Disappointed with WP8.1

[plasmit]

Hi Folks!
Installed WP 8.1 on my Lumia 925 and it's running like a charm Although there exist some minor grievances, i hope they will be addressed in the upcoming updates. One thing that troubles me still is the poor implementation of multitasking and Microsoft has done little to rectify it. I know,they have increased the memory limit for each app and they can't totally ditch this restriction as it would affect performance on low end hardware. But, my serious worries are:
1) Is WP so dumb that it can't know what apps are already running in background? Simply put, sometimes when I try to open an already running app from the App list or Start screen, instead of simply resuming the app, it reopens the app causing to lose all the previous data. This pisses me off much when i am navigating with Here Maps and simultaneously checking Train and Bus timings with another app.
2) How can one app have many pages in Multitasking menu? e.g. Settings
3) No more Background tasks under Settings!

After seeing the Multitasking capabilities of Android(Moto G) and iOS, i am kinda worried :unhappy:
What do you guys think about it?

 

[MrWhiteman]

Hi Folks!
Installed WP 8.1 on my Lumia 925 and it's running like a charm Although there exist some minor grievances, i hope they will be addressed in the upcoming updates. One thing that troubles me still is the poor implementation of multitasking and Microsoft has done little to rectify it. I know,they have increased the memory limit for each app and they can't totally ditch this restriction as it would affect performance on low end hardware. But, my serious worries are:
1) Is WP so dumb that it can't know what apps are already running in background? Simply put, sometimes when I try to open an already running app from the App list or Start screen, instead of simply resuming the app, it reopens the app causing to lose all the previous data. This pisses me off much when i am navigating with Here Maps and simultaneously checking Train and Bus timings with another app.
2) How can one app have many pages in Multitasking menu? e.g. Settings
3) No more Background tasks under Settings!

After seeing the Multitasking capabilities of Android(Moto G) and iOS, i am kinda worried :unhappy:
What do you guys think about it?

Background tasks has been moved to Battery Saver settings, just click battery saver and swipe across to usage.

 

[plasmit]

Thanks. Didn't check there. Happy that they haven't totally removed it.

Background tasks has been moved to Battery Saver settings, just click battery saver and swipe across to usage.

 

[Mihir Kandoi]

Microsoft isn't that dumb.... Everything will come but it takes hell lot of time than we think. Everything on the feature suggestion page is being observed... THOROUGHLY.

 

[Mihir Kandoi]

One more thing... Try re opening the apps from the multitasking menu and not from the app drawer or start screen, after 8.1 I rarely got the resuming out or data lost problem.

 

[wuiyang]

1) Is WP so dumb that it can't know what apps are already running in background? Simply put, sometimes when I try to open an already running app from the App list or Start screen, instead of simply resuming the app, it reopens the app causing to lose all the previous data. This pisses me off much when i am navigating with Here Maps and simultaneously checking Train and Bus timings with another app.

doesn't know for now, i dont have my phone currently, once i have it i will tell you

2) How can one app have many pages in Multitasking menu? e.g. Settings

so you dont can open this settings at settings, while you open on other place eg: app linked, quick setting and more

3) No more Background tasks under Settings!

under battery saver settings

 

[alllies]

@OP..Try exploring more..resuming of app is up for the app developers to implement on their apps, Heroes of Larkwood is the best game I have seen who have this best implemented so far. Apps that were tombstoned(apps in multitasking pane) are the only one's that resumes as far as I know.

Background is now integrated to Battery Saver which is now a separate app from system settings.

 

[plasmit]

Sometimes when you are at the Start screen and the needed app is right before you, won't you be tempted to open it from there?

One more thing... Try re opening the apps from the multitasking menu and not from the app drawer or start screen, after 8.1 I rarely got the resuming out or data lost problem.

 

[plasmit]

Apparently when companies like Blackberry and Jolla with much lesser OS design experience can perfectly implement it, why not Microsoft?

Microsoft isn't that dumb.... Everything will come but it takes hell lot of time than we think. Everything on the feature suggestion page is being observed... THOROUGHLY.

