I need some help jumping ship......

[mariusdk]

Enough is enough, a decade and I give up. The last straw being my 950xl continuously rebooting when ever the normal camera app is opened.

I'm devastated as much as I am frustrated. If Windows phone can lose me there is seriously no hope. I have been one of their biggest supporters, loved the interphase, but can not see why I need to struggle like this.It's like we are in a continues Beta loop, just losing apps and hardware choices.

The problem I have is that I'm pretty much invested in the Windows ecosystem, Xbox, Surface Pro, PC and need to know if anyone has tried Android lately and what their support is like for Windows apps, especially Xbox, Video and Groove?

It seems like Word,Excell, One Note and One Drive is covered in their apps, but would they sink properly with my other devices.

I'm not looking to make this a MS vs Android argument, just need some honest answers, preferably from people with experience.

 

[Leonel Funes]

Sad to know that you're planning to head out of Windows Mobile, but if you're looking to Android for your next phone, then you'll have some good support from Microsoft. Both Android and iOS have most of the Microsoft apps. Both Groove and Xbox are on Android (even an Xbox beta app), but no Video (or Movies & TV).

As for your Office apps, as long as you log in to your Microsoft account, your work will be saved and synced via OneDrive.

 

[cndspec]

While it may not be ideal before you throw in the towel completely have you tried doing a fresh install of the os on the phone? That is obviously not normal behaviour but does sound software related rather than hardware related. As well, are you running an insider build, if so you may have needed a hard reset in that instance.

As the family and friends go to IT person I have some experience with both android and ios. Support is good on both for MS services. I know it is just a personal preference but to me both other platforms just seem awkward by comparison. Having said that you will likely find everything you need there. I believe there was an article an here not that long ago about making your android phone into an MS device.

Good luck in your endeavours.

 

[mariusdk]

The Movies & TV might be a deal breaker for me. I have to travel a lot and download some of my library for off line viewing if I get stuck in a hotel without descent T.V. and there is not much going on in the area.

It's as simple as just flying the small dock with me and connecting the HDMI for full screen viewing. Since the dock is traveling with me anyways so that I all my work stuff stay up to date. That is the thing I like most about WP, when I need to get down to business, I can, fold-able keyboard and mouse plus dock takes up much less space then even my surface pro 4, my pro 3 was completely destroyed in a overhead bin on a flight despite being in a protective case, so it also makes sense from a durability point of view.

It looks like I'm stuck then, think i'll just purchase a interim cheaper Windows Phone that will not frustrate me as much when things go wrong.

I would probably by a Surface phone if it ever get's launched without blinking, It just pains me that we can not seem to move forward, not even a little bit and it looks like we are all waiting for this carrot dangled in front of our noses that is Surface Phone.

It's just a pity that my 950xl is going the way of the crapper. Tried everything and search every forum, looks like my issue is unique. Factory reset does not help and being on either fast or slow ring does not change a thing.At first I thought it was just the camera button or app causing the reboot, but now it just randomly does it, without even touching it, It will go into a reboot cycle, for 20 minutes or more and whilst most people these days seem to use their phone for FaceTweeting, i still need it to function as a phone as I make a lot of calls and expect to receive just as many. Being unavailable for 20 minutes or more at a time is just not possible.

guess I'm of to the shops then tomorrow morning to get a different windows phone, which by the way is harder and harder to find on the shelves here (Dubai).

Thanks for the help and info on especially Movies and T.V.

 

[cndspec]

Mariusdk is that 950xl of yours still within its warranty period? I realize that you are in Dubai but it may be worth seeing if you can get a replacement for it.

 

[HoosierDaddy]

Enough is enough, a decade and I give up. The last straw being my 950xl continuously rebooting when ever the normal camera app is opened.

I'm devastated as much as I am frustrated. If Windows phone can lose me there is seriously no hope. I have been one of their biggest supporters, loved the interphase, but can not see why I need to struggle like this.It's like we are in a continues Beta loop, just losing apps and hardware choices.

The problem I have is that I'm pretty much invested in the Windows ecosystem, Xbox, Surface Pro, PC and need to know if anyone has tried Android lately and what their support is like for Windows apps, especially Xbox, Video and Groove?

It seems like Word,Excell, One Note and One Drive is covered in their apps, but would they sink properly with my other devices.

I'm not looking to make this a MS vs Android argument, just need some honest answers, preferably from people with experience.

Since any model phone you buy could have similar or worse problems (every product has lemons) it might not be the best move to ALSO put yourself thru a painful adjustment.

If your house burned down, would you buy another house or would you move into a cave because houses can't be trusted?

Jumping ship from 950XLs might make sense. Jumping ship from Windows because of a bad phone, not so much.

 

[George Ponder]

Step away from the edge of the boat and buy an x3.

 

[greedo_greedy]

Do you do a fresh install using WDRT?

 

[terdferguson3]

The Movies & TV might be a deal breaker for me. I have to travel a lot and download some of my library for off line viewing if I get stuck in a hotel without descent T.V. and there is not much going on in the area.

It's as simple as just flying the small dock with me and connecting the HDMI for full screen viewing. Since the dock is traveling with me anyways so that I all my work stuff stay up to date. That is the thing I like most about WP, when I need to get down to business, I can, fold-able keyboard and mouse plus dock takes up much less space then even my surface pro 4, my pro 3 was completely destroyed in a overhead bin on a flight despite being in a protective case, so it also makes sense from a durability point of view.

