Are we overlooking the real problem why people aren't using WP? Serious discussion please

[TechAbstract]

It's the mindshare. No flagship device that is spectacular enough to have people talk about Windows Phone. They need a really highend device or Surface phone for all major carriers even if they don't make money or losing money from those. Then do massive TV advertisements on it. People always talk about iPhone 6 and Galaxy S5 but nothing from WP.

 

[iamtim]

I agree with nicfromwales ... Lumias are definitely growing in popularity on this side of the pond.

But... neither of you have any data to back that up. For what it's worth, I just did a few web searches and everything I've seen shows that Windows Phone market share in the UK actually declined in Q3 2104 and that because of the 6/6+, iPhone market share increased. So, you know, there's that.

 

[nicfromwales]

But... neither of you have any data to back that up. For what it's worth, I just did a few web searches and everything I've seen shows that Windows Phone market share in the UK actually declined in Q3 2104 and that because of the 6/6+, iPhone market share increased. So, you know, there's that.

Market share isn't the same thing as sales. The Lumia brand is growing in Great Britain. This is the last time I'll comment, as it's ridiculous trying to argue a point about what's happening in my own country with a guy on a forum who lives on another continent.

 

[iamtim]

This is the last time I'll comment, as it's ridiculous trying to argue a point about what's happening in my own country with a guy on a forum who lives on another continent.

You're right. I should have known better than to apply actual data against your omnipotent, country-wide, innate knowledge. My bad.

 

[Geddeeee]

nicfromwales:

You're flogging a dead horse, mate.
A lot of people on here consider themselves market analysts, and think a few searches on Google will give them a true insight into 'market share' or 'sales'.

I would advise you to stay off the forums. They are just so depressing. Full of negativity and naysaying.
Just use your WP and enjoy it for what it is. Despite what people say or think, it's still a joy to use!!!

Cheers....

 

[svaethier]

It's true that the U.S isn't getting enough ads to bring people to windows devices, the only ad I seen was for the new windows x360 laptop, there are a few ads on twitter on windows devices and people are going to windows twitter page looking for pcs/tablets and getting recommendations but that is only increasing the populace that's using a device with windows on it by very little. Most ads I see on TV are from Samsung or amazon putting out a new product.

 

[agentmikeyd99]

To answer the OP, its simple. In the US, people want flagships. And no one would buy a year+ old hardware like the M8, 1020 or 1520 when Apple and Sammie and other have new devices available. Plus Windows phone is an unknown, so couple that with lack of flagships and MS' pitiful 3% will fall.

 

[Spikey Sato]

loads of people i've talk to about this say the reason they dont want the windows phone is the apps why they go with android. Iphones over priced and windows lacks app's so the android is what they prefer right now. They think window phones are awesome but there some apps they need to have first before loads of people come over. Well my friends come over.

 

[oviedofreak82]

Along with a shortage of some apps, Windows Phone is struggling to gain traction because of lack of marketing and have one true flagship on all the carriers here in the US. As many "next big thing" commercials from Samsung of the new bigger iPhone 6+, Microsoft could've had the 930 without carrier exclusivity and really grow.

However, this could open Pandora's box in the sense that the more popular WP becomes the not people will try to find loopholes and try to exploit the OS in essence repeating what has happened to Android.

 

[agentmikeyd99]

Why is this still being discussed? It's simple. Nobody knows about Windows phone and if they did, they wouldn't buy year+ old flagship hardware (m8, 1020 or 1520). Simple

 

[anon(8985111)]

Look at some statistics and you will find that the very average user might not even have bought a single app over the entire period he had been using his smartphone.

Inarguably, the issue of switching the platform persists, but how many of these supposedly Android locked-in folks are using a Windows computer simultaneously? And, while time are still changing, from my understanding it is way harder to completely give up on Windows rather than on an OS for a phone or tablet.

Everyone here should start realizing that the demands of "real people" (as MJF rightfully refers to it) are way different to the ones from us tech-savvy users posting on this forums.

 

[doob9911]

I tried lumia 520. Some basic features and critical apps are not available.
But I have already bought wp phone, so that may be not reason not to buy.
I think real reason is market saturation and wp is too late to gain market share.
MS was too fat and too slow. They ignored mobile devices.

