Does it matter to YOU if Microsoft Mobile dies (or is dead)

[mullern]

Because I FINALLY would like to see and experience an Ecosystem which is transparent through all platforms - PC, Tablet, Mobile - and hopefully in the future also int the Internet of Things IoT.

 

[Steve Thackery]

I see windows 10 mobile(W10M) is as feature rich and more cohesive OS than android

As feature rich as Android? I don't think so. The API is less extensive and the UI is simpler (though that is a good thing, in my view).

 

[direktorn]

Chintan could also working for MS or any the above reasons listed in the post.
I'm certainly not an employee by Microsoft.

To start with I loved my iPhone, bought the 3G, the 4, the 4s. But then something happened. For every new release the new functionality slowed down, the os looked the same (no, flat icons and ui is not a major upgrade). And I felt the same with the desktop OS (I have owned two MacPro's so I have spent some $$ on Apple)

At the time I looked at Nokia Lumia 910 who had a great camera, NFC, Wireless Charging and that came with an os that felt "fresh" so that has been my main device until about 4 months ago when I broke my screen. Having a device for 3 years is not my style (maybe I'm getting old..) but I loved that phone. I loved it so much that I bought the 930 (about a year old and almost impossible to grab at an retailer) - (In the between I owned a Palm Pre and I loved WebOS, had multitasking that actually worked)

For my PC experience Windows 10 has been a joy from the first beta release, the OS has evolved with every build, new feature, fixing inconsistency in the UI. However WP 10 has been a disaster from the beginning.

For some reason beyond my knowledge I installed WP10 on my Lumia 910, what a huge mistake. I have never seen an OS that unpolished and slow (Ok I can understand that as Mobile OS never runs on hardware as old as PCs do) - So a factory reset to WP8 was needed...

Here I should really leave right? Jump on the Android wagon? Or iOS? No, its not for me, I love Windows Mobile.. So I got myself a Lumia 950, free DisplayDock and everything.. MS would never release an device with an faulty os?

Now it's getting interested, and where my point goes. Microsoft loves developers, they have a lot.. The only reason I can think of why the mobile Windows 10 never get's done is development effort. Sure assigning equal amount of development hours on an OS that has one digit market share towards one that has 50-70% is not worth it, but MS has been here before.

For MS its hard to steer their huge oil tanker into another direction, they have partners, resellers, developers who invest in their ecosystem and that's ALL to ms. Apple does not work that way.
But here MS need to show commitment to the eco-system, and currently it sort of shows in marketing terms, but not in actual improvements. And that's the part I'm caring about

How can I stand behind a platform that is crap, buggy, with no support from developers:
- Instagram, one of the worlds most used services has still not released a real app, just the same beta
- LinkedIn, worlds biggest social network for business (a market MS should be interested in) - has an app that does not work with WP10 (Can't sync contacts)
- Facebook, the worlds biggest service, all categories has an app that is so buggy I've stopped using it.
- Missing basic functionality that the others have had for ages.

I really hope that MS will get their universal apps working so that developers can code with less ad that developers who build apps for, lets say the Surface will go the extra mile and compile it for WP10. If not the os is dead.

 

[fatclue_98]

^^You make some valid points but your LinkedIn bullet is way off. LI contacts have been syncing with Outlook since WP7. If you click on your MS account in settings you'll see LI already there. When you sync, they both go grey.
Sent from my Lumia 2520 on Tapatalk

 

[dimatador]

The OS may not be dead but it sure is headed that way..... MS just don't care,they keep putting phones out there that are sub-part to what every other phone company is doing. This is north America we like top-notch not sub-part for that,we can go to Asia and just buy them cheap phonest by the bunches. They buy Nokia, instead of building on it they just finish running it to the ground. Build top-notch devices that we want not **** that makes the look OS bad!!

 

[fatclue_98]

The OS may not be dead but it sure is headed that way..... MS just don't care,they keep putting phones out there that are sub-part to what every other phone company is doing. This is north America we like top-notch not sub-part for that,we can go to Asia and just buy them cheap phonest by the bunches. They buy Nokia, instead of building on it they just finish running it to the ground. Build top-notch devices that we want not **** that makes the look OS bad!!

North America is not Microsoft's only market. There is a whole world outside the US.

 

[Saijin_Naib]

North America is not Microsoft's only market. There is a whole world outside the US.

A world that almost without argument, is a far more profitable and growing market than the USA, which by most metrics, is completely saturated/stagnant for mobile sales.

Race to the bottom is the way to build install/userbase for mobile.

 

[Bondte]

Of course WM isn't dead and won't be as long as they don't pull the plug and then even so ...

What they do need to take in consideration is that they are limping behind, and every day more. However you look at things an OS is measured by qty of users and popularity. Even though the OS is still, and will remain, in development the fan base is shrinking. The same happened to BB, although you cannot compare both companies. When BB10 kicked in, the ship had sailed already, good OS or not.

