I keep coming back to Windows Phone

[Jeff Hubbard]

I started with a Samsung Focus 7 and paid full price $299 for a Lumia 1020 right after it was released. That was my favorite phone to date. I left because my employer had a mandatory app for paging engineers after hours that wasn't on WM. I would go back if apps that I must have were available. I would give up more than a few of my "optional" apps just to have the live tiles back but some apps I am simply required to use and using two phones is not a realistic option.

 

[Cinammon Roll]

To follow up in agreement (and because I dunno how to make a new post),

I'm currently using a Samsung Galaxy J3. I hate Samsung phones, so why am I doing this?

I've always been a Zune fan, which is why I still foam at the mouth over WP7. It just has the hub experience, focus on typography, and stinking awesome animations that make me love the platform. It's customizable, more so than iPhone, but it's also indestructible and almost never crashes. Sure, it was lacking features, but it was a brick inside and out, never crashing for no reason. I loved it.

Then my Lumia 920 came in, which I loved too, but not in quite the same way. A few features that I loved were slowly going away, but I enjoyed everything the new platform brought. It was still the best phone for me, and I used it every day until I accidentally fried it (long story for another day).

Next was my 635, running 8.1. Don't get me wrong, tiles with background and Cortana were both features I showed off to my friends, but... I could tell something was missing.

Then I got a 640 and updated to Windows 10, and I discovered what I was missing. Sure, it was nice. The bigger app store, the shared app case and experience... It was nice. But after Microsoft stopped fixing big bugs in a timely fashion and stopped adding important features, it felt like a gimmick. Plus, I was sick and tired of not being able to use many apps that I wanted to (I even wrote emails to several companies, begging for WP apps. They were all answered... but they said no).

So what did I do? I bought a Blackberry Passport.

Yes.

I became a Blackberry user.

And I still would be if it wasn't for me accidentally breaking the battery and voiding my warranty.

I have a thing for voiding warranties.

Anyway, so I needed a new phone and fast, and I decided to do something crazy. I bought the same phone as two of my friends, the Samsung Galaxy J3. And yes, I felt like a traitor. And yes, it was hideous and I've changed every aspect of the design to fit my needs.

Here's the point of this article: the discovered something on Android. There was a Zune theme, and my heart (and the rest of me) did a happy dance. Plus, I hate to admit it, but Google Now on tap was... better than Cortana. Better search results aside, it was fast, stable, responsive, and context sensitive to my page, something that Microsoft hasn't got around to doing yet and won't for a while.

Oh, and Microsoft's apps are over here. Unfortunately, the good versions, too.

Currently, Android is more like WP7 than Windows 10 Mobile is. Microsoft has a bad habit of making good ideas, letting other companies do them first (and better), and when they finally get around to doing them, they're underpowered, buggy, and have no user base, so they move on and Google makes the victory.

As of right now, there's no reason to go back. Don't get me wrong, I love Windows Mobile, but unless they can get themselves together and make Continuum happen realistically... and maybe add a physical keyboard... I'm not coming back any time soon.

Oh, and then there's the app gap.

 

[Dusteater]

I switched to an iPhone 7 for work and an iPhone 7 Plus for personal this year. I would consider switching back to Windows 10 Mobile in a year, but only if certain conditions were met.

First, the thing that made leave urgently was my 950 XL stopped working as a dual-SIM phone because AT&T shut down their 2G network this year, making my 2nd SIM slot useless. Having a dual-SIM phone that both support LTE is required.

Secondly, I drive a huge amount for work, sometimes spending 8-9 hours a day on the road. The lack of functionality for using Windows 10 Mobile in the car is extremely frustrating. Microsoft should have supported MirrorLink, especially given their push for all things Continuum. Even Microsoft apps on iOS refuse to support CarPlay. This has led me to not renew my Groove Music subscription, etc. Microsoft seems to be hell-bent on doing everything they can to frustrate those of us who drive cars.

If Microsoft were to resolve the two issues above, I would absolutely consider coming back, but not until then. Unfortunately, I don't see them ever doing either.

 

[1jaxstate1]

Re: I Keep coming back to WP

I left Window Phone over 3 years ago. The HTC 8x was the last time I used a WP. I use to rotate between WP, Android,, and iOS. But I dropped iOS and eventually dropped WP. Now I'm 100% Android. I'd gladly comeback to WP, if they gave me a compelling reason to comeback.

