GsmArena's review of WP 8.1: We didn't do our homework properly

[xuggs]

So, you mean GSMArena should hide limitation and only tell positive things.
Sorry but MS do not own GSMarena.

If you know GSMArena their is always mention limitation.

and
iOS and Android came in early.Agreed.
But that time they had hardware limitation, and it was also time of beginning smartphone era.

But now we have powerful CPU , GPU or processor.
It's 2014 now. Not 2007 or 2009.
No excuse of not at the level of them.
and It's already been more than 4 years.

So, why not compare with their competitor which are only 1-3 year old more .

Nope, MS does not own GSMArena and neither do they own Engadget, CNET or TechCrunch. Point being nobody is asking to influence reviews just review it as a preview-only software.

Let's take one of their iOS 7 beta reviews: Apple iOS 7 beta review: Evening the odds - GSMArena.com

Main disadvantages
•Very iTunes dependent for uploading files and multimedia
•No open file system means you often have to duplicate files
•Limited integration of 3rd party social networks and services
•No widgets
•Air Drop works only between selected iOS 7 or later running devices
•No lockscreen shortcuts (besides those in the Control Center)
•Very basic camera UI with limited features and settings
•Limited codecs support
•iTunes radio only works in the US

It's a beta for the love of smartphones and 80% of your visitors are not developers, they are average consumers coming to check the specs of any given phone. If I were in the market to pick a phone and had to read that review with the limitations in a "beta" release, I'd be disappointed. "No widgets" WT*? So (at that time) iOS should have widgets? Why? Because Android has them? Please. "No lockscreen shortcuts" sounds very much like "No data toggle" in WP8.1.

Speaking of powerful GPU's.. that's a different animal. Come back with an argument when you find an answer to why there is no Xbox live integration on iOS/Android. For the same reason why there is only 1 yes uno google search app for WP.

Bottom line.. hate the game, not the player.

 

[A895]

I honestly feel people here are taking this too heart when this is not that serious. Sites who make good comments on WP8.1 are allowed to talk about WP8.1 as a "complete" OS. But when we get a site that's not saying everything sunshine and roses, there's rampant anger saying "its a beta/preview!". I'm sensing double standards.

Posted via Windows Phone Central App

 

[phing77]

I honestly feel people here are taking this too heart when this is not that serious. Sites who make good comments on WP8.1 are allowed to talk about WP8.1 as a "complete" OS. But when we get a site that's not saying everything sunshine and roses, there's rampant anger saying "its a beta/preview!". I'm sensing double standards.

Posted via Windows Phone Central App

Exactly how i feel about all Mobile Nation forums...

 

[Dratwister]

I honestly feel people here are taking this too heart when this is not that serious. Sites who make good comments on WP8.1 are allowed to talk about WP8.1 as a "complete" OS. But when we get a site that's not saying everything sunshine and roses, there's rampant anger saying "its a beta/preview!". I'm sensing double standards.

Posted via Windows Phone Central App

They call it fanboyism ) Fandroids protect Android, iFans protect iOS, WPFans (or whatever name... I don't know) protect WP. Don't ever expect them to do the otherwise.
Actually, I suspect that even the most unbiased reviewer can still be affected by this fanboyism (toward his most and truthful favorite platform).

The only thing and first thing I get in my mind with this article is: "Boy, how many view can they get with this one?"

P.S: I call myself, currently, the WPFan ) Actually, I like to use platform that is new and unique. Sailfish may be my next stop after WP :3

 

[LTTG]

Michael Fisher is the ONLY person that I'd listen to for reviews, he's unbias and does him homework

same! Michael is the best!

 

[Karthik Naik]

Yeah!just like you have Xbox One, Xbox Music, TV etc....
Oh! wait You have top class Bing search engine which is even better than even US bing.

Bing map put totally shame on Gmap and Here Map.
You also use Bing Videos which is million times better than YouTube.
and India also got special version of Cortana too. Which is specially made for India.

So, did I left anything else?

no need to get personal mate
i have cortana enabled and it works perfectly
bing also works well

 

[ronty]

i get what hes saying that its like an option to use it or not to use it . but for me i don't see the need for one and to me i think it would be a waste to put a file manger in wp when i think it works fine without one

I don't want to start a fight, but do you actually think that since WP works fine without a file manager for you does it mean that it should be the same with others? The simple answer is-"NO". I feel that a file manager is necessary & I can't force my opinion on you. So you should think in the same way. Including a file manager does not harm you, but not including one does harm me. Got it? Besides, why should I need a PC at all to manage files on my phone? It should be capable enough to do all this on its own. I don't care even a single bit that someone doesn't want a file manager, because it DOES NOT HARM THEM in any way, however, if I don't get a file manager, then I'm surely being limited in some or the other way.

