Lumias are the new Surface RT, don't waste your money.

[Jazmac]

I'm not sure if I should continue reading anything else you write.
Customers are the ones who can determine whether a platform is successful or not.

You're right and you shouldn't. Its like slowly pouring curdled milk on your cereal. The more you pour, the more lumps fall out and the worse it smells. Nothing but pure hate for the platform but too invested and/or too cheap to leave it alone.

 

[DoctorSaline]

I don't get the point of this post. It starts with the deficiencies of W10m and then goes on to recommend Surface Phone like Surface Phone is gonna solve all those problems. At this point, we don't even know anything about Surface Phone other than the fact that an Intel phone is in development. What processor will it use? Intel Atom series isn't strong enough for a flagship phone expected to run Win32 applications. Intel Core M has a big footprint which is unlikely to fit in a phone form factor (although there are reports that Intel is working to make a mobile SoC based on Core M so there is that). But, the biggest question is will the powerful Intel CPUs be as battery efficient as Qualcomm's (ARM) chipsets? Then again, the app gap as we see today will still be there. Win32 (desktop) apps will probably ONLY work in Continuum mode (i.e. when the phone is docked to large screen, keyboard and mouse) and not on phone itself because win32 applications are neither adaptive to smaller screen sizes nor made for touch, as of yet. And the final question, will Surface Phone be as widely distributed as lumias of today? Because we all know that a lot of markets don't even get Surface branded products, even the bigger markets like India. So for most windows phone fans out there, these Lumia flagships are still the best bet for time being. It sufficiently fulfils consumers' content consumption needs like media playback and casual social networking. Microsoft Edge is a lot better than IE11 of WP8.1. The development pathway of Edge shows that it will have feature parity with webkit based browsers like Chrome and Safari (you can see that for yourself on Microsoft Edge Developer page). We will likely see extensions come to mobile as well once Microsoft sort it out. Office mobile apps are great, they even work on your phone, and I don't think they are getting the credit they deserve.
True we still don't have apps like Snapchat, the more utility oriented apps like banking, ticketing, retails, online transactions or even an elegant nfc payment method or popular games or stuff. But, if these things are important for you, I cant imagine why you are here on windows forum spewing doom and gloom. Go to your fantasies of iOS and Android world.

 

[Marcin Dabrowsky]

OP you're extremely annoying sir. I can appreciate differing opinions but you seem very insecure about yourself. Why defend every single response? I sense an agenda against windows phone.

If it's the money, I understand but why try to convince others not to buy it just because you can't afford it?

Posted via the Windows Central App for Android

 

[vEEP pEEP]

So what is this Surface Phone?

Sounds like Speculation Phone to me.

MS will continue to have an app gap for a while considering they have 2.6% of the worlds phones. However their growth will happen in Asia, and some of Europe, not in North America.

Asia might have a smaller app gap? Can anyone speak to this?
I'm guessing because the have different apps. And tons of developers!

I think MS had to introduce a new phone with some serious hardware to stay in the game. And they want to stay in the game. Mobile is everything.

 

[desaideas1]

I had to pick up an iPhone 5 because my 1020 is on the fritz with w10m, and I abhor the whole experience, granted its not a i6, but I miss having a single glance to see everything happening on my apps and social. I defy. Grabbed all the new office, and outlook apps for iOS and there are a few things that are nicer, but not a lot as well as things that are just better thought out on w10.

Snapchat by far is the stupidest app with a UI only a moron would appreciate, and honestly I enjoyed Facebook and Instagram extras more than I would ever care about Snapchat. (I've had an account and people still send them to me just fyi). Other than that, the only app I wish I had on w10 is iBooks, can blame Barnes and noble for failing on that front.

Honestly, Microsoft just needs to dig into their pockets, build a high grade app development team and take out a majority of the work for the top 500 apps that are missing. Side benefit us they could even fix some things like Snapchats beyond worthless UI.

 

[Neil Manuel]

I am from Asia and many people here use Windows Phones, at least in my place.

 

[david90531]

I have to say the idea of Surface Phone definitely excites me and seems like it's not a dead project and it is possible. But I simply can't wait till then so I will be getting 950XL no matter what, if that means I have to sell the phone later to get the Surface Phone so be it. 950XL is still a beast phone despite whatever future Lumia holds.