That app gap is real and is a killer. But if they can bring their x86 plans to fruition, that would be a start.

 

[Jessica Cummings1]

Love my 950 XL, no plans to leave.

 

[Skie77]

Re: I Keep coming back to WP

Can't leave. Grid of icons too boring.

 

[redtidal]

Re: I Keep coming back to WP

I tried very hard not to leave. And yet each day there is less and less compiling reason to stay.

 

[mclark2112]

I love the idea of Windows Phone, I really do. Still have a 640 in my bag. And if all you need is a phone, with texting, email and light browsing, then Windows Phone would be perfect. I need VPN, helpdesk apps, Active Directory apps, solid dropbox support, and a smattering of financial and fun apps.

I can't do most of that with Windows Phone. With a working VPN, I could do some of those things in the browser, but not very easily.

For whatever it's worth, Microsoft never intrigued the developers enough to support the platform, and now it is mostly dead. I wish it was viable, I love to use it, but I think we all know it is too late for Windows Phone 10 to succeed.

 

[mvierling]

Re: I Keep coming back to WP

Not likely, ever! 1) Microsoft would have to start supporting their product FIRST over iOS and Android. I'm not saying they shouldn't support iOS and Android, I'm saying they need to make darn sure their apps work at least as well on their own platform as they do on iOS and Android. Why in the world would I want a second rate experience with Microsoft apps on their own platform when I can get first rate with iOS and Android? You can thank Nadella for that. 2) Win over developer support. With no apps, NO ONE, and mean NO ONE wants the product, not even ENTERPRISE users. Microsoft lives in this fantasy world that they can win over Enterprise users. What they fail to realize is that Enterprise devices are a thing of the past and that was 5 years ago. Everything is BYOD and guess what, people aren't bringing Windows Phones because you can't do anything with them except make calls.

 

[Umm Yeah]

We were a three WP family at one point. I had a Nokia Lumia Icon, my wife had a Samsung ATIV SE, and my daughter had an HTC Trophy. I loved WP and would love to have been able to keep using it but over time, the things that made WP special began to disappear. I loved the old WP7 ability that tied your contacts and the social media together so tightly. Family Rooms and the like. There weren't many apps but because I never had the access to them, I didn't feel the app gap.

As WP became less supported by MS, I saw the writing on the wall. I switched to Android with a Nexus 6P and my wife and daughter are both on the iPhone SE. We have now become accustomed to the large variety of apps and I can't imagine going back to WP unless one thing happens -

A REAL SURFACE PHONE RUNNING FULL W10 WITH ALL THE APPS THAT W10 SUPPORTS

I would be back in a heartbeat.

 

[tgp]

Re: I Keep coming back to WP

I'm saying they need to make darn sure their apps work at least as well on their own platform as they do on iOS and Android.

If Microsoft would get the OS taken care of, and I bet you'd find that the apps "magically" work quite well.

 

[thekonger]

Support and use what you like, or be part of the problem.

Huh? This type of misguided belief isn't helping Window's Phone. You shouldn't have to quit your mobile carrier or pretend you don't want more apps to help WP.

MS needs to get phones in all brick and mortar stores on ALL carriers so people can buy them. Having to buy them off-contract through MS's site and only being able to work on certain carriers is a silly business model and it's one of the MAJOR reasons MS is losing so badly.

Accusing the consumer of being part of the problem isn't going to help anyone.

 

[thekonger]

My position also.

 

[vEEP pEEP]

Help us beg for a Band 3?

