Are there any glaring differences between the Lumina modles that a novice would not be aware of?

[eseerc]

Switching from iPhone and iOS to Windows Phone...

Hi everyone,

I've been using iOS/iphones for the past 4 years. Lately with the Apple products, I have been quite underwhelmed (overall) and have been considering a switch to Windows Phones. I am a loyal OneDrive user (I think its the best consumer cloud service) and have recently switched my email/calendar/contacts to outlook.com.

Without starting any "anti-apple" rants, I am curious as to what I would be getting into with a switch to Windows Phone, specifically something in the Lumina line.

Are the OS & phones on a similar one year cycle as I have come accustomed to with Apple?

Are there any glaring differences between the Lumina models that a novice would not be aware of?

Thank you for your help!

 

[xandros9]

Re: Switching from iPhone and iOS to Windows Phone...

Hi everyone,

I've been using iOS/iphones for the past 4 years. Lately with the Apple products, I have been quite underwhelmed (overall) and have been considering a switch to Windows Phones. I am a loyal OneDrive user (I think its the best consumer cloud service) and have recently switched my email/calendar/contacts to outlook.com.

Without starting any "anti-apple" rants, I am curious as to what I would be getting into with a switch to Windows Phone, specifically something in the Lumina line.

Are the OS & phones on a similar one year cycle as I have come accustomed to with Apple?

Are there any glaring differences between the Lumina models that a novice would not be aware of?

Thank you for your help!

You'd be getting yourself into a well designed and fluid experience with excellent integration with Microsoft services. My only major sticking point would be the obvious app selection, but it varies widely on the individual.

Well, Windows Phone updates aren't exact 1:1 in regards to iOS and often are at the mercy of the carriers.
Unlike iOS which uses a closed beta, Microsoft maintains a public early access program called the "Preview for Developers" which is essentially a program to bypass carriers and to provide beta/final access to enthusiasts. A caveat is that is does not include model-specific firmware which is in the carrier's/manufacturer's court. Lack of a tuned firmware means some potential rough edges, but YMMV.

Phones are not exactly on a 1-year refresh cycle as of now from what I understand. The Lumia lineup is much larger, and device releases are not all at once. it's been two years IIRC between mainstream flagships - 920 - 930. However many other devices have popped up between those models. (e.g. top of the line 1520, THE cameraphone 1020...)

Higher end Lumia's are bound to be larger than the iPhone <5's of old and feature camera buttons. (x20 models all have camera buttons) as opposed to using the volume up key in iOS.

 

[iamtim]

Re: Switching from iPhone and iOS to Windows Phone...

WP 8.1 is a good operating system. It's very different from iOS (what with resizable live tiles) but it's really not all that different from iOS (live tiles are really nothing more than resizable icons that can display information from the app). Some people say there's an app gap because they can't get their favorite bank's app or the like on WP, but other people declare there is no app gap because a high majority percentage of popular apps and games are available on WP.

