App gap? ... What app gap?

[evilrob]

There is an app gap and I find it huge. I switched back to Android because of it, although I do load my SIM back into my Lumia now and then so I can see if it has improved because I really like Windows Phone.

What is missing for me:

This is exactly the kind of response I was hoping for! Thank you for your constructive input into this discussion, it is very much appreciated.

 

[Jorge Holguin]

It irks me that the 'app gap' argument continues to rear its ugly head. There are loads of apps, many of them have a better-looking UI than their iOS/Android counterparts in my opinion. Personally, I love the way apps look on Windows Phone.

I've be talking about this for awhile now. I am happy somebody else is noticing this as well. Check my post
http://forums.windowscentral.com/wi...lopers/297291-app-gap-becoming-myth-hour.html

 

[bryanibuan]

No VSCOcam, Flipboard and BPI banking app.

 

[TechAbstract]

The day I can play World of Warcraft from my cellphone will be the day I will say that X mobile OS has no app gap... if I still play WoW by then. So far that's the only thing WP is missing for me.

It's called Order & Chaos. WOW clone.
Order & Chaos | Windows Phone Apps+Games Store (United States)

 

[rdubmu]

Even apps that are available are missing features...

Like MyfitnessPal, the iOS version can do so much more... I didn't know what I was missing until I was forced to change.


Sent from my Surface Pro 3 using Tapatalk

 

[Willyman]

It's all good and well that the "gap" is closing for the big name apps, but that's not the issue. What remains the issue is

1. New apps not being released on WP on launch date
2. Apps (even the big names) not being on par in terms of functionality with their iOS and Android counterparts
3. Slow updates.

Unfortunately it's a really a bit of a chicken and egg story. You need the user base to attract developer attention, but you also need the apps to attract the user base.

For me it's not too much of an issue. There are few apps I sorely miss (COME ONE FLIPBOARD!!). I prefer the feel of WP largely over iOS and Android, but it is still a compromised situation.

 

[jomarr]

Different for everybody but I'm with you, OP.

Haven't experienced any app gap. But like some people said, it's different for everybody.

 

[DoctorSaline]

The gap may have decreased but the quality issue is here. Then the buyers would rather have official apps. Why pay for apps for otherwise free services? Still missing big names. People want to have similar experience to what their friends/colleagues have.
Now I know that this isn't Microsoft's fault but it should be taken as a constructive criticism. I've read dozens of posts on this forum about the native email client on WP being sub par. Then people say Microsoft's own apps like outlook, onedrive, Skype are better on other platforms. Then there is XBox music/Video fiasco and a lousy IE. Now what kind of message that sends to developers?

Now, I agree that the pace of windows phone progress is a lot better today than it was two or four years ago. Hopefully once they can polish the OS with new features and stability, then they can or should set a standard with their homegrown apps for 3rd party developers to follow.

 

[colinkiama]

@evilrob totally pointless thread.If WP store serves you well then don't think that this is the case for everyone.
So you are really saying that app gap doesn't exist? Please, for God's sake don't spread wrong info. I'm a WP fan boy and I can't deny the truth that app gap exists.
Look at the following screenshot.

http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/08/05/8e8e9aru.png

that is incorrect, we have over 225,000 or I think it was 255,000 apps, android and apple have over a million. This is not accurate to date.

 

[rockstarzzz]

@evilrob totally pointless thread.If WP store serves you well then don't think that this is the case for everyone.
So you are really saying that app gap doesn't exist? Please, for God's sake don't spread wrong info. I'm a WP fan boy and I can't deny the truth that app gap exists.
Look at the following screenshot.

http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/08/05/8e8e9aru.png

First off - you are not a fan boy. If you were, you would know that the store has nearly 255k apps as of now.

Secondly, let's put those numbers in perspective.
iOS - 0.15% apps are added daily, 0.13% apps are updated.
Android - 0.23% apps are added daily, 0.48% apps are updated.
WP - 0.18% apps are added daily, 0.11% apps are updated.

So WP has (HAD since you are quoting figures from Feb 2014) second fastest growing store and catching up with Android's pace.
WP has lesser app updates, agreed, but not big enough to call app gap.

Lastly, the numbers are massively different yes, but iOS app store has reached that number in 7 years and Android has reached there in 6 years. WP has only had 4 years to pitch itself to developer and being present in a saturated market doesn't help. But considering all the odds against it, whatever the OP has written isn't wrong info. However, what you have put up is SURELY outdated and wrong info.

 

[colinkiama]

It's really what you're looking for from the apps. I have all that I need, and I know it's getting a lot better.
Plus, you're looking at the numbers, and how many apps iOS and Android have, but how many of those apps are really useful? From what I've seen, Microsoft is really good at have quality apps where they do have apps.

Yeah we might have most of the productivity apps but what about games? All iOS and Android games have game center and play games features but for our games, only around 80 games have xbox live features. What happened to #XboxOnWP ?

