Bye W10, hello WP8.1!

[elindalyne]

Do people not understand that this is still beta software and that there will be bugs? If you only have one phone, you should not be even attempting to use the insider program.

People need to understand that you pay for being on the bleeding edge. You may get new features ahead of everyone else, but you also run the risk of being left without a usable product. This is how software development works and the sooner people understand this, the better.

 

[garak0410]

Do people not understand that this is still beta software and that there will be bugs? If you only have one phone, you should not be even attempting to use the insider program.

People need to understand that you pay for being on the bleeding edge. You may get new features ahead of everyone else, but you also run the risk of being left without a usable product. This is how software development works and the sooner people understand this, the better.

Can't argue there...we just do wish the Battery Drain issue could be addressed...

 

[Blashkyrk]

Do people not understand that this is still beta software and that there will be bugs? If you only have one phone, you should not be even attempting to use the insider program.

People need to understand that you pay for being on the bleeding edge. You may get new features ahead of everyone else, but you also run the risk of being left without a usable product. This is how software development works and the sooner people understand this, the better.

I am an developer since more than 15 years and do understand the process and appreciate that this is a preview and all.
The thing that makes me worried is that we have a release date around the corner and the product seems far from ready.
And to be honest I'm a bit disappointed that the software feels like a step backwards from the previous version or at least not an improvement.

I wanted this version to be good so bad (as I don't like iPhone/Apple or Android/Google that much) but I feel it's gonna fail somewhat.
From my perspective, running a Lumia 1020, there is almost nothing that is better in W10 over WP8.1, except perhaps the notification center. Cortana is not available in my country. As this is a complete new OS (again) I get the feeling that the Windows Phone community is always gonna play catch up as the OS development keeps resetting every other year.

Yes, I can stay on WP8.1 and just shut up but that's not gonna happen as that OS is going to die pretty soon.
I want all the nice and cool things that the other OS's deliver but I want it from a Microsoft phone and I can't understand why Microsoft can't get this to work. I mean they obviously do a lot of other cool and very good software.

 

[mariusmuntean]

I am an developer since more than 15 years and do understand the process and appreciate that this is a preview and all.
The thing that makes me worried is that we have a release date around the corner and the product seems far from ready.
And to be honest I'm a bit disappointed that the software feels like a step backwards from the previous version or at least not an improvement.

I wanted this version to be good so bad (as I don't like iPhone/Apple or Android/Google that much) but I feel it's gonna fail somewhat.
From my perspective, running a Lumia 1020, there is almost nothing that is better in W10 over WP8.1, except perhaps the notification center. Cortana is not available in my country. As this is a complete new OS (again) I get the feeling that the Windows Phone community is always gonna play catch up as the OS development keeps resetting every other year.

Yes, I can stay on WP8.1 and just shut up but that's not gonna happen as that OS is going to die pretty soon.
I want all the nice and cool things that the other OS's deliver but I want it from a Microsoft phone and I can't understand why Microsoft can't get this to work. I mean they obviously do a lot of other cool and very good software.

I am glad that finally an experienced developer can say the same things I've been saying all along, and I've been nailed down for them eveytime by fanboys! Windows 10 for phones is close to release and is far, very far from finish. Look at the overall behavior on most devices! because let's face it, most devices are at least midrange with 1GB of ram and QC at 1.2GHZ. How does it work?? Loading.... Resuming...lags etc. The same goes for older models: 920,925,1020,820. While 930 and 1520 are the ones that can barely run it more flawlessly, are not the only models that people have!! AGAIN, many have midrange models, many won't spend such cash to buy the new 950s, or don't want to. MS cannot simply release this OS with such performance flaws! It doesn't matter anymore that is a beta! it is close to finish line, it should NOT behave like it does, it should not drain the battery like a powerhorse, it should work MUCH better on all devices that at least have 1GB of RAM.
Very few here are realistic and have done a comparison on 8.1 and 10 on performance on various models. It's clear that 8.1 is flying and 10 is like a dead snail!...ok not really a dead snail, alive snail but still SLOW!!!!! And the user interface, shrinked down PC look a like, mixed up hamburger and pivots..well this is another thing that the design team at MS has done an embarrassing job at...
I have also had a 1020 that lucky for me did not suffer from the freeze issue after 8.1 update. 10 on it was a real pain! all this and the lack of apps and updates to those apps made me jump ship. Still I feel that I really miss my WP and from this my anger against Microsoft! NO QUALITY AT ALL!!! after so many years...maybe Panos got some sense into those two new lumias...