In a lot of ways I never left... yes I did but I never stopped thinking about my Windows Mobile from back in the day. It had it all. Then Windows Phone happened and features fell away. I've always had a Windows Mobile/Windows Phone in a drawer and have bought a new AT&T GoPhone each year to keep up with the platform but instability, the lost features, the app gap always kept me from staying long. Windows Phone was /the/ fastest way to take a picture and then post it to Facebook or Twitter back around 2010 and then, just overnight, it wasn't. My original motivation to have Windows Mobile was to have Outlook on my phone. I felt like I just had to have my calendar and task list with me at all times. Now I can get Outlook on any mobile device but the task list doesn't follow. Wunderlist is good but I have found that I actually like iCal and Reminders on my iPhone much better. This should have never happened, but it did. Google probably has a better calendar but has always left those who want a good task list wanting. So, as an ecosystem, I feel better with iCal and Reminders but have an Outlook.com address no matter which device is in my hand. I'm more than ready to have a Windows 10 Mobile device in my pocket as a daily driver but there are a few things I struggle with that keeps me from doing that. One of those most obscure things is the lack of a wearable. Microsoft should have had a watch all along instead of the Band but I pre-ordered the very first Microsoft Band before there was a single review on it and I loved it. I wore the paint off of that thing. It is /ugly/ now but I upgraded to the Band 2 without any reviews to go off or any advertisements to tell me what may have been updated or changed. I was pleasantly surprised that the screen was bigger, wrapped around my wrist better and had a twist of the wrist to wake function that I loved. I wore it out too and actually felt remorse when I heard that Microsoft would not be releasing the Band 3. So, since I was in the Apple ecosystem too, I purchased an Apple Watch. It's not bad looking, it's very comfortable and it has some really cool gimmicky stuff. However, it doesn't come close to the accuracy and availability of valuable data like sleep, the explorer function and other stuff that made me praise the Band so much. Now it's gone and so is my desire to lay down coin on the Microsoft ecosystem. I keep watching though, waiting, wanting... Microsoft is home and I'm ready to return.

 

[Player Piano]

I really hope to be back using Windows Mobile at some point in the future. I never thought I would ever move to a different OS, but the buggy builds following the anniversary update made for a disappointing experience. I still have my 950 and have no plans to get rid of it.

 

[badMojo69]

Re: I Keep coming back to WP

Smartwatch and that's all I need. 100% Microsoft supported Smartwatch.

 

[Mike Harm]

Re: I Keep coming back to WP

Ha, you should see my lineup! Let's see:

1. Windows laptop triple booting Windows 8.1, Windows 7, and Linux Mint
2. Macbook with Windows 10 on Bootcamp
3. Mac Mini
4. Linux desktop
5. Two Chromebooks
6. iPad Mini 4 LTE
7. Nexus 7 2013
8. Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge (my primary phone)
9. Samsung Galaxy S7 (my wife's phone)
10. Lumia 650
11. A few other miscellaneous devices mostly used by the children

With all these devices, I do have my go to's: for desktop it's my Windows laptop or Macbook on Windows 10, for tablet it's the iPad Mini 4, and for phone it's my S7 Edge. My favorites for each form factor are each a different company's OS.

OK - Since we're posting device lists:

1. Surface Book with Windows 10 Pro (CB) + Win10 Redstone 2 Insider VM
2. HP Elitebook Folio G1 m7 - Windows 10 Enterprise (Work/Personal Hybrid)
3. Lenovo Thinkpad Yoga 260 i7 - Windows 10 Enterprise (Work)
4. Mac Mini Server - iTunes and Mac Server File Sharing
5. Intel NUC i7 (currently shelved)
6. HP Chromebook 13 G1 m7 (Dev Channel + Play Store)
7. MacBook Pro 15 (2016 - Touch Bar Model)
8. MacBook 12 Retina (2016 model)
9. iPad Pro 12.9 LTE (Primary tablet)
10. iPad Air 2 LTE
11. iPhone 7 Plus 256GB
12. iPhone 6S 32GB (Work)
13. Nexus 6P 128GB - Stock Nougat 7.1.1
14. HP Elite X3 +Desk Dock + Lap Dock
15. HP Pro Tablet 608 (On the way)

Now I'm a workplace CTO so its imperative that I study all of the major platforms and form factors... Its overwhelming. The Apple gear gets the most use but the HP Folio and Chromebook work well with their respective docking stations and are fantastically executed devices.

On the original post content, I use the Elite X3 with my work/secondary SIM often, but usually just to check on Continuum's progress in the fast ring insider program. I keep hoping that the performance gets usable - Each firmware upgrade and Insider build makes things better or worse - But I still don't feel like its ready. The desk dock is fine but the lap dock is a hot mess. I'm still hopeful that RS3 is the breakthrough on Continuum.

I think we'll see a Windows Phone resurgence as Enterprises are being forced to Win10 by Intel and their removal of downgrade rights on Kaby Lake and above. (Its the right move to get people off of Win7 and not create another 12-year disaster like WinXP where stalled innovation can be the cornerstone of many an IT department.) This uptake in Win10 desktop adoption will lead to UWP demand, which will subsequently enable REAL enterprise consistency through common apps and data protection/access models at the app level that will drive adoption on mobile. This may even cause a chicken/egg effect where consumer demand could surge...