What you will see is that Apple and iOS completely devastates Microsoft and WP when it comes to OS updates. Unless you sign up for the Developer Preview program* you will be completely dependent upon your carrier to distribute OS updates. I'm on AT&T and it took an average of 2 months after release for AT&T to make each WP update available to me, and some carriers just decided not to distribute some WP updates. On iOS, as you know, OS updates are available to every iOS user as soon as Apple releases them.

~~~~~
* and while the Developer Preview program gets you, effectively, beta releases of the WP OS without carrier approval, it does not include updates to the device firmware. And that can sometimes cause problems as noted by several DP users running the 8.1 preview before the Cyan firmware was released.

 

[sinime]

Re: Switching from iPhone and iOS to Windows Phone...

Also, you can browse the apps that are available here... The Smartphone Reinvented Around You | Windows Phone (United States)

 

[Darthbobcat]

Re: Switching from iPhone and iOS to Windows Phone...

If I had to peg it, the refresh cycle for Lumia devices seems to be between 18 months and 2 years. This isn't to say that there isn't always something new and interesting out there. In fact, I'd say that one of the advantages AND disadvantages of the Lumia line is the sheer variety out there. Where Apple only has two new products at a time, over the course of a year, a new Lumia will typically come out every 4 months, each designed to hit different price points and user needs. This makes it harder to have the newest and best, if this is what you're after, but it also means you have variety. (Like the specs of a Lumia 1520, but want something a bit smaller? Get a Lumia 930! Want a cheap phone you can give a kid without worrying? Get a Lumia 520 for sale at Wal-Mart for 50 dollars!)

The biggest way to keep this deluge of products straight is to understand the numbering system. With the exception of the 1020 and 1520, Lumias are named with a 3 number naming system. The first number represents its place in the relative pecking order compared to the rest. For example, a 5xx phone is going to generally be smaller, have a lesser chip and have a smaller screen than a 9xx phone. The numbering typically goes "the 630 is the base model, the 635 has something special about it." This can either be a substantially different phone (920 vs 925) or, in the newer models, the different between a Dual Sim 3G version and a 4G LTE version.

There have been three "generations" of Lumias so far.

1) The original, Windows Phone 7 set generally had a "10." (710, 610, a few exceptions in the forms of the 800 and 900). Don't buy one of these. They're EOL, no longer supported and all of the good stuff is coming to Windows Phone 8.
2) The 2012-13 set were the 20's (exception: T-Mobile's abandoned Lumia 810). These phones run Windows Phone 8 and, for the most part, can be upgraded to Windows Phone 8.1 (again exception: Lumia 810, unless you get the Developer's Preview). If you are in the United States, AT&T tends to support their Windows Phone devices the best; Sprint, Verizon and T-Mobile haven't officially updated ANY of their Windows Phone 8 devices to 8.1 yet.
3) The 2014 set, aka the New Hotness. They come with new chips, Windows Phone 8.1 out of the box, and are, for the most part, better than their prior version. (Cue acrimony about missing camera buttons and sensors in the 530 and 630).

I can honestly recommend all of them. My best run was with one of Verizon's Lumia 822. That thing was super durable. It even survived a brief trip through the laundry machine. Its longevity has me eyeing the 830.
My 1520 has been difficult, possibly because of its size combined with my bad habit of keeping it in my front pocket; we don't have bendgate the way the iPhone 6+ does, but the screen can be damaged.
I'm currently using a 635. It works surprisingly well.

 

[aximtreo]

Re: Switching from iPhone and iOS to Windows Phone...

Now this is how a newcomer's questions should be addressed. All of the above responders gave concise yet honest descriptions of the WP world with some personal preferences thrown in.

Way to go guys. Keep up the good work.

 

[Funky Cricket]

Re: Switching from iPhone and iOS to Windows Phone...

Don't expect the same Music/Video experience. It is the one major complain from apple users. There is not a good playlist sync. I personally don't use it, I just copy the folders I want, and hit play all > random.

There are a few missing apps like smaller banking apps and such, but all the majors are there, and we have a real browser, so we can go to most desktop websites and accomplish what an app would.

 

[iamtim]

Re: Switching from iPhone and iOS to Windows Phone...

Don't expect the same Music/Video experience.

That is a good point, the Xbox Music app has always been a tender spot amongst Zune converts and those who came from other platforms. It seems to have taken a further dip with the release of 8.1, but in Microsoft's defense, they have acknowledged the problems and (when last I checked) have been releasing regular updates to the app.

Personally, I never had a problem with it, but I never really used the Xbox Music Pass and only synced music I actually had on my PC to my phone. As a player of local files, it worked fine for me.

 

[eseerc]

Re: Switching from iPhone and iOS to Windows Phone...

Hi everyone.

Thank you all VERY much for the feedback. A couple questions..

1) In regards to the music, I assume that I just sync the actual iTunes music files from my mac to my WP?
2) With the individual carriers pushing out updates, is that something I should be concerned about? Or is it "not a big deal"?
3) As silly as it sounds, a smooth **push** syncing of my email/calendar/contacts is critical between my phone and the **web** application of outlook.com. Any issues there?

I've been teetering on the fence to going back "all in" with Microsoft and getting a WP and Surface. With the news of Windows 10 today, I may just remain in a holding pattern until more is known about the new OS.

Thank you all again for your input.

 

[iamtim]