 

[solarscreen]

OP made a reasonable point and good decision.

I have no problem with anyone who wants to play with the Insider Preview program on their primary driver, I do that myself. BUT, if you need a reliable phone for work, having to leave the Insider Preview testing is probably a good idea. I have several Lumias I test the newest builds on and have had to revert my main phone back from time to time just to make sure I had a phone I could count on.

What is annoying in this forum are those who post complaints about the Preview builds and then say they are leaving Windows and going (back) to their wonderful Android or iPhone. Don't care about your android or iPhone devices. Don't want one. Won't ever own one. Android security is a nightmare / joke. I'm on here to read, talk, decipher, debug, vent, and enjoy Windows phones. On Windows Central.

 

[Steve Adams]

OP made a reasonable point and good decision.

I have no problem with anyone who wants to play with the Insider Preview program on their primary driver, I do that myself. BUT, if you need a reliable phone for work, having to leave the Insider Preview testing is probably a good idea. I have several Lumias I test the newest builds on and have had to revert my main phone back from time to time just to make sure I had a phone I could count on.

What is annoying in this forum are those who post complaints about the Preview builds and then say they are leaving Windows and going (back) to their wonderful Android or iPhone. Don't care about your android or iPhone devices. Don't want one. Won't ever own one. Android security is a nightmare / joke. I'm on here to read, talk, decipher, debug, vent, and enjoy Windows phones. On Windows Central.

Correct. People going to w10 DEVELOPER PREVIEW, none the less, and complaining about things and saying I'm leaving. That is silly.

Its not the final product. I did the same thing. I rolled back to get a smooth phone and proper camera.

W10 will be ready when they release it.

 

[Paolo Ferrazza]

I am glad that finally an experienced developer can say the same things I've been saying all along, and I've been nailed down for them eveytime by fanboys! Windows 10 for phones is close to release and is far, very far from finish. ...

You are making yourself ridiculous, the "experienced developer" has given some justified concerns. You are on the doom and whine wagon.

The OS is not far from finished. It is still buggy on some models, it needs battery optimization. All the rest is already there, and all the core apps are greatly improved as it is the OS usability and API.

They just need the finishing touches and they are ready for the new devices (950 950XL). Then they can solve the remaining problems on older phones (like the obsolete 1020) and deploy the OS to those models too ( if you didn't know they planned on releasing w10m some weeks at least after the new flagships).

If w10m will fail it won't be due to some bugs, of this you can be certain.

 

[fredd]

You all make me laugh. ALL the posts in ALL the forums that complain about what windows 10 doesn't have or doesn't work right can be mirrored in the way early forums about windows 8 and 8.1 and probably earlier builds too. Now everybody that has a phone that doesn't work just perfect is running back to windows 8.1 and saying how great it is. Just be patient they will get it working good just like 8.1 or better. Nobody can say that the new additions to windows 10 aren't an improvement. They have always said that the preview isn't for your daily phone. I am running it on my daily phone and no doubt there is room for improvement. and once again Im not defending Microsoft.

 

[three_thoughts]

The design of Windows 10 is so much better than 8.1 that I can put up with the occasional "Resuming" and crashing, because it is only occasional for me.

Most of the time my 930 is much faster, especially when using new W10 apps like Edge, office, Groove and msn apps. It's great that apps actually resume properly now and just open straight away where you left them, rather than having to reload the page like they did on WP8.1 - it makes the whole experience feel so much smoother.

