iOS8 vs WP8.1 vs Android 4.4 vs BB10

[lovenokia]

Agreed, WP 8.1 is a great OS. Its the small things that keep it from being great (Xbox music...)

So very true, there are so many small bugs that plagues the OS. Check out my giant rant down below.
http://forums.windowscentral.com/wi...eeds-its-problems-giant-rant.html#post2779912

 

[jdhooghe]

Now you just need Microsoft to believe in Windows Phone and actually fix the things which are needed and add the small things which people look for. WP is a fun and interesting OS and it could be a valid competitor IF Microsoft were to stop screwing around and fix things. If Microsoft shows actual commitment and fixes things maybe, just maybe, the platform would show the confidence needed for app makers to take a look.

Do not start with the "we don't need apps" business either. It is the lack of apps and the lack of polish which keeps WP from being little more than a small amount of the market. Consumers want apps, they just don't want to sit and stare at the flipping tiles. They need to apps to make the smartphone smart. These results show promise even though the OP doesn't like the Verge because of bias but takes this seriously?

Competition is always good for the consumer. Microsoft is a multi-million dollar company and yet for some reason, the OS is STILL immature after all these years.

 

[TechFreak1]

Well If I was to show this post to a certain group of they will go oh WP is crap because it scored 0.2 less than IOS8 and they made a judgement error as Android shouldn't be 8.8 blooming lemmings :eck: lol.

No amount of ranting & raving will change one thing, Microsoft is falling head of heels to be cross platform.

also we are very grounded on this cross-platform world. One of the things that you’re find is Microsoft icons on any phone — irrespective of whether it’s a Windows Phone or not. That’s our core goal: Things like Office, things like Skype are broadly available. And Minecraft! On every 8-year-old’s phone, for sure.

Satya Nadella on Microsoft's mobile strategy: Current market share isn't what matters - GeekWire

The era of Windows only or Windows First have long gone and we all need to embrace that, move on and fill up Microsoft's inbox showing them that WP users want the platform to succeed, not to make Cortana cross platform and give us app update parity.

As a fellow WP enthusiast and a marketing guy it makes me cringe at the direction they are heading in regards to WP (for most it is illogical), I know why they are doing it and it is only logical for them to do so as at end of the day the only thing that matters is profits & shareholder value. Which is why Microsoft like any other software giant will focus on the larger install base first and in this case it happens to be Android & IOS.

Unfortunately Google gets a free pass for their anti competitive nature (Look up the EU rulings against Google and then compare it to what happened to Microsoft, I'm not saying some of it was not their own doing but it is not balanced at all).

Windows phone users may not like it but that is the cold & heartless reality of business, any business that doesn't make any profit or has no income will not survive let alone thrive.

 

[D M C]

I remember one older WP user once saying that apps just make us lazy lol I think he is right! While apps are fun to have and do make things easier, we should be careful not to give ourselves over too much.I mean, if the app isn't available for some reason, we should know how to work around that Putting so much faith in apps lets the next generation think that's all there is and beyond that app the world ends :/

Haha
It's not apps but technology which is making us lazy.

You should stop using technology and see how it goes

 

[rockstarzzz]

I think even though we keep going on tangent every time such a thread is created, what needs to happen here is - someone has to come forward and pat Microsoft's back! Instead of highlighting what is still lagging - why can't we see that current scores in OP reflects how far WP has come. I am happy to Bing older scores for you but trust me on this - WP7 was where BB10 is on this list. We have come a long way and that wouldn't have happened if everything Microsoft is doing is just simply wrong! Yes, we would be on 8.4 instead of 8.0 if Microsoft did some stuff better, but then we should be content that we are on the right path and Microsoft is only a "follower OS" for another update and from there on, it will lead the innovation as it truly comes par with iOS's continuity etc. - with Threshold. That's what Android lacks and will never have.

