Frustrated with "No Flagship" complaints

[Stiv X]

... It is awfully long time to not have a flagship and no wonder WP is losing mindshare. It is quite a boring platform right now and it is in dire need of some excitement.

This is why Microsoft would be wise to start teasing something. Continuum was nice, but perhaps some leaks need to start manifesting in order to spark some much needed press and give some loyalists hope.

 

[mythos13]

You say it's a boring platform. How does a flagship change that?

Sent from my LG G3 via Tapatalk

Because the bland devices is by far the most boring thing about the platform.

 

[tbtalbot]

I bought an ICON when it came out in 2014. I've had two major upgrades in software that make it seem like a new phone. My specs are still flagship quality (except processor which isn't an issue). After all that, I'm getting a new operating system in the Fall for a third big upgrade. Who needs a flagship? Wait for windows 10 before releasing a new high end phone.

 

[Ebuka Allison]

I bought an ICON when it came out in 2014. I've had two major upgrades in software that make it seem like a new phone. My specs are still flagship quality (except processor which isn't an issue). After all that, I'm getting a new operating system in the Fall for a third big upgrade. Who needs a flagship? Wait for windows 10 before releasing a new high end phone.

That's great for you. I didn't and I'd like to have a top-end device now please.

 

[flashoverride]

Whelp, I defected from WP back when they pulled the Lumia 900 hijinks. Nothing like waiting for and getting a phone that was already destined to be obsolete the day it came out. Since then I've tried to hop back on a couple of times, but I'm not paying full price to switch from an S4 to... anything currently offered, really. I want something that'll be an upgrade over a flagship Android, and right now all that's available is really other flagship Androids.

I've owned 4 different Windows Phones - the Focus, the 900, the 520, and the 635. I'm not paying full freight for a 1020 or 1520 when the S6 and LG G4 are available. I want a flagship phone to jump back to WP. I'm not the only one.

 

[Sam_Cook]

Re: Fustrated with "No Flagship" complaints

You're happy to put up with that for another 7 months?
Why wait, just order an Android and be done with it.

I guess I'm (naively) still holding out hope for progress. I've tried an android device, and while it's functional - it's not nearly as smooth as the overall WP experience. I love the live tiles (for the apps that work, anyway)!

That's the only reason why I'm willing to wait just a bit longer before leaving the platform.

 

[Stiv X]

... I want something that'll be an upgrade over a flagship Android, and right now all that's available is really other flagship Androids.

I think this statement about says what needs to be said. Microsoft isn't competing with other Lumia devices. They are competing with flagship Apple and Android devices. So, they need to (eventually when W10 is released) have something that could be considered to be on par or better than the other flagship devices on the market. Wisdom suggests they should exceed and innovate.

 

[DCJason]

Re: Fustrated with "No Flagship" complaints

I'm not sure of your phone provider, the norm in the US for a contract is 2 years (although there are more options recently). Although my contract was up in January, I didn't feel the urge "I gotta get a new phone!" like you and others. My 920 still works just fine (OK, the battery doesn't last as long) but it does everything so well and is so easy to use.The pics are great and it is very fast. I couldn't imagine changing operating systems. IMO, Windows make so much more sense because it syncs so well with my outlook.com email Office 365 and OneDrive. Waiting 6 or 9 months for a new phone? No problem. I mean, really, what is 6 or 9 months of waiting (I've enjoyed the lowest monthly phone bill in 10 years!) knowing I will be getting a far superior phone that I will be using for 2+ years (I'd rather wait for the best than settle just "OK'). I could never go to 'dead' tiles on Android or iOS. I don't want to experience horror stories of app updates causing problems on the phone's OS. I have yet to have anyone show me a good enough reason why I should change to Android or iPhone. There are only 2 banking apps which I wish WP had, but they certainly aren't enough of a reason to change to a new OS. I show many people how slick the Windows phone is and show them its benefits. Several have bought one and can't believe how much better is than their old Android or iPhone.Only those who have drunk too much Apple flavored Cool-Aid won't admit it looks better than what they have in their hands. Interestingly, most users will admit they purchased their phone because of the HARDWARE, not the operating system. So we can only hope more manufactures will make Windows 10 phones.

 

[fatclue_98]

Because the bland devices is by far the most boring thing about the platform.

Would this help? Photo courtesy of Jazmac.

BALLIN'

 

[Tre916]

Re: Fustrated with "No Flagship" complaints

As previously discussed they have one every year, just not on a consistent date. I understand you would like a consistent date, we all would.

You want a goose that lays golden eggs, and a pony and you want it now Veruca Salt. I'm sure there are people in your life that trip over themselves trying to please you. Microsoft is not going to loose hundreds of Millions of dollars to prematurely release a phone because you "want it now". That would be the screw up.

Not to mention that if they released a flagship early (on schedule) and then 6 months later released a flagship with win10 on it and they didn't have feature parity there would be a huge backlash. Worse than there was for those of us who bought the Lumia 900 a few months before the 920 and 8.0 launched.

