Icon - Still Top Windows Phone for Verizon

[etphoto]

I got the feeling the HTC One M8 will surpass the Icon for top Verizon Windows phone.

I got one today and the first thing I love about the M8 is NO hard buttons at the bottom of the phone. No more accidentally hitting the search button. Nice

 

[BigCTM]

The funny thing is reading all these clueless articles about how the M8 is the first phone worthy of being a flagship on Windows Phone. When in fact, the M8 and Icon are fairly even in the specs department. Despite what some are saying, I would still pick the Icon today due to the AMOLED screen (personal preference here), higher resolution camera, availability of Nokia apps, physical controls, wireless charging and more microphones.

 

[danwanna]

I think the HTC One appears to be the flagship device until the Icon gets Windows 8.1/Cyan released officially. If someone walks into the Verizon store today (without being an WP expert) why would they buy the device without Cortana, Notification Center, Swype Keyboard etc. regardless of how nice the device is?

Nokia/MS really needs to put the pressure on Verizon to get the update rolled out ASAP.

 

[cbreze]

I think the HTC One appears to be the flagship device until the Icon gets Windows 8.1/Cyan released officially. If someone walks into the Verizon store today (without being an WP expert) why would they buy the device without Cortana, Notification Center, Swype Keyboard etc. regardless of how nice the device is?

Nokia/MS really needs to put the pressure on Verizon to get the update rolled out ASAP.

Good points. But unfortunately this type of uniformed consumer is just ripe to be swayed by Verizon CSR into an android or idevice.
But there are commercials out there I've heard that show off WP and cortana. If cortana's what they saw and now want then the icon wont cut it.

 

[MikeLip]

Good points. But unfortunately this type of uniformed consumer is just ripe to be swayed by Verizon CSR into an android or idevice.
But there are commercials out there I've heard that show off WP and cortana. If cortana's what they saw and now want then the icon wont cut it.

The Icon is still a very good phone. But the only thing it has going for it over the M8 now is the camera.

 

[BigCTM]

This is not correct. You cannot use the excellent Nokia apps on the M8. The M8 does not have wireless charging. I use this every day. It only has 2 microphones compared with 4 for the Icon. This makes a difference in video recording. For those that like physical controls, the M8 has none. The screens are different too. Some like AMOLED like the Icon and others like LCD like the M8. To me, the only thing the M8 has over the Icon is the slightly better processor, IR Blaster, Windows Phone 8.1 temporarily (hopefully), micro sd card and slightly better battery life.

The Icon is still a very good phone. But the only thing it has going for it over the M8 now is the camera.

 

[anon(5383410)]

Qi wireless charging is a total gimmick, the camera on the icon is obviously better but unless you're a professional photographer you won't be disappointed.

The M8 has better sound, is faster, lighter, has better battery life and the ability to expand storage. Not to mention it's sexier.


This is coming from someone who LOVED my Icon and struggled to part
with it. The M8 is the superior device.

 

[BigCTM]

Superior is in the eye of the beholder. The M8 is not even close to being good enough to make me give up my Icon. Yes it is better in some areas but worse in others.

Qi wireless charging is a total gimmick, the camera on the icon is obviously better but unless you're a professional photographer you won't be disappointed.

The M8 has better sound, is faster, lighter, has better battery life and the ability to expand storage. Not to mention it's sexier.


This is coming from someone who LOVED my Icon and struggled to part
with it. The M8 is the superior device.

 

[MikeLip]

Qi wireless charging is a total gimmick, the camera on the icon is obviously better but unless you're a professional photographer you won't be disappointed.

The M8 has better sound, is faster, lighter, has better battery life and the ability to expand storage. Not to mention it's sexier.


This is coming from someone who LOVED my Icon and struggled to part
with it. The M8 is the superior device.

I'll go along with SOME of that Qi rocks. I have one at my desk at work and I just put the phone down on it whenever it's not in use. It's always topped up. Admittedly it's not essential. But it sure is nice to have.

 

[Josh Reynolds2]

I'll go along with SOME of that Qi rocks. I have one at my desk at work and I just put the phone down on it whenever it's not in use. It's always topped up. Admittedly it's not essential. But it sure is nice to have.

Agreed. Anyone who bashes wireless charging will be sorry when that USB port goes. For me its a total fail safe. As far as needing USB to connect to a PC, one could always just upload/download to and from Onedrive and transfer that way.