 

[prasath1234]

I think even though we keep going on tangent every time such a thread is created, what needs to happen here is - someone has to come forward and pat Microsoft's back! Instead of highlighting what is still lagging - why can't we see that current scores in OP reflects how far WP has come. I am happy to Bing older scores for you but trust me on this - WP7 was where BB10 is on this list. We have come a long way and that wouldn't have happened if everything Microsoft is doing is just simply wrong! Yes, we would be on 8.4 instead of 8.0 if Microsoft did some stuff better, but then we should be content that we are on the right path and Microsoft is only a "follower OS" for another update and from there on, it will lead the innovation as it truly comes par with iOS's continuity etc. - with Threshold. That's what Android lacks and will never have.

Yeh but android is going to merge with chrome OS.so they are trying to emulate continuity.

 

[luxnws]

I think even though we keep going on tangent every time such a thread is created, what needs to happen here is - someone has to come forward and pat Microsoft's back! Instead of highlighting what is still lagging - why can't we see that current scores in OP reflects how far WP has come. I am happy to Bing older scores for you but trust me on this - WP7 was where BB10 is on this list. We have come a long way and that wouldn't have happened if everything Microsoft is doing is just simply wrong! Yes, we would be on 8.4 instead of 8.0 if Microsoft did some stuff better, but then we should be content that we are on the right path and Microsoft is only a "follower OS" for another update and from there on, it will lead the innovation as it truly comes par with iOS's continuity etc. - with Threshold. That's what Android lacks and will never have.

Just curious what changes are you expecting in Threshold which will affect Windows Phone? To me it looks like Threshold or Windows 9 or whatever they are calling it is going to be a make-over of Windows 8 geared toward the enterprise, at least for the desktop.

 

[Karthik Naik]

Yeh but android is going to merge with chrome OS.so they are trying to emulate continuity.

despite that chrome os is a joke overall compared to maybe say ubuntu or elementary os
elementary os is the fastest OS ive come across so far and the most compatible ,its better to buy an ultrabook for cheap and install elemenatary os instead of a chromebook
windows and mac,ios and windows phone merger will easily beat chrome os+android in the future once the merge era is over
right now windows phone(.appx format apps and bluetooth windows 8.1 and windows phone 8.1 functionality) and ios(64bit socs and ios-mac functionality) have taken merging up notches ahead of android-chrome os

 

[Karthik Naik]

Just curious what changes are you expecting in Threshold which will affect Windows Phone? To me it looks like Threshold or Windows 9 or whatever they are calling it is going to be a make-over of Windows 8 geared toward the enterprise, at least for the desktop.

i think he meant the merging of all microsofts platforms into One OS(like the sound of that)
hes actually right though,its already started and MS and apple are gonna be ahead in this race

 

[rockstarzzz]

[NOTE]This is a thread about talking how far WP8.1 has come from where we saw it a year or two ago, even 4 years back. We DO NOT care if Android lags or if Android handsets get the update or not. Read the OP before you post. Please.[/NOTE]

 

[fatclue_98]

[NOTE]This is a thread about talking how far WP8.1 has come from where we saw it a year or two ago, even 4 years back. We DO NOT care if Android lags or if Android handsets get the update or not. Read the OP before you post. Please.[/NOTE]

My friend, if you're asking the forum to stay on topic you will find yourself talking to imaginary walls. I could list all the positive things WP8 has done just in the last 6 months, let alone 4 years. It's never enough for some folks.

 

[Aiden M Swisher]

Ios8 drops calls touch Id doesn't work and if you keep the iPhone 6 plus in your pocket too long it will bend and you can't bend it back

 

[rockstarzzz]

My friend, if you're asking the forum to stay on topic you will find yourself talking to imaginary walls. I could list all the positive things WP8 has done just in the last 6 months, let alone 4 years. It's never enough for some folks.

Not here at WPCentral. We do things much differently. We've had some excellent conversations and discussions in the past when everyone has only talked on-topic for about 20-25 pages! We can do it - we are good folks like that

 

[fatclue_98]

Not here at WPCentral. We do things much differently. We've had some excellent conversations and discussions in the past when everyone has only talked on-topic for about 20-25 pages! We can do it - we are good folks like that

Anything else would be....uncivilized.
Charles Barkley - Right Guard commercial ;-)

 

[dkp23]

Fortunately for me, i've used all devices, some longer than others.

I've been a windows phone user since focus s, 900, 920, 620, and 1020 and i recently just got an iphone 6 plus.

