Anyway, the fact that you can uninstall most of the pre-installed apps is a big plus compared to Android. It's one of the things I'd miss the most should I switch.

 

[cracgor]

I'm not sure apps like Outlook and Groove can be considered bloatware... And what do you mean with "sitting in the background forever"? Once you uninstall an app it's gone AFAIK. Anyway, the fact that you can uninstall most of the pre-installed apps is a big plus compared to Android. It's one of the things I'd miss the most should I switch.

How is groove not bloatware? I don't use groove. I don't want it on my PC or phone and it cannot be uninstalled. I use a different music player. Similar story on my phone. On the phone all of those preloaded bloatware apps (Microsoft, AT&T, Uber, etc), when they can be "uninstalled", they are not truly uninstalled. They are still stored on the phone in the background. Every time I do a system reset I have to "uninstall" them again. They are just being disabled and hidden from view, but they are still there. I do not see how that is different than Android where you can "disable" the stock apps installed and install your own app which can default as your browser, email client, photo viewer, video viewer, etc.

I'm really not saying one is superior to the other either. Both come with bloatware, even when you buy an unlocked phone from the Microsoft store. It is still worse when you buy a carrier locked phone.

 

[Narathan]

..., when they can be "uninstalled", they are not truly uninstalled. They are still stored on the phone in the background. Every time I do a system reset I have to "uninstall" them again. They are just being disabled and hidden from view, but they are still there.

Thats not how it works. When you do a system reset, the phone uses the recovery partition. If your provider added apps for example into that recovery rom, well yeah -- they get restored as well. Same goes for MSN News, Money etc. It's baked into the rom, but you can uninstall most of them once you're done setting up. they're definitly uninstalled UNTIL you do a system restore again.

As far as choosing another platform, welp I'm using Xiaomi Mi5 with CM13.1 at the moment but I can't really say I'm enjoying it. It's more stable then my 950XL but its so very, very static.

 

[TeknoBlast]

I was a big WP fan since the beginning but moved to Android back in November. My wife still has her WP, but I'm about to move her to an Android too. I love the WP OS, but it's sad to see the state it's in.

While everyone else are running around with the iPhone or Android phone, I fought a good battle with my Windows Phone. At the end, the apps do matter, even though I kept telling myself that they dont. Also frustrated me to see major apps stopped supporting WP as well.

Also doesnt help that TMobile never carried the high end phones. I always had do buy the high end phone unlocked.

I miss the WP OS, but it was time to move on. If the situation ever improves for WP, I'll consider moving back. As of now, I have to stick with Android.

 

[Captain_Eric]

This is a very close call.

I'm a long time Windows Phone guy, but it's getting tougher with the forecasted (and real) cut backs.

I use a Samsung Galaxy S4 along backing up my aging Lumia 1520.

I prefer the Microsoft operating system because it is smoother and easier to move around. But despite android's relative clunkiness, it has better apps, in my case fully supported Waze, incrementally better Kindle app, Economist Expresso, none of which is that critical. I prefer Groove because it plays from OneDrive, but also because it's "Radios" create better playlists than, say, Spotify.

My 1520 is misbehaving lately and my Samsung Galaxy S4 screen is cracked and less reliable, so a decision looms.

Me? If I had to decide today (but I don't), I'll wait for the mythical Surface Phone.

 

[alinauman97]

I just switched from a...

I was a big WP fan...

This is a very close call...

Yeah, that`s what makes this decision a tough one for me too... I am a big fan of the Windows Phone OS and I do like the direction they`re going in with Redstone, but the app gap is not something I can ignore anymore. Since the past month, I have been using an Android emulator as a temporary replacement for my busted Lumia, and I`ve got to say, the app quality on Android is far superior than on Windows Phone. I don`t like the Android OS much myself, but unfortunately, I think its time I try something different. Hopefully, after a couple of years or so, the situation will get better and I could consider returning, but I guess, until then I`m moving to Android.