 

[DavidinCT]

Qi wireless charging is a total gimmick.

Really ? I take it you never really used it. They days of hunting for a USB cable in the darkness are gone for me....drop my phone on the charger and it lights up, then I am good.

I have 4 QI chargers take them when I travel and everything else. Just one of those features that I could not live without after having 3 phones with it.... (HTC 8X, 928 and ICON)....

I guess to each their own...

 

[psiu_glen]

Camera is one of my first criteria for a phone now, wireless charging is up there too.

.1 GHz speed increase is a gimmick fo' sho though! (comparing Icon to 928 the Icon barely shows any advantages...except when running benchmarks)

 

[anon(5383410)]

Really ? I take it you never really used it. They days of hunting for a USB cable in the darkness are gone for me....drop my phone on the charger and it lights up, then I am good.

I have 4 QI chargers take them when I travel and everything else. Just one of those features that I could not live without after having 3 phones with it.... (HTC 8X, 928 and ICON)....

I guess to each their own...

Why would you take it j never really used it? I said right in my post I owned an Icon. The only real difference between a Nokia charging plate and a plugin charger is that you don't actually have to plug the phone in the charger. It still has to be in direct proximity of the charger. Not to mention they charge slow. Until they start releasing chargers that operate like wireless routers then yes, it's a gimmick.

 

[psiu_glen]

Why would you take it j never really used it? I said right in my post I owned an Icon. The only real difference between a Nokia charging plate and a plugin charger is that you don't actually have to plug the phone in the charger. It still has to be in direct proximity of the charger. Not to mention they charge slow. Until they start releasing chargers that operate like wireless routers then yes, it's a gimmick.

I believe he was saying you had never really used wireless charging.

They don't charge appreciably slower for me -- with the new high power USB standards that's likely to change a bit.

Currently though, the batteries are big enough that it's going to take a good while to charge from empty to full regardless.

Also, I've never met a charging port that didn't start to loosen up over the years.

But you don't have to use it. But calling it a gimmick makes about as much as sense as calling a 5" 1080p screen a gimmick, or quad core processors in mobile, or more than 640K of RAM on the desktop...

 

[cbreze]

The M8 has better sound, is faster, lighter, has better battery life and the ability to expand storage. Not to mention it's sexier.
This is coming from someone who LOVED my Icon and struggled to part
with it. The M8 is the superior device.

+1^
Icon is top "Lumia" device on Verizon, but M8 is the better device. I also had trouble leaving the icon until I went on complete auto pilot impulse and just cut the cord and did it. Just the very reasons mentioned by offbeatbop above says a lot. The icon is an awesome device no doubt but only out shines the M8 in one aspect, camera. No other way and when considered pluses and minuses as an average M8 comes out a clear winner no matter how you slice it. As for its lack of Qi charging, as a rule its not needed anyway because the battery goes all day and more so, only needing a nightly charge. Sorry icon, but you've slipped to 2nd place.

 

[psiu_glen]

+1^
Icon is top "Lumia" device on Verizon, but M8 is the better device. I also had trouble leaving the icon until I went on complete auto pilot impulse and just cut the cord and did it. Just the very reasons mentioned by offbeatbop above says a lot. The icon is an awesome device no doubt but only out shines the M8 in one aspect, camera. No other way and when considered pluses and minuses as an average M8 comes out a clear winner no matter how you slice it. As for its lack of Qi charging, as a rule its not needed anyway because the battery goes all day and more so, only needing a nightly charge. Sorry icon, but you've slipped to 2nd place.

Sweet jeebus, what is with this thread in general? Neither phone is perfect, anyone suggesting otherwise is being intentionally obstinate.

No Qi. No shutter button. 4 megapixel camera. As far as I can tell, the IR blaster requires you to have some sort of TV service...versus being able to just program in my TV to control it (cord cutter). LCD display which is great, but having boarded the AMOLED train, I dunno. For me, that all hurts the appeal.

Point being it's great to have choices and pretty sure both phones are great. Trying to choose a universally "better" phone is a fool's errand...

 

[cbreze]

Sweet jeebus, what is with this thread in general? Neither phone is perfect, anyone suggesting otherwise is being intentionally obstinate.

No Qi. No shutter button. 4 megapixel camera. As far as I can tell, the IR blaster requires you to have some sort of TV service...versus being able to just program in my TV to control it (cord cutter). LCD display which is great, but having boarded the AMOLED train, I dunno. For me, that all hurts the appeal.

