If you want W10M to succeed, stop reading technology websites

[Zachary Boddy]

I agree with much of what was said in this thread. I've said it time and time again: Windows 10 Mobile works for me. I love the consistency between my Surface Pro 4 and my Lumia 950 XL and that's all I need. I enjoy participating in the Insider Program, I enjoy learning more every day about how my devices work and how I can make them work better, and I enjoy using all my devices. That's enough for me and it should be enough for anyone else.

Everyone focuses on the app gap because it's the only real problem Windows 10 has, and it's something that's mostly out of Microsoft's hands. Yes, they could definitely be better at communicating (we all know this) but in the end it's up to developers, not Microsoft. In fact, we, the users, probably have more control over this than Microsoft does. We can petition developers. We can raise awareness. The app gap isn't even an issue for me. I don't need Snapchat. Again, my phone works. So YAY.

 

[Chemy JMHT]

Well MS needs to address how easy is to port apps to Windows Mobile, they were doing something about it from Android to W10m but in the end nothing was released.

 

[Jackie Earley]

Originally posted by Zachary Boddy
Everyone focuses on the app gap because it's the only real problem Windows 10 has, and it's something that's mostly out of Microsoft's hands. Yes, they could definitely be better at communicating (we all know this) but in the end it's up to developers, not Microsoft. In fact, we, the users, probably have more control over this than Microsoft does. We can petition developers. We can raise awareness. The app gap isn't even an issue for me. I don't need Snapchat. Again, my phone works. So YAY.

I've written about this as well in a comment for an article. If we want the apps, we as a collective need to consistently bug the developers of the apps we want, not once and then complain for a couple years that they won't do it. If we as a collective kept bugging each month, not a handful of us, a significant portion of us, then they would take notice. A single tweet here and there from a couple people isn't going to do anything. Windows 10 Mobile is pretty good, still nowhere near Windows Phone 8.1 in regards to features but overall good. Devs need to be convinced that there is enough users that truly want their app.

I may be looking at the extreme but if we chose like an app a day for a week and on the first of the month, we (hundreds of us) contacted those companies via twitter, Facebook, email, even phone calls, they would take notice. If we did it in mass, then it would seem like there are more of us yelling and screaming. Again it may seem like its extreme, but we are not in the position to sit back and wait for the devs to come to us. If we really want the apps, we have to convince them we are worth the time and money needed to support our platform. And when they do come, actually use it from time to time. Having the apps available will help retain users which in turns encourages devs to invest.

It's all about how bad we want it. My Lumia 950 works for me (besides stupid Bluetooth inconsistency) and I have the apps I 'need'. Even though I have an Android tablet, there isn't an app im missing and as a result barely use it. Check scanning is probably the only thing im missing and that's because I hate waiting in line at the bank but hardly ever get checks anymore.

 

[Tre Lawrence]

I've written about this as well in a comment for an article. If we want the apps, we as a collective need to consistently bug the developers of the apps we want, not once and then complain for a couple years that they won't do it. If we as a collective kept bugging each month, not a handful of us, a significant portion of us, then they would take notice. A single tweet here and there from a couple people isn't going to do anything. Windows 10 Mobile is pretty good, still nowhere near Windows Phone 8.1 in regards to features but overall good. Devs need to be convinced that there is enough users that truly want their app.

I may be looking at the extreme but if we chose like an app a day for a week and on the first of the month, we (hundreds of us) contacted those companies via twitter, Facebook, email, even phone calls, they would take notice. If we did it in mass, then it would seem like there are more of us yelling and screaming. Again it may seem like its extreme, but we are not in the position to sit back and wait for the devs to come to us. If we really want the apps, we have to convince them we are worth the time and money needed to support our platform. And when they do come, actually use it from time to time. Having the apps available will help retain users which in turns encourages devs to invest.

It's all about how bad we want it. My Lumia 950 works for me (besides stupid Bluetooth inconsistency) and I have the apps I 'need'. Even though I have an Android tablet, there isn't an app im missing and as a result barely use it. Check scanning is probably the only thing im missing and that's because I hate waiting in line at the bank but hardly ever get checks anymore.

In the end, I believe raw adoption is what draws developers. In other words, when more folks use the platform, there won't be a need to goad developers into supporting the platform.

 

[tgp]

If we want the apps, we as a collective need to consistently bug the developers of the apps we want, not once and then complain for a couple years that they won't do it. If we as a collective kept bugging each month, not a handful of us, a significant portion of us, then they would take notice. A single tweet here and there from a couple people isn't going to do anything.

It is true that we need to make ourselves heard. There is a flip side to this though; sometimes customers can become more of a hassle than they're worth. A business never likes to lose a customer, but sometimes it is willing to make an exception. A customer who is never satisfied is sometimes not worth it.

"The squeaky wheel gets the grease, but it is also the first one to be replaced."

Another thing to consider is that W10M still has stability issues. Did it ever cross your mind that it might be difficult to make solid high quality apps due to the OS? I think the fault lies more with Microsoft at this point.

 

[Zachary Boddy]

In the end, I believe raw adoption is what draws developers. In other words, when more folks use the platform, there won't be a need to goad developers into supporting the platform.

That's exactly the outlook that created this vicious loop in the first place. Windows on phones cannot gain market share because developers will not develop apps for Windows on phones, and developers will not develop apps for Windows on phones because the market share is so low.

 

[Tre Lawrence]

That's exactly the outlook that created this vicious loop in the first place. Windows on phones cannot gain market share because developers will not develop apps for Windows on phones, and developers will not develop apps for Windows on phones because the market share is so low.

Yep... it's the catch-22 of mobile OS adoption.

BB10 had the same problem.

 

[Drael646464]

In the end, I believe raw adoption is what draws developers. In other words, when more folks use the platform, there won't be a need to goad developers into supporting the platform.

Well the UWP is fine then. Windows 10 home and pro have plenty of adoption, and windows tablets are the fastest (maybe even the only) growing sector in tablets. It's not like touch friendly UWP apps are only written for mobile devices They work really well even on full desktop, because they are so lightweight.

I use UWP over win32, where ever there is the option, on both my devices, neither of them phones. Raw speed and minimal interface suits most functions.

And I use my tablet, 100% touch only (in desktop mode, no less)

Mobile just needs the extremely probably incoming intergration into full windows 10, so it can run chrome extensions (which are pretty much apps and can run stand alone), and full win32 apps (some of which are scalable, not many, but some).

The store is growing pretty fast regardless. It was as small as BBW two years ago, to my eye. Now, 2 years after windows 10 release, its got some noticeably increased numbers.

To my eye, developers aren't leaving, they are coming. Maybe its the porting suites. Maybe its the take up of windows 10 desktop. Whatever the case, its working.

 

[Drael646464]

That's exactly the outlook that created this vicious loop in the first place. Windows on phones cannot gain market share because developers will not develop apps for Windows on phones, and developers will not develop apps for Windows on phones because the market share is so low.

UWP doesn't depend on mobile marketshare. That's the beauty of what Microsoft has done, by leveraging other platforms and making the app platform universal across them (as well as making it damned easy to port).