 

[Martijn ter Haar]

I am a long time WP user, have used many lumias.
# Lumia 640XL - love the UI, the plastic feel .

Finally someone who mentions that. I just loved how the plastic of the 650 felt and the bright, vibrant colors. I would really love it if some company would bring that back. I even think they were classier than most 'premium' metal phones. They could have been released by an Italian design firm like Alessio or Kartell. The Surface has that seem vibe, so MS could bring it back. It also matches with Windows Mobile's superior UI.

 

[Torontonian22]

I used to love WP, especially 8.1. W10M never really worked for me so I left. As others have already stated, I'm not glued to a brand until I die. If it works for me, I use it, if it become a pain in the neck (to remain polite) I ditch it. I still have my 930 to test new updates but I have to say that I almost completely lost interest in W10M. I still have my 930 because no one wanted to buy it even at a very cheap price. And as I accidentally broke the screen in the meantime, it is clearly impossible to get rid of it unless I give it for free. I might as well keep it for now.

I moved to Android because my work actually paid me a Galaxy S6. After installing a 3rd party launcher and made the phone look the way I want, it's actually a great OS, despite my previous gripe with Android earliest versions. It works fine and allows me to do everything I need to : from taking great pictures, to work, to entertainment, everything is there. I haven't seen any reboot, crash, instability whatsoever. So, unless Android starts to act up, I'm not coming back the W10M train anytime soon.

For people who complains about Android's instability or slowdowns, just be careful what you install and you should be fine, exactly like on Windows desktop in fact... if you can do it on a device like your computer (and actually defend it), you should be able to apply the same rule to your phone quite easily...

In the meantime, I have not received updates for W10M in months, even if I'm on the Insider preview program (it fails all the time). My email account settings are always out of date, while it works perfectly on all my other devices... FOR ME (and it's just my own experience, your mileage will definitely vary) it's not a good/mature enough OS yet to win me back.

As I said, I loved W8.1 for a reason : slick, fast, reliable, user-friendly, great hardware, great promises. I may come back one day, but for now I'm happy and satisfied with what I have.

BTW, I used the Windows 8 theme on Android and it's utter ****. All the windows phone theme or launchers are simply terrible compared to the actual WP experience you can get on a Lumia

 

[he_shark]

Nice to see this thread being highlighted as the views here pretty much mirror mine. I've been using WP since the Lumia 920 came out, then to a 925 and more recently a 950XL. When I dropped it and broke the screen I decided to try the competition. I goto a Moto G4 and used that for 6 weeks. It felt like looking at my mum using Windows 95, icons all over the desktop, random app crashes, slowdowns and lagging, occasional reboots. It feels like forever Google have been saying they are making changes to fix the lags and crashes, and it's certainly better than it used to be, but it's still not smooth like WP. But what made me unable to stomach it was the UI, it is so ugly, so not functional, even after 6 weeks I just couldn't get used to it and couldn't work out how to customise it to make it look acceptable. I keep hearing how Android can be customised to your desire (and no doubt with more research I'd have worked out how) but I never found a way to make the UI nicer, I couldn't even manage to change the colour scheme. So now I've been using an iPhone for the last month. You can see how Android is just a cheap copy of an iPhone, the UI is so similar, but with the iPhone it's a lot cleaner, simpler and just better than Android. I still prefer WP though, tiles look so much better than icons, finding apps in the all apps list is just better as well, I love the easy way you can change the colour and make it feel yours, I prefer the notifications, etc, etc. Overall WP just feels right, it's modern and fresh, Android and iOS feel so dated and clunky.

I'm just sad that people hate MS so much which has led to the app gap which has killed Windows Phone. I don't blame MS, the problem was people's historic hatred to them that irrationally stopped them for developing for Windows. I held on for a long time as I'm not a big app user, but eventually decided that it was better to have more choice. Tbh I think the built in Apple apps are pretty crap, Mail, Safari, Maps, Photos, etc, etc they are mediocre and there's much better 3rd party options. With WP I much preferred the Microsoft apps. If it wasn't for the app gap, WP would so be my mobile of choice. I cannot ever see that changing, but if somehow it happened I'd definitely switch back.