 

[CrossIsHere]

First off - you are not a fan boy. If you were, you would know that the store has nearly 255k apps as of now.

Secondly, let's put those numbers in perspective.
iOS - 0.15% apps are added daily, 0.13% apps are updated.
Android - 0.23% apps are added daily, 0.48% apps are updated.
WP - 0.18% apps are added daily, 0.11% apps are updated.

So WP has (HAD since you are quoting figures from Feb 2014) second fastest growing store and catching up with Android's pace.
WP has lesser app updates, agreed, but not big enough to call app gap.

Lastly, the numbers are massively different yes, but iOS app store has reached that number in 7 years and Android has reached there in 6 years. WP has only had 4 years to pitch itself to developer and being present in a saturated market doesn't help. But considering all the odds against it, whatever the OP has written isn't wrong info. However, what you have put up is SURELY outdated and wrong info.

that is incorrect, we have over 225,000 or I think it was 255,000 apps, android and apple have over a million. This is not accurate to date.

Hey, Please show me when did I say that the info I posted was up to date? I said that it was the store in numbers in August 2013. I just wanted to show OP the gap. Got it?

 

[colinkiama]

Hey, Please show me when did I say that the info I posted was up to date? I said that it was the store in numbers in October 2013. I just wanted to show OP the gap. Got it?

But you used old data. It's not accurate to date.

 

[CrossIsHere]

But you used old data. It's not accurate to date.

But I said that it was old

 

[rockstarzzz]

Hey, Please show me when did I say that the info I posted was up to date? I said that it was the store in numbers in August 2013. I just wanted to show OP the gap. Got it?

Those numbers don't show any "gap" that matters. I quote myself from earlier -

Let's put those numbers in perspective.
iOS - 0.15% apps are added daily, 0.13% apps are updated.
Android - 0.23% apps are added daily, 0.48% apps are updated.
WP - 0.18% apps are added daily, 0.11% apps are updated.

iOS app store has reached that number in 7 years and Android has reached there in 6 years. WP has only had 4 years to pitch itself to developer and being present in a saturated market doesn't help.

The only gap may be in "total number of apps" but like I said, that's comparing bananas and walnuts.

Windows Phone store crossed 200,000 in Dec 2013 and 400,000 in Apr 2014. Can any maths guy predict the current status by statistics?

My guess is 700,000 at the rate of around 65,000 apps a month.

 

[eusaphzai]

before i begin, let me clarify that i am not a fan boy or a troll. i will just put my experience with windows phone 8.1 and the reason i ditched the OS. i was on adroid for 4 years after which i shifted to WP 6 months back but now i am back to android as frankly for me wp is still years behind android/ios and will always play catch up. no amount of trivial aesthetics like the new tiles will solve the actual problem with wp which is lack of developer support. there are quite a few apps which are still not available for wp for whatever the reason, so that makes one go for the 3rd party apps which are never as good as the first party apps. the first party apps that are on wp, feels like the developers didnt put any heart into their development of their apps for wp. majority of the apps look like half baked solutions or seem like the result of "we have to make the wp app also, not that we want to but we have to" sort of thinking. wp apps does not have the aesthetic or functional qualities as found on android/ios.
cortana is promising but resting the whole ecosystem on cortana's shoulders would be unfair as she cannot save or sustain this platform. wait till MS launches cortana on other platform...that will be like shooting your own foot.
i sincerely wish that wp matures into a more usable OS but till that happens, who knows where IOS/Android would be. playing catch up wont sustain the OS for long.

 

[evilrob]

I've only had a Windows Phone for 10 months and in that time it's come on in leaps and bounds.

It went from annoying me occasionally at the start, to meeting my expectations currently - I fully expect it to exceed my expectations a year from now. I imagine that Windows Phone exceeding my expectations might just meet those for whom it currently disappoints. I guess it depends what Cupertino and the Mountain View Chocolate Factory come up with in that same timeframe.

I'm very positive about the future of Windows Phone, in any case. I like how it is today, and if it continues to improve as it has done over my brief ownership so far, I'm certain it will win more admirers ongoing.

 

[CrossIsHere]

The only gap may be in "total number of apps" but like I said, that's comparing bananas and walnuts.

Maybe there's no app gap for you and I'm actually glad to know that WP has covered many people's needs.

But there're more people like me for whom there is APP GAP.



AND, You're right my friend, Peeps shouldn't come up and say "there's no app gap" because it's actually COMPARING. And when you compare, you'll get response.

 

[itzkavin]

Maybe there's no app gap for you and I'm actually glad to know that WP has covered many people's needs.

But there're more people like me for whom there is APP GAP.

What are all the apps you need / wish to see in WP? Let us just check how wide 'your' app gap is..

 

[fredd]

There is def an App gap, most of the banks mine included, if you are a dish network customer no app for the Dish anywhere, Ive also been looking at security systems and a lot of them you can watch from an iphone or android but not Windows. Thats just to name a few.