Finally, I think that most of the points in the missing features are quite valid & it is a good conclusion.

 

[jasqid]

The app catalog for Windows Phone is incredibly lacking, I don't get why so many people don't think so. I can see that your use of the phone doesn't bring you to lots of apps, or specific apps that don't exist at all (like myself). But in comparison, as a whole, to android or ios, it's lacking big time.

Yeah. Cause we need more weather, ringtone and fart apps.

When I was on android, the "quantity" of apps was all repetitive and the quality of most were terrible.

 

[A895]

Yeah. Cause we need more weather, ringtone and fart apps.

When I was on android, the "quantity" of apps was all repetitive and the quality of most were terrible.

You must have left android Gingerbread days then. Because quality has gone up in the past year or so. Speaking off weather:
Search results for "weather" | Windows Phone Apps+Games Store (United States)

Or ringtone:
Search results for "ringtone" | Windows Phone Apps+Games Store (United States)

Or Fart apps:
Search results for "fart" | Windows Phone Apps+Games Store (United States)

Yeah, double standard when there are dozens to hundreds of those kinds of apps in the WP store. Acceptable for WP but, bad on Android? Play Store is bigger so of course there is more junk, just like WP, as WP app store grows there will be more junk on it too.

 

[ronty]

Correct me if i'm wrong, but are you the guy from GSMArena who reviewed WP 8.1?

Let me correct you.

-File Manager = WP isn't Android. WP prides itself on blurring the lines between the backend, and frontend. browsing and managing files on your SD card is the only reason I see fit for a File Manager. Why would MS go to the effort to make automatic upload to OneDrive so efficient, just to plonk an ugly file manager in the OS? Nope, i'll defend the fact that it isn't needed to the moon..

First of all, including a file manager doesn't mean it's Android.
Secondly, it makes no difference to me how hard is MS working on OneDrive, since it would still require a data connection(that too a fast one). We do not need a file manager to manage each & every file present throughout the world, we need it to manage local files. OneDrive does not help in any way in this case.
Thirdly, I don't get what you mean by an " ugly " file manager.
What we want is that it should be included, but its usage should be optional.

 

[anon(7935575)]

I see people crying about file manager in the comments there. Can someone point out Pocket File Manager to them? I've been using it for quite some time now and it works pretty good.

 

[realwarder]

I thought their review was balanced and generally positive. Only main criticism of WP on all reviews now appears to be apps (lack of). Requesting support from companies... that's the way to grow the platform.

- OS is right
- Price is right
- Latest apps are missing

Twitter/email away.

 

[Sanmaan Bodake]

Yes totally agreed. i read their review and it seemed they are a lot biased towards android now a days. even reviews of iOS have been kind-of biased. considering that people actually depend a lot on such online reviews, sites like these have to pass a fair judgement. about Cortana, everywhere i've read so far, it excels Siri and Google Now. a file manager is what is missed in WP but then it isn't a feature that comes in your way while day to day use. I don't feel like i am missing something from my life using a Windows Phone without a file manager, but GSMarena makes it feel so. and app catalog isn't exactly Microsoft's fault right? the developers have to do it after-all. MS tried their best luring developers into app building during their Build Conference. they gave a 500$ voucher to buy a device, gave away XBoxs to them. I mean what else do you need? and so far, my experience with windows app is that they have a consistent UI. Bing apps specially are what i use everyday and they are really productive.

PS: is GSMArena affiliated with Google or something? i really feel so now!

 

[DavidinCT]

There complaining that its voiced in a OS review. The store have nothing to do with the OS. If there is a app gap or not is irrelevant. I also would like to call BS on making a full review of 8.1 because its not a finished product yet. It's a Developer Preview.

Actually, the store or App selection has EVERYTHING to do with the OS. As people buy a device for the options and the things they can do with a device, the applications extend this, to MOST people who come from a Android or iOS device would know this. I would suggest ANYONE who is looking at a Windows Phone device to look over the app selection to see if they have the apps they need. The OS is great but, if you cant do everything you want to do, why would anyone select a device ??

