Integration with only two major updates a year.

[Judge_Daniel]

Over on the News portion of WPCentral, Rafael Rivera posted an article about some users having less than exceptional Twitter coverage on their built-in social notification center. This got me wondering about the benefits and negatives of having third parties built into a phone. Obviously, it is pretty great because everything is ready to go and is in one place. However, this also means that the third parties could break something at any time without MS's consent or even knowledge (API changes, to be specific). This wouldn't be that bad if our notifications came through an app, since apps can be updated within days. That is what Rafael even admits when he says, "Maybe it's time to look at grabbing a real Twitter app?" I must say, though, that this is exactly why a lot of people (or, at least me) chose Windows Phone. I don't want to have an app for everything--especially social media. And even if I do have an app for everything, I don't want to have to check each one individually.

So how can this work in the long-term with the current "two major updates a year plus a few minor updates that carriers don't even have to push"? Say Tango2 just released a month ago. Twitter (or FB, or LinkedIn, etc) decides to change their API, breaking it in our Me tiles. Microsoft could release an update fairly quickly, but carriers don't have to push it out. At worst, a user would have to wait for Apollo (half a year--or a quarter of their contract in the US) for the patch. In that half of a year, the Windows Phone OS would actually be less usable than iOS, since one could see their social media apps in a unified notification center, while the broken WP would only support toast notifications and individual live tiles.

Has this issue been addressed yet? Am I just overreacting (it wouldn't be the first time)? I'm not saying the sky is falling. In fact, I don't see Windows Phone going anywhere but up. However, I would definitely like to have some security and I thought it'd be good to bring up this possible problem to others' attention.

 

[ljkelley]

Yes this issue is of no concern. Because all the integrated social stuff goes Social Network > Microsoft > Phone.

It can cause issues as well, but the Phone connects to Microsoft servers it seems and that Microsoft connects to the social network provider. So if they did change their API that radically, then Microsoft can just update their integration but not have to push any updates out.

Remember Twitter and Facebook also connect to other Microsoft solutions such as Windows Live Messenger etc... they use the same server and is why when I switched phones I didn't have to add twitter, when I added my live account it automatically added twitter since I had twitter on my previous phone.

 

[Reflexx]

Hopefully LJKelley is right. If MS is getting the Facebook and Twitter updates from a middleman (MS servers), then problems could be fixed on how the server connects to 3rd party services without requiring any phone updates.

Otherwise, MS probably should look into Over-the-Air updates.

 

[N8ter]

No. Not really. Look at the Facebook chat/messenger issues. Integrations like that are for convenience. They are not there to be relied on. Android phones with identical functionality are no different.

Sent from my HD7 using Board Express

 

[Fleon]

No. Not really. Look at the Facebook chat/messenger issues. Integrations like that are for convenience. They are not there to be relied on. Android phones with identical functionality are no different.

Sent from my HD7 using Board Express

I don't understand your statement. I rely on the built-in WP7 FB chat all the time. Of course they are there to be relied on- as much as the built-in maps or built-in email or built-in browser is there to be relied on.

I haven't seen any issues with FB chat, btw.

 

[jimski]

Don't understand why API patches and other fixes can't be done OTA when they don't affect radios, or other carrier specific areas. That's how the disappearing kb should have been handled, IMO. Shouldn't have to wait for a giant patch and for carriers to request it. Btw, my keyboard dropped 7 times while trying to type this post. And yes, I do have background tasks enabled. That's a feature of the OS that I enjoy having. Disappearing kb, not so much.

Sent from my HTC Surround using Board Express

 

[scottcraft]

I don't understand your statement. I rely on the built-in WP7 FB chat all the time. Of course they are there to be relied on- as much as the built-in maps or built-in email or built-in browser is there to be relied on.



I haven't seen any issues with FB chat, btw.

Slight hijack: I don't care for the integrated fb chat. Very unreliable connecting. I use im+ for backup. Hijack off, carry on.



Sent from my Windows7 Phone using Board Express

 

[lumic]

It is a problem because they can't push out multiple updates with the timing of Mango. If they could get the carriers to play ball like Apple, I don't see a problem with them updating the OS for some integration improvements. The fact that they don't means that yes, there is a slight deficiency there.