Point being it's great to have choices and pretty sure both phones are great. Trying to choose a universally "better" phone is a fool's errand...

Wow, this is like a dissention among the troops. We're all huge WP fans here. We can agree to disagree. Not knocking the icon, had it since release day. But I'm going out on a limb here by thinking the folks knocking the M8 haven't used one any length of time , anyplace but maybe in store. Not everyone needs a dedicated shutter button. Sheesh. Never used it. Actually prefer the other virtual button, get a steadier shot with it. The camera works great outside which is where all my shots happen. The infra red TV thingie is pointless for me, I'll never use it. Agreed also, its pointless to rate which is better than the other, because that type of argument is relative to what you need in a device. I would imagine that maybe 90% or more folks rocking an M8 had an icon before it. Not sure I've seen complaints much about someone who left their icon for an M8 and went back because they didn't like the M8.
So its pretty clear we're all a bunch of phone techies that have different preferences and needs and hang out on forums chatting and learning about it all. Lets agree to disagree on somethings , we're all WP freaks. :smile::smile::smile:

 

[scottcraft]

Both the Icon and M8 are pretty good phones. I like the camera and qi charging on the Icon since I'm on my third phone with qi charging. On the M8 I like the IR blaster, front speakers, screen and physical design better. I'm considering switching from my Lg G2 to the M8. If the Icon had 8.1 right now the decision would be more difficult, but for my needs the M8 fits best.

 

[BigCTM]

For those with an Icon, is the incentive there to upgrade to the M8 when the specs are pretty darn similar? There is no way I would extend my contract 2 years to upgrade from an Icon to an M8. Now if you wanted to buy outright then that's different but I can't help thinking that there will be new phones coming relatively soon that will leave both the Icon and the M8 in the dust.

Wow, this is like a dissention among the troops. We're all huge WP fans here. We can agree to disagree. Not knocking the icon, had it since release day. But I'm going out on a limb here by thinking the folks knocking the M8 haven't used one any length of time , anyplace but maybe in store. Not everyone needs a dedicated shutter button. Sheesh. Never used it. Actually prefer the other virtual button, get a steadier shot with it. The camera works great outside which is where all my shots happen. The infra red TV thingie is pointless for me, I'll never use it. Agreed also, its pointless to rate which is better than the other, because that type of argument is relative to what you need in a device. I would imagine that maybe 90% or more folks rocking an M8 had an icon before it. Not sure I've seen complaints much about someone who left their icon for an M8 and went back because they didn't like the M8.
So its pretty clear we're all a bunch of phone techies that have different preferences and needs and hang out on forums chatting and learning about it all. Lets agree to disagree on somethings , we're all WP freaks. :smile::smile::smile:

 

[DavidinCT]

If your still wondering this one, this is a good comparison between the ICON and the M8 with WP...

HTC One M8 for Windows vs Nokia Lumia Icon (Video) | Pocketnow

Pretty much what everyone says, side by side, performance is ABOUT the same, both good phones but, the camera on the ICON blows away the M8, it's not a bad camera on the m8 but, for quality and detail, it's not even close..... again what is more important to you...

You can't really have it all with one Windows Phone device, can you ?

For those with an Icon, is the incentive there to upgrade to the M8 when the specs are pretty darn similar? There is no way I would extend my contract 2 years to upgrade from an Icon to an M8. Now if you wanted to buy outright then that's different but I can't help thinking that there will be new phones coming relatively soon that will leave both the Icon and the M8 in the dust.

Unless you really need a feature the M8 offers more than the camera, then no. Not a big reason.

If you have a ICON, like I do, I would wait till next year anyway, WP 9 is rumored and I will bet it will support features that the ICON does not support, if your going to upgrade, I would wait.

Personally, the only advantage I could see with the M8 over the ICON for me would be the MicroSD slot, as storage on my ICON is at a premium.

Not really worth spending $400-500 on for that one feature(I wont sign a contract, unlimited data)

Why would you take it j never really used it? I said right in my post I owned an Icon.

Just because you had a ICON, does not mean you lived with wireless charging for a while or even used it. Most people who complain about it, never used it or used it for a very short period.

We can agree to disagree here, I think it rocks but, again, I have had 3 phones with it.. and it's all I use besides in the car.