 

[imnotevenhererightnow]

I think I'll ignore most of your arguments and speak on the one that is completely invalid which is Edge

Every browser works well, but that's not what we aim for, the less apps we have the more important the browsers become, Chrome isn't perfect sometimes it can't open certain websites, that's where having multiple browsers become EXTREMELY important as such website could be your Bank's website that didn't release an app for your WM10 phone yet/or ever?
Also I use Firefox in Android because it allows for plugins like Adblock which makes watching certain websites that are spammy and full of ads manageable.

The fact that you can't change your browser in WM10 is never a good thing, unless you're talking about security in which you might as well use a dumbphone if you're going to create security by closing options.

my bank has a WP app. I guess I'm good.

 

[neo158]

Yeah the hardware part has always been good, software was always Achilles' heel for Windows Phone new comers, specially since it missed every major social app until that app became unpopular and I'm thinking WP lost all of it's youth base when it couldn't get snapchat to budge and make a WP app

So Microsoft should be forcing developers to develop for Windows Phone? The CEO of Snapchat has stated that they have NO intention of ever developing for WP, not that I care with all the crap he spouted about WP anyway.

OK, what about Swarm. From what I remember WP actually got that app before iOS and Android, not only that as far as I know both Instagram and Twitter are still popular as is Facebook.

 

[neo158]

So what is this Surface Phone?

Sounds like Speculation Phone to me.

MS will continue to have an app gap for a while considering they have 2.6% of the worlds phones. However their growth will happen in Asia, and some of Europe, not in North America.

Asia might have a smaller app gap? Can anyone speak to this?
I'm guessing because the have different apps. And tons of developers!

I think MS had to introduce a new phone with some serious hardware to stay in the game. And they want to stay in the game. Mobile is everything.

I happen to think that Microsoft should just focus on Europe and Asia with W10M and eventually stop selling all Lumia devices in the US.

 

[MiloTheOne]

If your feelings are so set on the next M'apple phone or android then go, M'apple and Droid have started emulating each other amd frankly it's sad. At least with the 950 series there is something different.

As someone before me stated, if we all wait that might be the sign to old William to shut down the mobile phone division. The surface phone is coming out possibly in a year maybe longer, MSFT is a company that needs to project it's earnings before releasing the evolution in smart devices.

If all the rumors are true and there's an Intel chip on that bad boy, all I will say is, Windows phone does WHAT! Bye bye laptops and even tablets, to an extent. Without taking chances and getting messy how would you know something will work or not? (Don't mind the MS . Frizzell quote there, XD watched tv with the kids all day).

 

[Nabkawe5]

If your feelings are so set on the next M'apple phone or android then go, M'apple and Droid have started emulating each other amd frankly it's sad. At least with the 950 series there is something different.

As someone before me stated, if we all wait that might be the sign to old William to shut down the mobile phone division. The surface phone is coming out possibly in a year maybe longer, MSFT is a company that needs to project it's earnings before releasing the evolution in smart devices.

If all the rumors are true and there's an Intel chip on that bad boy, all I will say is, Windows phone does WHAT! Bye bye laptops and even tablets, to an extent. Without taking chances and getting messy how would you know something will work or not? (Don't mind the MS . Frizzell quote there, XD watched tv with the kids all day).

Microsoft always had a shiny future and a beta present so that intel and laptop stuff is kind of sad in itself, I would say that if Microsoft could figure out how to use both a mid range ARM and a high end Intel chip in the same phone, that would create the effect of the surface book basically, and it'll be truly a swiss army knife of both a connected PC and a battery friendly phone.

As for the something different part, we didn't need an action center we kept saying we want interactive tiles or a left home screen for notifications instead we got stuck with an Android themed notification center it wasn't even as good as Android's version! even the whole look and feel of Windows 10 Mobile is very close to what an ICS Android looked like back in 2010, Windows 10 Mobile is probably Microsoft's Symbian Bell OS (Look it up)

 

[Nabkawe5]

Opera Mini.

There are many browsers in the Windows Phone store and even though Opera Mini has a 2.6 rating, it's not a different browser because it actually uses Internet Explorer to render pages and then applies it's changes to it, and that's then not a real change if your problem with the browser to begin with, is the rendering part.

 

[Nabkawe5]

I don't do 'social' apps. I have real friends, albiet only 4 or 5 truly real friends, I have thousands of acquaintances though. I dont need twitter to massage my ego or share my working life, and have many followers. I am not a follower, no twitter for me.

As for the 'billions' of people using these OS, maybe they should step back and look at exactly what they are getting? How many times can crapple keep milking the market with 3 or 4 identical device, save for different colours and a slightly bigger screen, that bends.