Re: Switching from iPhone and iOS to Windows Phone...

1) In regards to the music, I assume that I just sync the actual iTunes music files from my mac to my WP?

If you have any protected music from the iTunes music store, you'll have to somehow make it unprotected. Other than that, yeah.

2) With the individual carriers pushing out updates, is that something I should be concerned about? Or is it "not a big deal"?

I think it's a big deal. But that's your call... it really depends on if you want the updates as soon as they're available or not.

3) As silly as it sounds, a smooth **push** syncing of my email/calendar/contacts is critical between my phone and the **web** application of outlook.com. Any issues there?

Should be like butter.

 

[anon(8648115)]

Re: Switching from iPhone and iOS to Windows Phone...

Hi everyone.

Thank you all VERY much for the feedback. A couple questions..

1) In regards to the music, I assume that I just sync the actual iTunes music files from my mac to my WP?
2) With the individual carriers pushing out updates, is that something I should be concerned about? Or is it "not a big deal"?
3) As silly as it sounds, a smooth **push** syncing of my email/calendar/contacts is critical between my phone and the **web** application of outlook.com. Any issues there?

I've been teetering on the fence to going back "all in" with Microsoft and getting a WP and Surface. With the news of Windows 10 today, I may just remain in a holding pattern until more is known about the new OS.

Thank you all again for your input.

1. If you bought music on iTunes, look for a file in your music folder called "iTunes." In there, there's a folder called 'itunes media' or something similar. In there is all the music in either your itunes library or that you purchased. One of those two, but at the very least, your purchases should be there. Just take those files and add them to your personal library, or just simply sync them with a WP like normal. They're .m4a format, but Windows Phone CAN play such files

2. This is really one of the irritating aspects. Due to WPs lack of market share, they don't get to hold the carriers by the balls in order to release OS updates in a timely manner. So they'll release new updates whenever they damn well please. ATT tends to be the best one in doing that, but Verizon and T-Mobile seem to be the absolute worst, with Verizon simply just not giving a damn. Sales reps will actively try to convince you to not get a WP and provide BS arguments, so yeah, don't expect too much support from them.

3. When/if you get a new Windows Phone, sign in with the microsoft account as your outlook email, which I believe is already an MS account anyway since you have a OneDrive. It will automatically sync any contacts associated with the account. As for a button you can press to "update now," I don't believe there is any need. If you add a contact to your outlook, it will update live on your phone, I believe.

 

[Schnuffi]

Re: Switching from iPhone and iOS to Windows Phone...

Learned a lot of stuff I didn't know thanks for all the info.

 

[iamtim]

Re: Switching from iPhone and iOS to Windows Phone...

They're .m4a format, but Windows Phone CAN play such files

Just reiterating: WP can't play such files if they're protected.

 

[anon(8648115)]

Re: Switching from iPhone and iOS to Windows Phone...

Just reiterating: WP can't play such files if they're protected.

Oh I'm sure, but I've bought music on iTunes when I had an iPhone 5, and when I got my Windows Phone back, I had no issue transferring them over... so I'm not sure what would constitute to 'protection' in this case or if all purchases of music on iTunes are 'protected.'

 

[Laura Knotek]

Re: Switching from iPhone and iOS to Windows Phone...

Just reiterating: WP can't play such files if they're protected.

Oh I'm sure, but I've bought music on iTunes when I had an iPhone 5, and when I got my Windows Phone back, I had no issue transferring them over... so I'm not sure what would constitute to 'protection' in this case or if all purchases of music on iTunes are 'protected.'

DRM was only on songs purchased from iTunes prior to March 2009.

 

[iamtim]

Re: Switching from iPhone and iOS to Windows Phone...

DRM was only on songs purchased from iTunes prior to March 2009.

Right, that. Anything purchased recently will not be protected, just the older stuff.

 

[a5cent]

Re: Switching from iPhone and iOS to Windows Phone...

As for a button you can press to "update now," I don't believe there is any need. If you add a contact to your outlook, it will update live on your phone, I believe.

I agree that there is no need, as new data entered on Outlook.com only takes a few minutes to sync to your phone and visa versa.
If you are in a hurry however, it is possible to force a sync in the account settings. Tap and hold the account you'd like to sync, and then select "sync" from the context menu.

 

[eseerc]

Re: Switching from iPhone and iOS to Windows Phone...

Thanks again for all of the input!

My final question..... can I get some phone recommendations? Here's what I'm looking for...

1) Something within the Lumina Line
2) Not a gigantic phone, I am happy with the size of my iPhone 5s
3) Better camera with smooth operation (I have a newborn son, so I am taking a lot of photos)
4) Not afraid of spending more money for a better product

THANK YOU ALL

 

[prasath1234]

Re: Switching from iPhone and iOS to Windows Phone...

As far as I know Lumia 730 is good value for money.it is launched in India for 250$.it has good camera and great selfie camera.but entry level processor.
From Windows phone

 

[Funky Cricket]

Re: Switching from iPhone and iOS to Windows Phone...

I've been super impressed with my 928. Camera is best I've had on a phone (not that my phones have been great). The default camera is pretty quick and does a good job. Better than my sister's iPhone.

Outlook and Exchange syncs are instant. I will get my work exchange on my phone before my desktop when I am sitting in the office. The email client has a few things to pick on (attach on reply all, edit down stream message during reply/forward), but for the most part it works really well.