Is it worth going for another Windows Phone or is it dead?

[eddydu]

Re: Is it worth going for another Windows Phone or its dead?

I still use windows phone. I also have an Iphone. Its difficult because I love the live tiles of windows. Yet lack of apps, that I need, and limited support from microsoft makes it a hard sell. I would love to see windows on arm and see that take off,

 

[nicolasmart]

Re: Is it worth going for another Windows Phone or its dead?

...but after 8.1 the experience didn't really improve, with all the integration being removed. and with windows 10 mobile... ios is much better than android, and even better than windows 10 mobile... they need to improve windows 10 mobile

When Windows 10 Mobile got released I thought exactly like you, even though I was a true Windows Phone fan. With the time I really started accepting Windows 10 Mobile. Even more, when they released the Anniversary Update they just bashed almost all the bugs.

You know what? Try Windows 10 Mobile Creators Update and tell us what you think. You might like it. Forget about the app gap. If you think the app gap is that bad, let me tell you a story:

Some people buy iPhones of eBay and they get scammed - they get stolen iCloud Locked iPhones. And there is a thing called iCloud DNS Bypass which is basically an iOS clone in a web browser because iCloud Locked iPhones really have only access to Safari during the Setup.
From your phone, visit http://freewebios.com/ios and explore some of the web apps.

I just want to say that even if there are no apps in the store, remember that you have a web browser, which can access many different web apps.

Come on, try out Windows Phone and tell us what you think.

 

[William Church]

I am in my eighties, retired but still active as a geologist. I usually work in the office with a Surface Pro3 and 4, and two Toshiba WT8 tablets running W10. I also own a cheap Lumia 550 (W10 Mobile). As a cell phone I use 7-11 SpeakOut and pay per phone call - usually to pick up my wife at the local food store! I am usually in range of a WIFI source and therefore able to use the internet to keep me in Skype contact with family members; my bank accounts; news stations such as the BBC etc; weather maps; 'TuneIn.com' for music via Radio Suisse Classique or 'Classic FM Radio'; Filmon for the Hillbillies!!!; YouTube; and TED. I can also listen to FM radio when out of WiFI range as well as to my own collection of music stored on the sdxc card. (The speaker is incredible given its size!) Equally important I have access to my email (Outlook), Calendar, and that wonderfull app ONENOTE. I also have access to OneDrive,Excel, Dropbox and Sync, Maps, and a camera. Would like to be able to view editable Google Earth kmz files in maps - and am working on that - but can live without that option. On my Surface I often use Jing and Irfanview in combination, but again that is not essential on a screen as small as that of the Lumia. I am perfectly satisfied with what I paid for!

 

[garak0410]

There are truly no new phones to get, especially on Verizon. The Lumia 735 is just not a high quality phone in this day and age.

Best bet is to search EBay or Amazon for a good deal on a used flagship Windows Phone.

My opinion, as a long time fan of the platform. If you need a phone now, pick up a mid-range Moto Android phone for now as we still do not know what Microsoft is going to do. That way, you aren't under a contract and if, by a miracle, Microsoft makes a huge return to mobile, you can be ready to get the latest and greatest.

 

[nicolasmart]

My opinion, as a long time fan of the platform. If you need a phone now, pick up a mid-range Moto Android phone for now as we still do not know what Microsoft is going to do. That way, you aren't under a contract and if, by a miracle, Microsoft makes a huge return to mobile, you can be ready to get the latest and greatest.

Hi there,

What device are you using for a daily driver right now and if it is Windows Phone, until when are you going to keep it?

 

[Shalin Pather01]

I will ONLY ever buy Windows powered phones - like you I will only ever stay with Microsoft. I would rather die than ever go to Google OR Crapple.

 

[Scanspeak]

My problem with Microsoft is credibility. They appear to have no strategy on what to do next and make radical changes that require you to buy a new device. This policy is a pocket raider. I would agree that it is their incredibly poor marketing that failed WP, the product was great and was gaining speed in its early days. But what if, I trust them again and they come up and say "Well, chaps, we`re happy to announce our improved Win XX which will nto be supported on older devices" And the issue with support i have is when something like this happens, app developers pull out and either lock onto the new OS or just dismiss the platform, as many did. End result would be I`d have a smartphone which can only do calls and text messages. How smart is that?