It looks like I'm stuck then, think i'll just purchase a interim cheaper Windows Phone that will not frustrate me as much when things go wrong.

I would probably by a Surface phone if it ever get's launched without blinking, It just pains me that we can not seem to move forward, not even a little bit and it looks like we are all waiting for this carrot dangled in front of our noses that is Surface Phone.

It's just a pity that my 950xl is going the way of the crapper. Tried everything and search every forum, looks like my issue is unique. Factory reset does not help and being on either fast or slow ring does not change a thing.At first I thought it was just the camera button or app causing the reboot, but now it just randomly does it, without even touching it, It will go into a reboot cycle, for 20 minutes or more and whilst most people these days seem to use their phone for FaceTweeting, i still need it to function as a phone as I make a lot of calls and expect to receive just as many. Being unavailable for 20 minutes or more at a time is just not possible.

guess I'm of to the shops then tomorrow morning to get a different windows phone, which by the way is harder and harder to find on the shelves here (Dubai).

Thanks for the help and info on especially Movies and T.V.

I can with 100% certainty tell u that your issue is not unique. It's a bit of a sick and twisted joke for me. The only reason I'm still on the 950xl is because of how amazing the camera is......When it works! Unfortunately with no rhyme or reason, when I use the camera it will just reboot. Same as you exactly.

It's brutal.

 

[tgp]

If your house burned down, would you buy another house or would you move into a cave because houses can't be trusted?

If I lived in a straw house and it burned (or blew) down I might move into a brick house.

 

[aj173]

Grappled with the camera reboot problem myself. All of the fresh installs in the world aren't going to fix this. It's a fairly common problem and Microsoft has shown no interest in fixing it. Like I said earlier in a different thread, there are so few of us on Windows 10 Mobile that they're not going to spend the time and resources to fix this. They're just going to wait until the affected devices age out of use.

I dislike Apple on principle, and I wasn't wild about any the Samsungs that we've had. My wife has an HTC 10, and it's a decent Android phone. I ran several HTCs myself from about 2005 until they stopped making Windows Phones. Between the two of us, we've had many HTC phones without any problems. The bonus is that it comes with one free screen replacement if you ever break the screen, which is cool. We've never been unlucky enough to need it, but it's nice to know it's there.

In a brilliant twist of hateful irony, the only thing I do prefer about the 950XL over the HTC 10 is the camera quality. When the 950XL's camera works, that is.

 

[N_LaRUE]

I'll just put in my opinion and it's purely opinion.

I get that you're fully in with the Microsoft ecosystem and the vast majority of their apps (and even apps that aren't on WM) are on Android. The main one missing for you is Movie and TV. There are other Movie and TV apps available on Android, probably with more content, so you could always switch.

I did a quick search around and there were promises of an Android Movies and TV app back in 2015 but it appears MS is taking their time with it.

As for other things to consider, if you want to view on a larger screen you can buy Google Cast, which is fairly inexpensive and easy to carry around. You can even cast from Google Chrome from your Surface or other laptop. Which I've personally found easier to do than using the Windows mirroring in W10.

As for what phone I would buy if I were purchasing an Android phone I'd probably go with a Pixel. it has one of the best cameras on it, if that's important to you.

Lastly, I know that a lot of people are not fond of Google or Android but on the whole, it's gotten a lot better and it does what you need.

 

[Pierre Blackwell]

To be honest, if you're needing more reasons to jump ship, then I don't think it's too big of an issue, otherwise you'd be typing this on an Android or iPhone now..lol. If I may, what kind of 950XL are you using? Is it from a carrier, or is it unlocked? I've always witnessed a better user experience with unlocked phones. My 950 and 950XL were purchased unlocked, and while they were without issues, I didn't experience most of those that many are commenting on. My recommendation is to get a low budget Android to get an idea of what the OS is like. Heck even use it as your daily driver but keep your 950XL to show you what you're missing. Ultimately I think you'll find yourself back using it as your daily driver. Not because Android won't satisfy most if not all of your needs, but because you'll miss what kept you with Windows mobile in the first place.

 

[terdferguson3]

To be honest, if you're needing more reasons to jump ship, then I don't think it's too big of an issue, otherwise you'd be typing this on an Android or iPhone now..lol. If I may, what kind of 950XL are you using? Is it from a carrier, or is it unlocked? I've always witnessed a better user experience with unlocked phones. My 950 and 950XL were purchased unlocked, and while they were without issues, I didn't experience most of those that many are commenting on. My recommendation is to get a low budget Android to get an idea of what the OS is like. Heck even use it as your daily driver but keep your 950XL to show you what you're missing. Ultimately I think you'll find yourself back using it as your daily driver. Not because Android won't satisfy most if not all of your needs, but because you'll miss what kept you with Windows mobile in the first place.

Whoa, that was deep.

The 950xl isn't really a bad phone.....As long as your not using it for anything

 

[hoovermac]

Have you tried a different battery? My wife's 950 was doing exactly the same thing and we tried a battery swap with a friend's 950. His did the reboot loops and hers was rock solid for days! We ordered a replacement battery and it is arriving soon.

 

[hoovermac]

Also, I have had lots of windows phones over the years and currently use an Android device. Commenting only on the MS apps on Android that I use (Groove, Office, Office Lens, OneDrive with three accounts), they work very well! The news, weather, money, and sports apps are not as good, and Cortana is decent but a shell of what it can do on a Windows device (IMHO).