 

[m3kk]

Sometimes when you are at the Start screen and the needed app is right before you, won't you be tempted to open it from there?

No, when I multitask I use the multitask button. I go to start screen to start apps.

 

[plasmit]

Hi! I am not talking about app resuming. Just try this basic task in your phone. Open Calendar app-->Slide right to next week(hoping it is in Week view mode)--> Press Start button--> Again open Calendar app from Start screen. Does the app open with next week's Calendar entries? If not first party apps, how can you expect third party developers would be encouraged to implement it.

@OP..Try exploring more..resuming of app is up for the app developers to implement on their apps, Heroes of Larkwood is the best game I have seen who have this best implemented so far. Apps that were tombstoned(apps in multitasking pane) are the only one's that resumes as far as I know.

Background is now integrated to Battery Saver which is now a separate app from system settings.

 

[MrWhiteman]

Thanks. Didn't check there. Happy that they haven't totally removed it.

Not only have they not removed it, but now we are able to disable background running of more apps than before, pretty much everything except emails n essential stuff.

 

[plasmit]

Then what will you do from the App list?:wink:

No, when I multitask I use the multitask button. I go to start screen to start apps.

 

[SwimSwim]

Yeah, that is one of the quirks that just baffles me. Just because I select an already open app, doesn't mean it should restart everything. I feel like this might be a legacy design choice, from back when the only way to close an open app was too "back out" of it. Whatever the reason, it needs to go.

Point 2 is a weird one. I don't mind too much either way, but it does bother some people. Only seems to apply to built in apps, however.

As for point 3, background task settings have been moved to Battery Saver/Sense. Makes sense, as background tasks are mostly toggled for the sake of battery. Plus, Battery Sense gives nice little bars to show what apps are eating away at the battery. And to top it all off: You can pin it to the Start Screen.

 

[dicks-webos]

I updated my Lumia 820 with WP8.1. I also have a BlackBerry Z10 and can say (by comparing the two) that only the BB10 OS has real multitasking. WP, Android and iOS all have a simulated multitasking - it is not real multitasking. Apps stop getting CPU power when they go to background. This is different with BB10 OS where apps continue to get CPU power when in background.

I am disappointed with 8.1 - I thought they would add a lot of things to improve productivity. Compared to BB10 OS the WP8.1 OS looks like some toy OS. Maybe its what users want (e.g. iOS not not much better), but if you want to get things done it does not provide the greatest usability imho.

The new features added to WP8.1 just help MS play catchup with Android and iOS, but they do not get 8.1 above those. And definitely not above BB10 OS.

Just my 2cts comparing different OSes.

 

[marbla]

Guys, if you use the back button then app resume works fine. On the calendar too by the way.

Sent from my Lumia 925 using Tapatalk

 

[marbla]

And I don't think you lose time on the back button since the start animation is so long.

Sent from my Lumia 925 using Tapatalk

 

[msirapian]

Hi Folks!
Installed WP 8.1 on my Lumia 925 and it's running like a charm

No you didn't. You've installed a developer preview version. So maybe the preview version is dumb, but nobody can tell how dumb or improved will it be when released as RTM.

Some features have moved in terms of menu; other will reappear when apps (FB, Twitter, Here, Skype, Music, etc.) are updated.

You've accepted that when installing the preview ; so now relax and don't be disappointed. As you say, it runs like a charm and you may expect a few glitches to be fixed in a couple of months. Specially with the Nokia layer (Cyan).

 

[Ebuka Allison]

...tapping on an app from start almost always restarts the app. Resuming it from the multitasking carousel is easier

 

[plasmit]

Hopefully the final version will be improved a lot better.

No you didn't. You've installed a developer preview version. So maybe the preview version is dumb, but nobody can tell how dumb or improved will it be when released as RTM.

Some features have moved in terms of menu; other will reappear when apps (FB, Twitter, Here, Skype, Music, etc.) are updated.

You've accepted that when installing the preview ; so now relax and don't be disappointed. As you say, it runs like a charm and you may expect a few glitches to be fixed in a couple of months. Specially with the Nokia layer (Cyan).