Microsoft should have learned from Nokia which invested in its own developers team and made some really great apps. In a store you don`t need millions unless you want to convince your mate that your i-thing or droid has a bigger manhood than your win. Truth is - one app is enough if done properly. Microsoft did try with their Finance, Health and etc. apps but they`re just not as good as third party ones and third parties are not interested in hiring developer teams because they, as us, have no idea on what will the future of Windows phone be and whether their risky investment would pay off. Microsoft had to do two things - hire developers to focus on app spawning and create a marketing team as I believe they have no one there.

To all, as I started the thread expecting a few replies, until I saw myself quoted in the Wc main page article, I bought a 2nd hand Lumia 930 so will stick around with WP a bit longer. Will push it these days to run 10.

 

[cr_buck]

I switched carriers and my new one only offers 1 Windows Phone that is over 2 years old so I got a GS8+. I won't be switching back to Windows Phone/Mobile until Microsoft shows a clear direction and dedication to it's own platform.

 

[windowsandme]

Re: Is it worth going for another Windows Phone or its dead?

MOST DEFINITELY - exactly three weeks ago from today I purchased what seemed to be the last available Alcatel Idol 4S Windows Phone in NYC at the T-Mobile Flagship Store in Times Square, aside from leaving Cricket Wireless and joining T-Mobile. I first anxiously jumped onto the platform at the debut of the Lumia 920 at AT&T (which I still sorely miss ....the phone of course, not the carrier) and left when I switched to Sprint and realized how horrible the Samsung Windows phone was at the time, then switching back to Android with the Nexus 5 which I finally just retired before going on a feverish hunt at several NYC T-Mobile shops and being fortunate enough to pickup the last one at the flagship store. And if I could've gotten my hands on a fresh Lumia 950 XL with warranty, I would have...
I have to say, aside from obvious improvements the OS needs, it's been a breath of fresh air for the past few weeks. Everything I missed about Windows Phone I came right back into, and honestly I'm doing pretty good not missing out on much after dumping once again our Android counterpart. Yes, there are things that can be better, but I am also, and have been for quite some time now, a Microsoft services guy all-around (Live personal email, MS work email, OneNote for notating, reading, saving EVERYTHING that crosses my path on the web, social media, and apps, endless Office functions both for work and personal) so my journey is way different than for the people out there who bash Windows Mobile for not being better at best, and at worst not being able to compete with iOS/Android. For the most part, everything works the way it should but I would never be foolish enough to act like there isn't room for improvement, just as in any platform or service.
I'm really looking forward to what Microsoft has in store for us in this space of tech, and will continue to support and utilize their offerings both personally and professionally! :smile:

 

[PerfectReign]

Times square?? That place is a zoo. I am in Manhattan with my son and went there last night. Now I know what a sardine feels like.

As for the Microsoft direction, it is obvious- cloud first. Check out today's article in ZDNet

http://www.zdnet.com/article/microsofts-commercial-cloud-services-gain-steam

While personal computing, which includes mobile devices and PCs, made money, the cloud computing division made almost as much.

 

[Captain_Eric]

Re: Is it worth going for another Windows Phone or its dead?

Nah, won't buy a Windows Phone, not now anyway. I'll wait to see what the "Surface Phone" device will be. In the meantime, my 1520 and 640XL work just fine.

 

[matt7709]

Hi there,

I`ve been using a WP8.1 for years and side by side with an Asus Zenfone running Android, I much prefer it. Problem is - I notice many providers are removing their apps from the Windows Store. Bloomberg, Ebay, Caledos and others which I use almost daily, are either not there or left unupdated and some don`t work well.

So, does it make sense to purchase another such phone in a shrinking app store and what appears to be a silent desire by Microsoft to shut off WP? Do you think its all rumours about them looking to kill the mobile version?