How many times can Samdung do the Same? Galaxy s6, edge, egde xl, dual edge etc. Consequently, I consider myself to be 'More' mature because I have the ABILITY to make my OWN mind up and not be led like sheep into thinking that the latest device, which is inevitably just a small upgrade over the last model to save development costs to a minimum, and blow a large sum of money on something, especially droid, that won't have any support or upgrades when the new fashion statement arrives. High end devices are basically selling you a lifestyle, so if people want to spend a shed load of money on the flagship iBone or Galaxy, it' not because it's the best device, it's the one they want to be seen with, the one they can big up to their mates. They are NOT mobiles, they are fashion items where sheep are convinced to buy them with clever marketing and product placement in the coolest of music videos.....

Yes, I have to agree that Lumia is an odd design. I am a believer that the 950/950 xl have had to be released in part, to recover the development costs. Anything above that is a bonus. I firmly see it as a stop gap to something bigger.

Can I have another immature quote pls??? I have seen this from all three major OS's over the years.

I'm sure you have lots of friends that enjoy how above it all you are, we use social apps to connect because its cheaper than calling and because believe it or not, some people work away from their homes and they want to connect with their loved ones, I use Facebook messenger for voice calls and video calls, as Skype is a complete failure in our region (No local servers I bet) and Windows Phone still doesn't have the ability to make video calls or even calls in Facebook Messenger, Facebook is a billion people service, I would think no company should ignore it but oh well.

The fact that Windows Phone is special (and its not anymore because most of the changes made transformed it into an Android anyways) is meaningless and frankly if you think it's that special maybe you're a hipster.

On the simplicity part, a dumbphone is also simple! but I'd say the lovely thing about Windows Phone that is has a consistent speed (before resume OS took over) you always did your tasks in the same speed and your phone operated the same way for months maybe a whole year, which is something I miss sometimes, but then I remember how many services I use that are complete disasters on WP so I keep my mouth shut

 

[deepak12345]

The fact that Windows Phone is special (and its not anymore because most of the changes made transformed it into an Android anyways) is meaningless and frankly if you think it's that special maybe you're a hipster.

I felt woindows 10 mobile looks more like windows 10 . Except for some places .. It does look like android. But out of that 80% it looks like windows 10 on pc.

 

[Dratwister]

Well... Since I bought the surface RT 1 and still keep it as a multipurpose TV box.
So I guess I can ignore your advice, right :3

Or, how about thinking this way: I have my money and I bet on things I like, simple as fact

 

[StevoPhilo]

I'm sure you have lots of friends that enjoy how above it all you are, we use social apps to connect because its cheaper than calling and because believe it or not, some people work away from their homes and they want to connect with their loved ones, I use Facebook messenger for voice calls and video calls, as Skype is a complete failure in our region (No local servers I bet) and Windows Phone still doesn't have the ability to make video calls or even calls in Facebook Messenger, Facebook is a billion people service, I would think no company should ignore it but oh well.

The fact that Windows Phone is special (and its not anymore because most of the changes made transformed it into an Android anyways) is meaningless and frankly if you think it's that special maybe you're a hipster.

On the simplicity part, a dumbphone is also simple! but I'd say the lovely thing about Windows Phone that is has a consistent speed (before resume OS took over) you always did your tasks in the same speed and your phone operated the same way for months maybe a whole year, which is something I miss sometimes, but then I remember how many services I use that are complete disasters on WP so I keep my mouth shut

Apparently not......

 

[Doug Swallow]

I am always amused when people start talking about things like SnapChat as some sort of important must-have app that their lives depend upon or they'll die unfulfilled. It's just today's pet rock.

Seriously.

But to each their own. Everyone has their particular requirements.

I look for a phone in a smartphone. And access to the internet. All things internet. News and information, especially. And it's good for productivity... getting at emails, being able to view and update things like documents, spreadsheets, presentations, and other such office-related activities.

I don't buy a phone to play games. But sometimes I might play a game.

What was nice about Windows Phone is that the ecosystem wasn't wrapped in rubber bumpers with twenty nannies to watch over every aspect of using the phone (Apple), and it wasn't a hash of every random way possible to do anything, where every manufacturer gets to "improve" upon the interface, such that "Android compatible" was almost meaningless, requiring tracking version numbers of device specs to figure out what may or may not almost work.