Yes there are bugs that are annoying but it's to be expected with a preview, and for me at least, the positives outweigh the negatives.

 

[Petru Moldovan]

I worked in various companies which had access to pre-release software since Windows 2000, All the CTPs for all server and workstation Windows were slow because they were debug/check builds, all the RTM versions worked much faster.
Since this is the first time we have access to interim/CTPs for phones, probably it's a surprise that they work slow only for WP users who never tried a full Windows CTP to see how slow it is compared to RTM. So I don't have problems with the resume part right now, a debug compile is not optimized for performance and behind scenes probably collects a lot of log stuff in order to send it to Microsoft. Most of this crap will be removed from the RTM version.

* CTP = Community Technical Preview
** RTM = Release To Manufacturing

 

[MikeSo]

I am glad that finally an experienced developer can say the same things I've been saying all along, and I've been nailed down for them eveytime by fanboys! Windows 10 for phones is close to release and is far, very far from finish. Look at the overall behavior on most devices! because let's face it, most devices are at least midrange with 1GB of ram and QC at 1.2GHZ. How does it work?? Loading.... Resuming...lags etc. The same goes for older models: 920,925,1020,820. While 930 and 1520 are the ones that can barely run it more flawlessly, are not the only models that people have!! AGAIN, many have midrange models, many won't spend such cash to buy the new 950s, or don't want to. MS cannot simply release this OS with such performance flaws! It doesn't matter anymore that is a beta! it is close to finish line, it should NOT behave like it does, it should not drain the battery like a powerhorse, it should work MUCH better on all devices that at least have 1GB of RAM.
Very few here are realistic and have done a comparison on 8.1 and 10 on performance on various models. It's clear that 8.1 is flying and 10 is like a dead snail!...ok not really a dead snail, alive snail but still SLOW!!!!! And the user interface, shrinked down PC look a like, mixed up hamburger and pivots..well this is another thing that the design team at MS has done an embarrassing job at...
I have also had a 1020 that lucky for me did not suffer from the freeze issue after 8.1 update. 10 on it was a real pain! all this and the lack of apps and updates to those apps made me jump ship. Still I feel that I really miss my WP and from this my anger against Microsoft! NO QUALITY AT ALL!!! after so many years...maybe Panos got some sense into those two new lumias...

Have you used the 10549 build? Because all speed concerns are gone in that build, so the main gist of your argument no longer holds true. Yes there are still plenty of bugs, but none have to do with speed at least. Battery is still a concern though, I'd hope they will deal with that next.

 

[jasongw]

Have to disagree. I installed it on my Lumia 640 today and it's downright AWFUL. It chugs at many functions, apps crash randomly, battery life is unbelievably horrible, and the UI is a ******* trainwreck of damn near unreadably small fonts. It's not even as good as Windows Phone 7 was *five ******* years ago*.

Some big issues:

Mail App: Tried pinning my inboxes to start, since the piece of **** doesn't let you arrange them the way you want like in 8.1. They didn't appear. Until THIRTY MINUTES LATER, when I randomly went to check a text message and saw multiple copies of several inboxes.

Can't easily swipe over and sort by Unread, have to use a menu. STEP BACKWARDS, hello Android and iOS knockoff land!

Windows 10 mobile is like iOS 4 on the iPhone 3G was. It's so incredibly awful it's making me seriously consider using my upgrade on an iPhone 6S.

 

[Steve Thackery]

For me the reason I've gone back to W8.1 is because W10M is plug-ugly and I really miss all those UI innovations that made WP8.1 so unique and desirable, and which have been deliberately abandonded in W10M in order to allow easy porting of Android and iOS apps.

Now it's just like using an Android phone with live tiles. Dreadful decision, in my view, and I am really upset by it because I love WP8.1 and want to stick with a Windows phone. Now I'll be using WP8.1 on my 1520 until it goes wrong, and then I'll reluctantly have to switch to Android.

After all, why mess with a half-baked Android wanna-be like W10M when you can have the real thing?