On a personal note. I like the WM a lot but ... My 1320 has nearly had it after 2 years, I am on the insider program and at the moment I will not look at getting another WM phone. Not until it's more stable and they have managed to do something about the apps. Personally I give **** about camera etc but these days you can buy a lenovo, polaroid, etc with nearly the same specs as an S6 or iCr** for 200 - 300 dollars. Why should I spend double or more for a buggy OS in development?

And this is where the real danger lies according to me. The majority of the clients want a phone that looks good, is affordable and, most important, functional at all times.

Me too am looking forward to an eventual surface phone, but when might it arrive? Min. 6+ months. By then I am on another OS, got used to that OS and not necessarily in need of another change of OS. They advance too you know.

I hope MS can put it together. But keeping an eye from distance I see a lot of similarities to BB's evolution ...

 

[kimigayo]

Windows 10 while promising and good, is an unstable mess. When I have to constantly fight with my phone, whether it's the podcast app shutting down or not responding, or one drive not syncing at all, or the windows store putting all my downloads into pending and then doing nothing, or Edge not displaying something when I need it, it's really at the point of being counterproductive. My love for the OS and the compliments I get because people are shocked to see something come out of a pocket other than an iPhone or Galaxy is nice and I want to love my 930, but the frustration really makes me and many others want to switch, no matter how loyal we are.

 

[Mad Cabbie]

Windows 10 while promising and good, is an unstable mess. When I have to constantly fight with my phone, whether it's the podcast app shutting down or not responding, or one drive not syncing at all, or the windows store putting all my downloads into pending and then doing nothing, or Edge not displaying something when I need it, it's really at the point of being counterproductive. My love for the OS and the compliments I get because people are shocked to see something come out of a pocket other than an iPhone or Galaxy is nice and I want to love my 930, but the frustration really makes me and many others want to switch, no matter how loyal we are.

It's a preview, and in the t's & c's it states that it may be unstable etc..... And you are agreeing to it by signing up. I can't understand why people keep banging on about it. It is not a release. If you'd have paid for a 950, then at least you would have a valid complaint as it came with it. Why not drop back, like I have on my 930, to 8.1 instead of getting frustrated. There were too many niggling issues on .71, particularly on the 930 for some reason. I have had none of the issues you have had, on my 930. My issues resolve around the clock, Cortana, and non updating of live tiles. Everything just worked. Yes its frustrating but that is the world of beta testing..

 

[Migi2015]

It has not further relevance to me like it did from 2010-2013. I've moved on to the real mobile platforms - iOS & Android. Maybe MS can make a future play with AR/VR, "smartcars" and machine-learning. But so far they have yet to come out with anything that has sparked the public desire.

 

[Shan Ali Khan]

well i will go for IOS or Android and keep MS all apps. if i have a change to change my current Lumia 535. Poor Touch and buggy and Slow Development OS

 

[ReprobusR]

I've decided even though Windows Phone is more or less dead just like Black Berry is dead but I know many who won't admit to it. I will continue to use Windows Phone for a number of years to come. I will probably upgrade to the 950XL in the future, if Microsoft should cut the cord sooner then I anticipate then I'll switch to Samsung, never will I switch to Apple.

Then again, I'll be staying with Windows Phone for quite a long time as my only brand of Smart Phones. Two reasons why, I truly like Windows Phone tiles etc over Android. Security is second best after BlackBerry compared to Samsung and especially Apple. Finally Windows Phone OS, is rock solid, I use like many Windows Phone 8.1 and I have no complaints, there are many great games on the platform, web browsing is good with IE and everything works well.

 

[mariusmuntean]

The reason people are posting negative comments is because many of us really Loved WP OS and wanted a Good 3rd option. But MS being a bunch of idiots didn't understand how to make that happen. Ballmer would have mock funerals claiming the death of Apple, android, and BB which was a complete and total waste of time and money.
I don't know what the REAL story as to why Microsoft Never got an developers on board.
I have heard it all. MS wouldn't let them have the APIs they needed and many others. Don't know the truth.

Ballmer, in addition to having idiotic funerals, started the idiotic 'don't get scroogled' campaign, which, in turn, meant Google refused to make any apps for WP like they did for iPhone. Hell, google released Chrome for iPhone BEFORE they released it on Android phones. Android users weren't happy about that one.

A phone without google apps is already in trouble. I know MS wanted to make Bing the next big thing.
That didn't work either. Everyone uses Google. Bing, other than the picture of the day, sucks.
Basically Microsoft IS the reason WP failed. I do know that under ballmer, it went NO where. The new CEO might even be worse.

I am pissed and hate it that WP IS DEAD because its a better OS than iOS and Android. Live tiles are awesome.
Microsoft should have used all that wasted time, effort and money the spent on 'don't get scroogled' ads, funerals, and all the other dumbass crap MS did, and spent that money on PAYING for developers. BUY developers. Bribe Developers. Whatever it takes, but DO SOMETHING.