And it offered a far more interesting integration; things weren't separated by Apps. The services provided by Apps were integrated together in ways that really were useful. Of course, so much of that is diminished. But I can't blame Microsoft so much there as it's the App owners that had their services integrated better that really were at fault for not wanting their content used in such a manner -- pretty much like cable companies want to control the UI of their PPV/streaming.viewing platforms and not let third-parties be able to do something innovative with the content.

If something drastically changes in the smartphone landscape I can buy another phone. The world isn't ending. I pay far more for the cellular service each year than I do for any one phone. And even if I don't switch to other ecosystems, I still keep buying different phones regularly. I can switch anytime I think it's valuable to me to do so.

Yeah, I believe some companies make incredibly stupid decisions and statements. That's hardly anything new, either. If some CEO wants to declare he'll never support platform X, then fine. He's an ***** for blindly limiting his user base. But he can be an *****, there's no law preventing that. The free market works its way through such things. Like the guy trying to sell $750 pills who now can't even sell the pill at the original $13 price since another company is selling the same thing for $1. Not to mention the incredibly bad press he is getting over the whole matter.

But the ecosystem landscape is about to change a lot; while it won't be completely effort-free, with the tools to readily port iOS and Android apps, developers with a brain who just want more potential customers will do so readily. Especially when doing so could also expand their potential user base to the Windows desktop, and eventually into Xbox game consoles and future devices like HoloLens.

There was a time when cell phones were installed in vehicles not carried around. Then it became commonplace to have cell phones one could carry in a pocket. Then they turned into smarter devices with the ability to run programs that did more than make phone calls. Just like portable cassette players became portable CD players and then portable MP3 players which then got combined into our smarter phones. And cameras became digital cameras which got merged into smarter phones. Equipment changes. People adapt. Everything changes. Yesterday's must-have is tomorrow's who-cares. Who knows what's next. But there will be a next.

I'm satisfied with Windows Phone. I'd like some things to be different. But anyone will come up with things that they believe would be improvements, no matter what ecosystem they use. The device we're about to get is top-of-the-line, no matter what naysayers think about it not being glass and metal (which itself is a silly belief). It stands spec-to-spec against the best phones from every manufacturer, if not exceeding them in just about every way. There's very little that could be added to them from available tech. I do feel for Microsoft, though. They have been forced to reinvent so many things over and over. I'd really like to see the platform get this sort of attention to improve rather than to be gutted and replaced. I think we're at least finally to that point. The Universal app and common kernel have some significant advantages over what has come before.

Almost anybody can build a phone nowadays. Reference designs, common chipsets, and a whole horde of me-too designs proves that. It's no longer rocket science. Innovation is the key, now. What comes next. And how that can fit into the bigger picture. Computing devices tied with different interfaces -- cellular, displays, holographic, visual, tactile, projected, images, maybe even neutrally connected one day. You want ways to leverage together all the work done for any of those devices and interfaces as new ones become available and desirable.

 

[Krystianpants]

Microsoft always had a shiny future and a beta present so that intel and laptop stuff is kind of sad in itself, I would say that if Microsoft could figure out how to use both a mid range ARM and a high end Intel chip in the same phone, that would create the effect of the surface book basically, and it'll be truly a swiss army knife of both a connected PC and a battery friendly phone.

As for the something different part, we didn't need an action center we kept saying we want interactive tiles or a left home screen for notifications instead we got stuck with an Android themed notification center it wasn't even as good as Android's version! even the whole look and feel of Windows 10 Mobile is very close to what an ICS Android looked like back in 2010, Windows 10 Mobile is probably Microsoft's Symbian Bell OS (Look it up)

Why would they want an ARM chip? The only problem with CISC was that intel made high power requirements on their chips, so they weren't really viable for mobile. Their new skylake line has mobile chipsets. And Intel has quite an intense engineering team allowing them to build some crazy chips. In fact their cpu's are so tiny that's why they are slamming crazy GPU's into them. The new Iris Pro is actually quite a capable gpu. Furthermore intel and MS have been working on a special project which likely will be this upcoming phone. But don't expect it to be announced till possibly October 2016-Jan 2017. And expect it to cost more than apple devices. I think it will be sold as a phone/computer and as such the price will be justified. It could even come with a dock with a powerful GPU for gaming. Anything is possible really. But to hold out because something is coming is silly in tech. Tech is always rapidly changing, you would be holding out all the time.

 

[doghouseriley]

Assuming the op's assumption is correct, a rt wp would still be better and more productive than anything apple or android has ever had.