But MS should not worry. It can keep making wp phone even if it is not success.
And it has best sw and service like office and outlook.com.
Mobile market is saturated and will be wiped out by Chinese vendors.
MS will survive at least.

So wp users!
Just enjoy your phone if you like it.
Why complain about market share?
Do you work for MS? Come on.

 

[jonnaver]

Look at some statistics and you will find that the very average user might not even have bought a single app over the entire period he had been using his smartphone.

Inarguably, the issue of switching the platform persists, but how many of these supposedly Android locked-in folks are using a Windows computer simultaneously? And, while time are still changing, from my understanding it is way harder to completely give up on Windows rather than on an OS for a phone or tablet.

Everyone here should start realizing that the demands of "real people" (as MJF rightfully refers to it) are way different to the ones from us tech-savvy users posting on this forums.

What statistics? In the Himalayan mountain range? Any source that made that claim would be highly questionable.

 

[Beppe Gissi]

What Microsoft really lacks right now is THE device. Not a flagship, but the perfect mid/low range one.

630 is the closest one, but it has no FFC, no sensors and no flash. 535 has a bad display and that slow S200. 735 costs too much to be a real best seller.

They just should do a 640, sell it at a good price and advertise it everywhere as THE Lumia and the best thing you can buy with less than 200 ?. At least, these are my two cents.

 

[Jean Sagarese]

It lacks a true flagship I will not and cannot use a phone with a small screen it strains my eyes. I was thrilled with my 1020 absolutely loved it and besides a point and shoot it was the only camera I took on my trip to Hawaii and the pictures were fabulous. Then this August we find out that it won't get all the benefits of Denim and that it will not be supported much longer. I will miss Cortana and the live tiles but I won't miss the App gap for most of the apps I would be using on a daily basis. I have no clue why Microsoft doesn't work with companies so that when something is mentioned to be downloaded the symbol for Windows is also there. Today I asked the NHL where was a app for the Windows Phone and no reply most companies seem to not give a damn about the untapped potential of the Windows Phone and Windows users even on the tablets or desktop

 

[ivdza]

I just bought Galaxy S3...i was playing around with 930 but really i cant believe that resuming and loading is stiil issue with lot of apps....
Its not problem with app gap,it is problem with whole company...they i suppose can not organize them like they should do.*
I will wear my 520 like second phone. I wanted to buy 930 or spare 920..but SGS3 is like Ferrari compared to 930,830 etc etc. I compared them and i think they are not match for Galaxy S series.. . I bought my 520 when it was out to try WP but now....hmmm i will wait a lityle further but if they dont change things i am out for sure.
I want WP to become more serious system so i can come back fully.
Best regards.

Posted via the Windows Central App for Android

 

[Geodude074]

Even though I could consider myself tech savvy and I've been using smart phones for years, when I first tried out a WP8 device, IT WAS CONFUSING AND WEIRD. Right from the lock screen, it's confusing.

"How do I unlock this screen? Do I swipe left? Nope. Do I swipe right? Nope. Do I swipe up? Ah, there we go."

"How do I move these tiles around? Do I touch and drag? Nope. Do I touch and hold? Nope, that launches the app. Wait... I have to touch and hold for an X amount of seconds, and then I can resize and remove them? Oh, okay."

"Why is it so difficult to find my app? Trying to find a single app from a LONG LIST of apps is much more difficult than trying to find an app inside of a grid with different pages."

The fact is, WP8 requires a learning curve, something that most people just don't want to do.

 

[MDMcAtee]

From my perspective....

The reason is a death by many cuts...

The lack of customization, not just on it's looks.

Forced to use Internet Explorer or it's kernel for browser

Forced to use Xbox or it's kernel. for music and video

No multi window

No Wacom pen support.

Unable to have the dial pad show first.


Now the multi window and spen is no big deal and I can live without but everything else I have to have.

Would this make this more Android like, yes I suppose it would to many, but those are the features I truly appreciate about Android and won't live without, and most of my friends and family feel the same.

The last is the spec gap between the platforms... Wither needed or not even non technical people have a good idea these days about the latest versions out and most want the latest versions of hardware since they keep them a year or longer.

WP has a lot going for it but to really get non WP people to switch then they need to make some changes to it.

 

[rhapdog]

Reasons you listed there aren't really valid for the vast majority of people that buy smart phones.