I am in a shaky boat - I like iOS as an OS very much. The devices work flawlessly and are very easy to use, apps are millions. But I don`t like the constant need to use iTunes and Apple`s support and policies. Its like buying a product from a company I don`t like for their values, not for their devices. I`m not going back to Android even if I`m threatened with a gun to my forehead.

I am not quite ready to let go. I just ordered a (refurbished) Lumia 950 as a replacement unit for my existing 950 that I dropped and had some glitches.

Windows mobile is still a great OS and I don't care a lot about the app gap: mail, calendar and contacts are great. I have a good rss reader, Facebook is sloooooow but working, Twitter too. Whatsapp is there. That's all I need.

I hope I survive with this until Microsoft comes up with a new solution. If not, in early 2018 I will have to switch to Android.

 

[AirWingMarine]

Re: Is it worth going for another Windows Phone or its dead?

Yesterday after much debate, I upgraded from my Win 8 Samsung ATIV to the LG G6. My carrier wasn't supporting the Windows phone and never pushed any updates including from 8 to 8.1. If there was a MSFT / Windows or Surface phone in the near future I would have waited. I own multiple MSFT products from Surface RT to Surface Pro 3, Xbox One etc. If a Surface phone becomes reality I will heartily consider it.

 

[jason hendry1]

Re: Is it worth going for another Windows Phone or its dead?

I left windows mobile, the best ui, live tiles and Cortana are great, but after here maps was let go off I felt sour towards microsoft, especially as microsoft maps sucks in comparison as a sat nav. But shortly after that paypal and ebay apps left windows mobile. Its not so much I cant manage without paypal or ebay its more that I have had a continuing growing list missing so it was my Santander bank app, my Vodaphone app, google you tube and street view maps, itsno wireless pay working out of box like my s7 edge does now. Once windows 8.1 got rebooted apps like metro tube or tubecast or mytube all became very unreliable. It was to many things for me to warrant staying. I miss live tiles and cortanas reminders, like location reminders that both siri andf google assistant still cant do but a growing lack of apps is a growing lack of apps, especially when theres a lot of the main stream ones missing.
lastly my Lumia 930 no longer legibal for updates like the creater update officially, even though it works on it. that's a 3 year old phone only and microsoft want to screw me over, that's what it feels like, even apple support their phones longer.

 

[ksmithservices]

Is the Elite X3 even worth an upgrade from the 950XL. I've had this thing for too long. I'm bored! Can't live without Live Tiles.

 

[Kot Prada]

Re: Is it worth going for another Windows Phone or its dead?

My carrier wasn't supporting the Windows phone and never pushed any updates including from 8 to 8.1.

Why would You pay money for such "service"? Don't they work for You (not an opposite)?

 

[Drael646464]

I tried clicking on a phone number on an android 5 phone today from a website. It didn't go straight to phone calling from the listed phone number on the web page. You couldn't click it, and you couldn't copy paste into the dialler.

Weird how many little functional things you can miss, when going across systems.

Is the Elite X3 even worth an upgrade from the 950XL. I've had this thing for too long. I'm bored! Can't live without Live Tiles.

Apparently its much beefier, but not as good camera.

 

[libra89]

I tried clicking on a phone number on an android 5 phone today from a website. It didn't go straight to phone calling from the listed phone number on the web page. You couldn't click it, and you couldn't copy paste into the dialler.

Weird how many little functional things you can miss, when going across systems.

I can agree with you about that.

I run into this all the time considering how often I use different phones. I currently have an iPhone, Lumia 650 and an Android phone. Something quirky that stands out to me is when using the same app across all three and how volume is controlled. On the Lumia, I can play a video and hear the sound even though my ringer volume is muted. Same on Android. On iOS though, the video plays without sound unless I unmute the ringer.

 

[meir602]

Is the Elite X3 even worth an upgrade from the 950XL. I've had this thing for too long. I'm bored! Can't live without Live Tiles.

I went from the 950xl to the x3 back in September, at that time it seemed like a real upgrade. Of course by now, 10 months later, I am bored of my x3. But, no where to go.

 

[midnightfrolic]

went from Lumia 950xl $650 to Blu R1 Plus $110 Android phone. Works soooo much better. and more apps as a bonus.