That's why I think it would be awesome if all the hubs were essentially empty and "plug-ins" were simply installed to fill them with content (Windows Live and Facebook can come pre-installed). The plug-ins could be distributed like normal apps and hence could be individually updated without hassle, while also allowing the user to customize and personify their hubs.

 

[straitda]

I would be surprised if Microsoft didn't have SLAs in place with all the social networking providers they integrate. I think the problem with Twitter was an issue with Microsoft servers, not the integration. If Twitter implemented a change to their APIs that broke their integration with Windows phones, then I think MS would have a bone to pick.

I understand when apps like MetroTube or YouTube Pro (SuperTube) and all the Pandora apps break because they have no agreement in place from Google or Pandora. You get what you get. But MS should be able to rely upon their integration partners to play nice.

I have been playing with my new Samsung Series 7 tablet where I loaded the Windows 8 preview. They have a new concept called app contracts, where app developers agree to provide information services to each other. I think this will go a long way to solidifying top notch, reliable integrations between information providers and their consumers.

 

[N8ter]

I don't understand your statement. I rely on the built-in WP7 FB chat all the time. Of course they are there to be relied on- as much as the built-in maps or built-in email or built-in browser is there to be relied on.

I haven't seen any issues with FB chat, btw.

facebook offline messages is integrated with chat in Facebook first party messages application, so you get ALL messages in one app no matter how that other person initiated or responded to your chat message. WP7 integration does not support Facebook messages. This is a huge issue when you deal with people who responded primarily from a pc browser using the Facebook messages interface (where they see your chat messages as well). I still known people with dumb phones and no SMS package. It's an issue.

Happy to clear that up for you.

That is why the integration could never and still cannot be relied upon. They work as well as they can. By saying don't rely innit, im not necessarily saying it doesnt doesnt work. So no, you absolutely sis not underatand my statement.

There are also major issues with the WP7 messaging client/hub with regards to multiple points of presence. it's basically useless to me because it doesn't keep up with the way I move conversations across devices, however other Microsoft first party mobile clients work flawlessly - like the iOS WLM client.

I have made at least 3 videos I posted showing the issue, with 3+ devices running all different platforms platforms and totalling 5+ WLM clients. Only the WP7 integrated client/hub had issues receiving IMs. It was plain as day, and has yet to be fixed.

Not to mention message delivery is slow as he'll, which in and of itself is enough to rule it out seeing as how I have so many other alternatives devices I can use instead.

Sent from my SGH-T959 using Tapatalk

 

[lumic]

They have a new concept called app contracts, where app developers agree to provide information services to each other. I think this will go a long way to solidifying top notch, reliable integrations between information providers and their consumers.

How deep does it go? I saw the previews where apps can plug in to a "share" function. That's not nearly enough. What I want is a RSS reader where I can see all my news in one place, then if I want to, I can click a button and the RSS reader will jump from an article of say, The Verge, and take me to that article in The Verge app. Either that, or allow for sources like The Verge and WP Central to integrate in some "news hub" where I can then jump to individual apps to see comments and whatnot.

 

[N8ter]

Deep Linking is in the OS. All they'd need is the hub to facilitate that at this point. Maybe an OEM will build something like that. I don't see Microsoft viewing that as a priority.

Sent from my SGH-T959 using Tapatalk

 

[Judge_Daniel]

Yes this issue is of no concern. Because all the integrated social stuff goes Social Network > Microsoft > Phone.

Very interesting, if true. If so, I'm glad Microsoft thought of this beforehand. I guess that is their job, lol.

 

[Speebs]

That's why I think it would be awesome if all the hubs were essentially empty and "plug-ins" were simply installed to fill them with content (Windows Live and Facebook can come pre-installed). The plug-ins could be distributed like normal apps and hence could be individually updated without hassle, while also allowing the user to customize and personify their hubs.

This is what I was thinking. The notification center would just receive notifications from the individual apps. It sounds like this is essentially how it works, though, if MS servers act as the "app" and the phone is just getting the notifications from MS.