I've also had experience with an S3, S4, and S5 and briefly used a z10 which i thought was completely horrendous to use t the point i recommended my company to not buy them which we didnt.

IMO though, wp8.1 i wish was the original release of windows phone, if it was, i believe windows phone would be in a better position, but still third. Wp7 and Wp8 which i thought were both very similar were missing so many things and playing catchup to a very competiive market hurt the platform. With that said, after using 8.1 since the preview and experiencing the ios 8 now and s5, to me windows 8.1 does so many things better, faster, and easier than the other platforms. From just navigating your phone, changing settings, changing settings for specific apps, searching, the back button (which i miss) the notification bar which i think works great on wp, and just many other small things. Simply, 8.1 is the easiest of platforms to use amongst the three competitive ones, IMO.

 

[RumoredNow]

Fortunately for me, i've used all devices, some longer than others...
...Simply, 8.1 is the easiest of platforms to use amongst the three competitive ones, IMO.

I also have used a lot of devices (and in the past 3 years).

For me WP works best as well...

• Live Tiles: beats widgets and I get lots of great info at my fingertips (literally and figuratively)
• Glance Screen: there are some Android emulations of this as well - it just wallops the snot out of a blinking LED
• Start Screen: customized layout and everything I want or need is just one quick tap away - you could say the same for iOS icon grid as well but it is too static and too much of what you don't want is in the mix
• Cortana: coming on strong as the best dog-gone thing WP ever did

I just find WP faster, easier and more comprehensive in what matters most to me in a smart phone... Information, notification and device navigation...

 

[fatclue_98]

I also have used a lot of devices (and in the past 3 years).

For me WP works best as well...

• Live Tiles: beats widgets and I get lots of great info at my fingertips (literally and figuratively)
• Glance Screen: there are some Android emulations of this as well - it just wallops the snot out of a blinking LED
• Start Screen: customized layout and everything I want or need is just one quick tap away - you could say the same for iOS icon grid as well but it is too static and too much of what you don't want is in the mix
• Cortana: coming on strong as the best dog-gone thing WP ever did

I just find WP faster, easier and more comprehensive in what matters most to me in a smart phone... Information, notification and device navigation...

I agree with your points with the exception of Glance. My eyesight just ain't that good to make out what's on the screen most of the time, thus my preference for a glowing (blinking - whatever) LED.

 

[mark2410]

You can tether with Bluetooth in 8.1.1. You can use the Dev preview. Don't worry it's free. Also Windowsdoing phone is not an OS for doing anything you want. It's locked down like iOS just like you said,however just like windows on computers,it's adding add much features as they can while maintaining performance

well you can tether from the wp to other things but i want the other way, my main sim is in my n5 and id like to share its data with the wp but cant. or i dont believe ican, if its possible please tell me how

 

[mark2410]

I think he means using his Android phone as the host, not the client. To that end, I don't know of any phone that works as a client regardless of platform.

my other androids, n4 and n7 do it no problem.

 

[HeyCori]

For good measure, here's a recent breakdown; Smartphones: So Many Apps, So Much Time showing the average number of Apps installed on a phone and the narrow focus of what most App use accomplishes. Sort of puts a real world minimization on how important Apps actually are to most users.

What that doesn't tell me is how invested people are in their phone's out-of-the-box functionality. Does the iOS user actively manage their iCloud content? Do they know to purchase the latest Taylor Swift CD through Xbox Music? Do people know how to go from phone, to tablet, to desktop while bringing all their content/services with them? I work with the public so I get a sizable mishmash of different users and devices. It amazes me how many people (even young ones) are clueless to what their phone is capable of. I've seen the blank stares when I explain how to transfer pictures from their Android phone to their computer. There are tons of comments across the web about how limited Cortana is. Maybe it doesn't have every single feature from Siri/Google Now, but limited? If anything I feel overwhelmed by what Cortana can do! I think we went from dumb-phones to smartphones with dumb users.

And the biggest misconception from smartphone users that I see is that an app store is some magical land of milk and honey where they're always one app away from transforming their life. In reality most users are going to get a small amount of media consumption apps, photos and games/health apps if they're into that.