 

[Adam Frix]

Re: Fustrated with "No Flagship" complaints

This may help you resist. I personally know five people who bought a nexus 6. Of those, zero still have them. However if you do not mind recharging the phone in the middle of the day due to the terrible battery life, or rebooting once or more a day due to memory leaks in the OS, the Nexus 6 may be for you.

I don't know about the battery life, but the memory leaks in the OS are well known--and that's why Android 5.1 and up, to fix those.

I've been through the Samsung/carrier route, and will never EVER put my software life in the hands of the carrier or the phone manufacturer. I don't want "skins" and I don't want excuses as to why I can't get the software updated. Hence my looking at Nexus 6--for the "pure Google" experience.

That MS has announced that universally all new phones moving forward with Win10 will be handled by MS and not the carrier or the manufacturer, gives me hope.

 

[thekonger]

A simplistic short-sighted opinion. Unfortunately, it seems to jive with Microsofts. Not releasing a flagship phone and ignoring domestic carriers is a foolish business strategy. It's also why WP is going nowhere in the US. I have a Note 3 right now, but I am waiting for a nice WP to hit SPrint any year now.

As for an address, I live in Southern MN. Will your mom let you fly on a plane alone?

 

[sam2527789]

We all understand that there's no point of putting out a flagship till Win10 is ready. That's completely legit. I am happy they're not stringing us around.

It's just some of us are at the end of our Windows 8/8.1 phone product cycles and we don't know what to do next because we don't really know what the new phones are going to offer. I think venting our frustrations is warranted. I'm not pissed that the flagship isn't already available - I'm pissed that I have no real idea what I'm supposed to be waiting for.

My 920 is on the brink of death, I've owned it over 2 years. I want to stay with Windows Phone, I'm a big fan. Buying a currently offered flagship is silly since we know the value will a) plummet once the new flagships are announced, and b) we'll be missing probably the coolest features for Win10 since our hardware isn't compatible. This is already happening - isn't it odd that the 930 has a hidden notification light? That only certain phones can use Moment Capture? Continuum? The hardware restrictions are already showing up and we don't even know what else they have up their sleeve. I know they had no problem shafting the Lumia 900 owners, I'm not risking buying any currently available Windows 8.1 phone because you know Microsoft can be pretty ruthless.

If we at least had the full phone features/all the wonderful hardware gimmicks teased/confirmed, a lot of us would be totally okay with waiting. But we have no idea, and we're not going to know for another couple of months.

Why should I temporarily downgrade phones when my 920 dies on the possibility that the next Windows Phone flagship will be superior to flagships currently offered by Samsung, LG, iPhone? For a lot of us our contracts have run out. It's possibly smarter to find good contracts to sign now and buy a flagship LG G4, S6, Note 4, iPhone 6 Plus, etc.. We know these phones are powerful and some gimmicks like Ultra Power Saving mode, removable batteries, g4/s6 camera, stylus, water resistant, whatever the iphone offers, apps like SnapChat... may be better than the new Windows flagships offer. All I can really count on is probably a good camera and a stable OS, which is all that Windows have really excelled in so far. What if I invest money into some ****ty phone just to get me to the end of the year to find out the new flagships have horrendous battery life and a barely improved camera? If you think I'm whining now, imagine how much I'll whine then .

I'd just like a little more info. Make me certain that it's worth it waiting for the new flagships because your competition is making an excellent case. I'm WILLING to use a burner phone if I know in a few months I can get a sick Windows 10 flagship. But I'm having a really hard time trusting Microsoft to obliterate the competition. And the fact that they aren't hyping up the new devices already makes me a little concerned. Even Blackberry has teased the Slider for the end of the year back in March. At the moment, I'm more hyped up for a Blackberry than a Windows phone, it's a little ridiculous. They have something to show off so they're doing it - Microsoft may only have Continuum up their sleeve.

Microsoft is not absolved from criticism just because you are somehow personally afflicted by people voicing their concerns about a company you apparently identify with. ******** can be effective, whether it pisses you off or not. I'm not blindly going to follow Windows phone like some puppet, I want to make informed decisions about how I choose to spend $800+tax. I'm invested in the ecosystem. I have faith in the OS. I am a rational consumer. Now make me have faith that choosing your hardware will be worth the wait because it doesn't matter how wonderful the operating system is if the device itself sucks. Contracts last 2 years and that's a long time for me to grind my teeth about something.

We're just asking for a bit of respect for Microsoft's customers, who took a chance on them. Is that too much to ask for?

 

[tgp]

We're just asking for a bit of respect for Microsoft's customers, who took a chance on them. Is that too much to ask for?

As was said before, businesses don't care about their customers, except what it takes to get their money.

 

[donkiluminate]

I'm not really holding my breathe regarding new flagship phones. I'm sure the same thing will happen that usually happens. I can see it now. The new flagship gets announced. We all get ready to throw our money at them and then MS says "...and we have partnered to sell the new 940 and 940XL exclusively with ATT. Not with ATT? That's ok there are plenty of other great phone options such as the brand new Lumia 645 available for Verizon, Tmobile, and sprint."