People can say there is no apps gap, and they are idiots. You don't need 1.5 BILLION apps, but when a new app comes out, your OS name better be right there beside The App Store and Google Play Store. If not, no one cares if you have half baked copies "that is just as good".
That's the other major complaint with WP. Most the apps they do have are COMPLETE GARBAGE.
Half of them are TERRIBLE web wraps or have Never been updated. Hell, even Geico pulled the plug on their app. Probably had 7 downloads total.

So yes. The negativity is because those of us who went out and bought the LG Quantum day one. Then went and bought the Nokia line are pissed because we paid for phones with the promise of "just wait, soon, it's coming, someday" and it NEVER happened. All thanks to MS being a bunch of brain dead Morons.
Forgive us if we bash MS. They flipping deserve ALL the negative backlash they are getting.

Universal apps? STUPID. it will never work. period. No one is going to make an app when you have a full blown web browser. Why would my bank or local TV waste time doing apps, when they have a WEB PAGE. ....
Xbox is NOT going to help apps either. sorry. I am so pissed at MS. complete fail on WP.

Yes, if you look into the past, Ballmer did many mistakes. Starting from the laughter on the iphone and continuing with the "don't get scroogled campaign", after which he came with a half baked good for nothing WP7 platform that was lacking even the most basic phone functions. When they have realized that it was a total joke, WP8 came out with all the fuss and all WP7 users were left with an unsupported platform (be serious, the 7.8 update was a total failure, a complete joke, it brought more problems than the platform already had). Then WP8.1 which took away some unique and good stuff from 8.0. Than Nadella made sure that W10M will be a total crap by laying off good engineers is his obsession for cost cutting. It's been 5 years and more since MS started with WP7 and where are they now? They are not capable of delivering a good, stable mobile OS, seems like it's a never ending beta testing for them on the back of users. MS has lost it's respect for customers and delivers half baked products while calling them ready for public use, they are selling new phones with a broken OS and new surface devices with severe issues...and I thought Apple was greedy and money hungry by selling outdated tech at high prices...well at least their products work.
Windows 10 is the most disappointing product of MS so far, from my perspective. Even the desktop version still has some issues and I would not trust my data to it. As for the mobile version, it's a complete disgrace to the tech world.

 

[levy shikukui]

It may sound funny and frustrating to say windows mobile is dead ,lets go back to the reason why Nokia was sold to Microsoft,lack of apps for lumia phones which used to run windows OS which is being owned by Microsoft,this lead to drop in sales.Now Microsoft having the hardware and Software at hand, it should be A mater of time giving guys like the one heading mobile division and surface division challenge to perfect windows 10 and star manufacturing more device from low,mid and high-end phones like our competitor Samsung among others,if is to go surface way let it happen as soon as possible,people are now tired of waiting for devices for months and years,this will bring back lumia nor surface phones in the top place.

 

[GreenGiggy]

I'm heavily invested in windows store apps. If they kill it, I lose all that money to the oblivion. Plus the live tiles and smooth animations are beautiful. Also, I require a back button so that rules out ios.

 

[vivs]

Used to own Windows mobile some years back. Switched to android because of the below reasons-

Performance issues- Had performance issues such as re-boots, browser crashes in 8.1 (considered a complete product) quite often.

App ecosystem- If windows can port android apps which it claims it can, it could grab some eyeballs. However, it just cannot compromise on the quality of basic features and performance.

Lastly, a more superior version of continuum can be a game changer if the above 2 are taken care of. Why do I need a PC at home of I can finish all computing tasks with my phone. Besides, no syncing needed as everything is stored in 1 place.

 

[pallentx]

The only reason it would matter to me is that if the market generally regards the platform as dead, the apps we have will rapidly disappear and no new apps will come. I've been happy enough with app selection so far, but losing more apps would ruin the platform.

 

[dorelse]

Its all about the apps...if the market believes that WM is dead...maybe on life support is a better analogy, than apps that are already lagging in functionality will also lose support from the vendors. Used FB on Android/iOS lately? FB on WM isn't even close...

Now, I'm very much hoping Win10 does miraculously resurrect our beloved phones, because I truly love the UI over the others, but a lot of us 'hoped' Web OS would come back too...

 

[MattAllison]

Here's why the success/failure of WP matters to me.

I don't look at my phone as a gaming platform. Sure, that's a nice side benefit sometimes (<1 hour/week), but mostly it's about productivity. E-mail and calendaring is very important, and WP does it better than Android and iOS by a large margin.

An aspect that relates to me being "productive" is the overall UX. The sea of icons / Windows 3.1 Program Manager UI that iOS and, to a lesser extent, Android rely on is more than a little dated and, at least for me, is a burden to just getting things done - especially for lesser used applications.

If WP didn't exist, Android would probably be my 2nd choice (because the Apple Calendaring and UX is REALLY that bad), but Android security is laughable and that's a good deterrent which means I'd probably end up with Blackberry.