Windows Phone is filling the gap but, still lacking in a lot of apps, No dish network, No Directv, no cable providers (for the most part, some are there), No local apps (local news, radio, tv etc), bank apps are still lacking (yes, a lot are there but, not all), dont get me started on the game selection (#SaveXboxWP) and the app quality is not all the time there. A lot of apps are put there just to have an app and never updated or lacking major features from the iOS or Android version (I have seen examples of this first hand on about 25 apps).

No question, it's getting better but, this is something that people should be looking over before getting into a new phone OS. Once the market share goes up, we will get the quality apps but, we dont get the apps because the market share is not there.... I hope 8.1 bridges the gap a little but, it will take time....but, how long is the real question...

So, yes, App selection has EVERYTHING to do with the OS....

 

[bsbharath1987]

I can agree to most points brought out by GSMArena; but to say Cortana is worse than Siri is a plain lie. How exactly does Siri do things better than Cortana? I'm in India and Cortana consistently recognises my spoken English better than Siri ever has. And as it is, Siri cannot find me any places in India, whereas Cortana finds them thanks to more detailed maps. From the videos posted across the Internet, it looks like Cortana is better at natural language recognition than Siri. Then there is this unbeatable feature where Cortana can dig into third party apps.

To me Cortana is much closer to Google Now (although a bit inferior in India) and is much better than Siri.

As far as the file explorer is concerned, the functionalities in the two File Browser apps featured recently are more than enough for me, as long as they can have respective apps open up files based on their extensions.

 

[squire777]

I don't think anyone is saying that we can only accept positive reviews of WP. Since WP7 most of have been dealing with a majority of negative reviews and biased opinions from tech sites so it's not like we are not used to seeing them.

The problem that most of us have with these reviews is that they are not objective and instead read like they were written by iOS and Android fanboys. They focus on the assumption that iOS and Android are perfect and declare that WP has flaws if it doesn't have a particular feature that those two OSes don't have. On the other hand, if WP has an advantage over Android or iOS they will not bring it up or dwell on it like they would with the negatives.

Aside from a few sites, most mainstream tech sites have been taken over by too many personal biases and it shows in their pieces.

 

[A895]

I don't think anyone is saying that we can only accept positive reviews of WP. Since WP7 most of have been dealing with a majority of negative reviews and biased opinions from tech sites so it's not like we are not used to seeing them.

The problem that most of us have with these reviews is that they are not objective and instead read like they were written by iOS and Android fanboys. They focus on the assumption that iOS and Android are perfect and declare that WP has flaws if it doesn't have a particular feature that those two OSes don't have. On the other hand, if WP has an advantage over Android or iOS they will not bring it up or dwell on it like they would with the negatives.

Aside from a few sites, most mainstream tech sites have been taken over by too many personal biases and it shows in their pieces.

Unfortunately when it comes to tech you will encounter bias prominently. But then again the tech community looking down on WP is expected as the OS is still less than 5% of market share after what? 3.5+ years on the market? WP8 alone goes on 2 years this fall and barely moves the needle. Bias regardless Microsoft and WP partners can ignore then and continue to put money and time and effort into growing the OS. Once it gains enough attention peoples tunes will change. Microsoft does not have to prove anything to the tech community, they have to prove themselves to the consumers at large. The tech community is a minority and always will be. That's why negative reviews shouldn't effect those who are actually users. If you love WP8.1 laugh at this review and keep it moving.

Posted via Windows Phone Central App

 

[bsayegh]

How DARE anyone say anything about WP other than that it is flawless?!?!!??

 

[Kel Bin]

File manager is important, as it remove the reliance for computer. There are times the file disappear on Windows phone and go into temporary folder? So with a file manager like symbian, Nokia asha, blackberry, symbols, Webos, meego u can also arrange file on yr own, transfer songs or file from the sd card, bluetooth folder etc.

Battery percentage on status bar is convenient. So u Don need pull down to see battery level. It's like the tiles. U get to access all information at 1 glance.

More toggles are just spoiled by ios and Android, or even Nokia asha with much more function in the action centre. Rmb, even Nokia asha can play music and write sms in the action centre.

I don use voice assistant. But I guessing cortana lacks moto X always listening feature.

Sent from my D5503 using Tapatalk

 

[altafmahmood]

According to me getting new features with subsequent updates allows the user to familiarize with less options first and then go on to the next level of improvements. Having less allows us to use all features, rather than having Many features and using only a few, because we don't bother about them. Every time new features are added in WP it instills a great excitement to check out the new feature and in the long run it gets on our daily routine.