Customization of looks is exactly what 99.9% of people look for. They don't care about customizing software or customizing the way the OS works as much. They just want it to work without having to tinker with it. This is one of the biggest complaints I hear about Android, and that it is just too high maintenance, and why many people prefer an iPhone over Android, because iPhone works without hacks.

And, believe it or not, people don't care if their browser uses an IE kernel. The IE kernel actually makes it more secure and prevents people from getting hacked on their Windows Phone, unlike Android, which gets hacked.

Very few people, except Microsoft haters, care whether or not they have to use Xbox music and video kernel. They just want the music to play and the videos to play... and mine do, very well.

I showed my Windows Phone around this weekend, and people were like, "There's a Windows Phone?" You'd be surprised how many people don't even realize it even exists. When people walk into a store to buy a phone, they want to buy something they know. Many just don't know the Windows Phone, and switching from a different platform can be painful until you learn how it works.

If Windows Phone is your first smart phone, it is quite easy to learn without the learning curve. Switching from WP to Android or iPhone would be the big learning curve. What do you expect? They are different. If they weren't, there would be no reason to choose one over the other.

No, making it more like Android isn't the answer. It would kill it off, because there would be no need for it then.

 

[MDMcAtee]

My reasons are very valid

Non techie people may not know about the kernel, just as many techie people here do and these are the ones I am addressing and for the record IE on it's own is no more secure than all the rest of the browsers available it is it's interactions with the os that makes it so, and as such other browsers with a different kernel could be just as secure if Microsoft would allow them to be. They've choosen to do with WP what they did with the desktop before and that got changed

This isn't about hating this is about how to go about getting more people who are on the other platforms to be on WP.

IE and Xbox are keeping many people off of the platform, regardless of how well they work for you. People want choice, and until they have it... are reluctant to change

Being denied the right to customize the phone as one chooses is a primary (not the only reason) more people are not interested in using one,again it's about choice and this entails using different launchers, dialers, lock screens, changing up the transparency of everything so this is part of the os and what needs to change to interest more people. People want to make it their own because 1 look becomes boring and eventually closterfobic. This may not seem valid, but it really is.

If many here looked at this from others viewpoints especially those on other platforms that are more viable than this one perhaps then they would begin to see this.

How hard would it be to have a phone dialer come up without having to hit another button first?

How hard would it be to have something like Firefox or Habit Browser just to name 2 instead of IE? How hard for MX player for video?

How hard would it be to allow something like a different layout of the app drawer instead of just a vertical scrolling jumbled mess?

As I said my reasons are valid especially for myself, my wife, my children and my friends and while many don't change everything on their phones as much as I do, they do want the opportunity to do so and as such use other platforms that gives them the means to do so. These choices are familiar to them and not having the opportunity is what is foreign..

I see everyone's complaint about the lack of apps, but that is only a small part of the issue as I have said before...because the whole thing has to be acceptable to them.

You may not agree with this, that's your right, but don't tell me my reasons are not valid.. I know better than that. .

Reasons you listed there aren't really valid for the vast majority of people that buy smart phones.

Customization of looks is exactly what 99.9% of people look for. They don't care about customizing software or customizing the way the OS works as much. They just want it to work without having to tinker with it. This is one of the biggest complaints I hear about Android, and that it is just too high maintenance, and why many people prefer an iPhone over Android, because iPhone works without hacks.

And, believe it or not, people don't care if their browser uses an IE kernel. The IE kernel actually makes it more secure and prevents people from getting hacked on their Windows Phone, unlike Android, which gets hacked.

Very few people, except Microsoft haters, care whether or not they have to use Xbox music and video kernel. They just want the music to play and the videos to play... and mine do, very well.

I showed my Windows Phone around this weekend, and people were like, "There's a Windows Phone?" You'd be surprised how many people don't even realize it even exists. When people walk into a store to buy a phone, they want to buy something they know. Many just don't know the Windows Phone, and switching from a different platform can be painful until you learn how it works.

If Windows Phone is your first smart phone, it is quite easy to learn without the learning curve. Switching from WP to Android or iPhone would be the big learning curve. What do you expect? They are different. If they weren't, there would be no reason to choose one over the other.

No, making it more like Android isn't the answer. It would kill it off, because there would be no need for it then.