I love Windows Phone but I'm starting to get to the end of my rope with it.

 

[BobLobIaw]

I stopped posting regularly in this forum a number of months ago in part because of all the incessant whining (trolling too) about the lack of flagships and other things that were just emotional rants. I hoped to have my L920 take me on through to the next WP flagship, but I finally dropped it one too many times and cracked the screen. I got an iPhone 6 Plus and like it so far. However, I'm planning on getting a new WP flagship after Windows 10 rolls out because I like the MS ecosystem. So basically, having no flagships impacted me but it did no good for me to just drone on about it.

To me, it's not very complicated--you do what you have to do and try to comment about things that are relevant and useful. IMO it's not useful to cry over spilled milk when you have no chance of unspilling the milk. Others obviously see it differently, but frankly it becomes tedious to have to sift through hundreds of comments all saying the same thing and that are just intended to vent. Does it really make someone feel better to whine about not having flagships for the last year? I doubt it. Whining is like a rocking chair--it gives you something to do but doesn't get you anywhere.

 

[thekonger]

I stopped posting regularly in this forum a number of months ago in part because of all the incessant whining (trolling too) about the lack of flagships and other things that were just emotional rants. I hoped to have my L920 take me on through to the next WP flagship, but I finally dropped it one too many times and cracked the screen. I got an iPhone 6 Plus and like it so far. However, I'm planning on getting a new WP flagship after Windows 10 rolls out because I like the MS ecosystem. So basically, having no flagships impacted me but it did no good for me to just drone on about it.

To me, it's not very complicated--you do what you have to do and try to comment about things that are relevant and useful. IMO it's not useful to cry over spilled milk when you have no chance of unspilling the milk. Others obviously see it differently, but frankly it becomes tedious to have to sift through hundreds of comments all saying the same thing and that are just intended to vent. Does it really make someone feel better to whine about not having flagships for the last year? I doubt it. Whining is like a rocking chair--it gives you something to do but doesn't get you anywhere.

While I appreciate your support for WP Bob I also find it absurdly humorous you also mention you are using an iPhone now. I am also a huge Wp fan but I have a Note 3 because Sprint doesn't have a WP phone less than 2+ years old. This is the frustrating thing to me, people with their heads in the sand. Sorry to say, but you guys are Blackberry fans from 3 years ago. And that worked out well for BB how?

Well, the nice thing for WP is we do have a little time to reverse things. But not if the completely foolish attitude of 'make the consumers quit whining' continues. WP consumers have a RIGHT to whine. I jumped to AT&T from my Sprint family plan over 2 years ago and spent $1600 extra just to get a Nokia 920. I kept waiting and believing MS would deliver a great phone on Sprint before my AT&T contract expired, but after 2+ years it never happened. So, I decided to save some money and go to Android. I guess MS taught me a lesson huh?

It may seem like it's common sense right now to not release a new flagship WP phone right before MS launches Win10. But common sense says that with the time MS has had they would have launched one (or two) a long time ago.

Scrubby, your profile says you joined this forum in April 2105. Realize some of us who are whining have been here for much longer - and we're all still waiting.

 

[maj71303]

IMO don't blame MS for the carriers issue of not wanting to carry windows phones. The exclusive crap came about from carriers having to be sweet talked into carrying windows phone. Most of you forget that these carriers are out to make money just like any business and if they don't think WP will do that they won't bother carrying them. MS shouldn't play the game with them either having to do exclusives and sweet heart deals. IMO MS should sell their phones unlocked like they have been doing that works on all the carriers to basically give them the finger if they don't want to carry the phones.

As for the flagship talk I think they are doing it right. Why waste money putting out a flagship now that lacks the hardware to do what a flagship later this fall will be able to do. If I was a betting man I think the new phones will be Atom based and not arm processors anymore. With the features they have stated they want to be able to do I would bet they are thinking Atom based phones. IMO I think everyone needs to relax and let them get the OS and hardware together the right way instead of doing it wrong like the Lumia 900 debacle.

 

[hotphil]

Why waste money putting out a flagship now that lacks the hardware to do what a flagship later this fall will be able to do.

Because in the years that pass while they're dithering, their already-tiny market share is dwindling.

 

[theefman]

Re: Frustrated with "No Flagship" complaints

If I was a betting man I think the new phones will be Atom based and not arm processors anymore. With the features they have stated they want to be able to do I would bet they are thinking Atom based phones. IMO I think everyone needs to relax and let them get the OS and hardware together the right way instead of doing it wrong like the Lumia 900 debacle.

Wont matter if they are Atom or even Core based, anything under 8" gets the mobile SKU with no desktop so atom chips won't have any advantage there. And seeing as any handset will be based on current Qualcomm chip designs there are no hardware features they can't add to a phone now and activate with an upgrade later (unless they are going to d?but a completely new innovation which is unlikely). 4K recording, anyone?