My Opinion: The Death of Windows Phone: As a Windows Fan I Don't Need One

[Donald Simard]

I think what confuses people is the definition of "Platform". Is it the Hardware, Operating System or the APPS? If someone
drops a Microsoft phone for IOS or Android with a large number of Microsoft Apps, did they abandon the Microsoft platform or move to a different instance of the Microsoft Platform, their APPs? Microsoft is not a solely hardware company, it is also an OS and a cloud platform provider.

 

[daniel_leavitt2000]

I think if WP10 fails and at this point I think it may, Microsoft will embrace droid. I can see them building hardware, plus a locked down and clean version much like Blackberry is doing.

It's really only about Microsoft's core apps. I'm no Google fan, but Android can be made to run well. It's just no one out there CHOOSES to do so. They rather get the kick backs installing apps for telecoms.

But imagine a totally clean Android kernel. On top of this you have the live tiles of WP, all the MS core apps, and the Lumia suite of photography apps. With hardware produced by MS and security provided by Google (on the kernel level) and MS (as the gate keeper to apps and services).

Yeah, I could see myself using a phone like that.

 

[thetruth1960]

MS has indirectly paid my bills for the last 25+ years since I've been developing in the MS platform for that long.
I had WM 6+ before WP. I bought the Samsung WP when it first came out. Then I went to L900 and for the last 3 years I've had 3 L920s in our house.

Friday I got my two new shining L640. Why? Because they were only $40 on Black Friday. However, my son is getting an Android Moto X Pure for Christmas. That phone specs wise is very comparable to the L950xl. It is hundreds of dollars cheaper and has "no app gap". My son will continue to use the MS services he uses, but like the OP said, with much better functionality than the WM version developed by MS itself.

I've also owned an Xbox for over 13 years. Just two weeks ago I bought a PS4. Why, very simple. I?m into car racing games. A few years ago I bought a wheel for my Xbox 360. At the time the wheel was compatible with the Xbox 360, of course, the PC and the PS3. Then the Xbox One came out. Guess what, the wheel is not supported in the Xbox One. Now, a few racing games that I wanted are only available on the ?New Gen? consoles (both the Xbox One and the PS4.) For me to go with an Xbox one, I would not only have to buy the Xbox, but I would also have to buy a new wheel. My original wheel investment was over $500. Well, that old wheel that came out before the Xbox One or PS4 came to market, IS compatible with the PS4 but not the Xbox one. Why would I then buy an Xbox One so that on top of the machine expense itself, I would have to buy another wheel? Makes no sense. Of course in the Xbox case the number of people that are racing fans is not as large as the ones that don?t so buying an extra controller is not as huge as an expense as buying a new wheel setup. So the Xbox overall is doing okay (okay because for years it has been behind PS4 in sales.) But this just another example of MS letting its fans down.

Why am I talking about the Xbox/PS4 in this post?

As a 25+ years of developing for the Microsoft platform and being a ******. I now have purchased an Android phone for my son and a PS4. MS is pushing me away in some respects.
Will I still develop for the MS platform? Yes, I will. However, with Visual Studio I will also be developing Android and iOS applications for my clients? systems that I develop for them. There is no way my client will justify the development of a WM application when there is no market for it. It is possible that a Windows 10 desktop application might work for my clients and that case, yes it will be a Universal App just because it is there. But not because the clients would need it in WM10.

Bottom line, I think many people, after 5 years of failures with the MS mobile platform, are looking other ways to fulfill their needs.

People complain about Steve Ballmer and how Satya is doing so much better. Yes, maybe Satya is doing better for MS?s bottom line (which is of course important) but this post is not about MS?s bottom line. It is about WM. When it comes to that. Steve, after making the huge mistake of not staying on top of the WM environment, try to rectify it by buying Nokia so MS could have its own mobile division. Then came Satya. He fired 18000 people. He stopped all development of all flagship Lumia phones. And he directed the teams to develop better mobile applications for other platforms instead of his own. To me, Satya is not doing better for the WP/WM landscape. He?s actually pushed many people to other platforms as the OP said. There is no MS service (with exception of Cortana and that is coming) that he can?t get from his new Android. And the same is true with iOS.

 

[cawafuoshi]

I do not see WP or 10 Mobile being a dead end. For Microsoft to succeed they do not need to beat Android nor iOS.

Don't know if they measure success in profits or rather market share (or both or not at all), but quitting Win 10 Mobile or the phone business at all would basically negate the whole philosophy this platform is built on and touted as. I can see light at the end of the tunnel with the Surface line helping universal apps.

As for my needs, I am platform agnostic. Currently using a 640, having a second line using the underrated Moto E, and my iOs needs are taken care of by my iPad. That pretty much covers all and everything perhaps not in one device but still. I do not need to ditch Lumia and WP just for that one app or function.

 

[laserfloyd]

Thats your opinion without android there aint any samsung

Samsung was around way before Android. It's just that Android has made them a LOT of money. Samsung would still exist quite nicely without Android. Owned several Samsung products years before smart phones even existed.

 

[Ten Four]

Reasons to stay:

1. Love the tiles interface, live tiles, and ease of use
2. Love the security (relative to others), sense of greater privacy (not sure if it is real)
3. Love replaceable battery, expandable memory, durable build quality
4. Don't need a ton of apps--have what I need day to day

Reasons to Leave:

1. App gap is real, and quality of apps is lower, missing several apps I need for work
2. Lack of high quality smaller devices with good cameras (like iPhone)
3. Not sure W10 mobile is better than 8.1, looks worse, not sure this is a good direction
4. In general, W10 buggy and annoying
5. One Drive slow, error prone, and soon will only include 5GB free

 

[jcar302]

I didn't abandon Windows. I was forced to another platform and found out that I'm not missing much.

If you don't miss the tiles, interface or camera, what exactly did you think you were going to miss?

Since you are on these forums, one would have to assume you are a mobile phone enthusiast of some sort, so let's be realistic, you knew before you ever went to android that you weren't going to miss anything, especially if you don't miss the tiles.

Everyone here knows that android does pretty much everything windows phone does, so what information are you relaying that we already don't know?

 

[DoctorSaline]

They should still release the Surface Phone...but with one caveat.

Surface Phone should run Cyanogen. Microsoft should just purchase Cyanogen and tweak it to serve as a reference platform for its apps and services. If they want to skin it with the Modern UI that would be even better. The app gap will be instantly eliminated and MS can focus its efforts on supporting a platform neutral mobile payments platform. Because it's clear that no one needs Windows 10 Mobile, not even Windows 10 fans.

I'd have believed your pretence until I read this. Sorry to disappoint you mate but Surface Phone is not gonna be for you. Microsoft already has deals in place with big name android OEMs like Samsung and even Cyanogen to push Microsoft services out of the box. Microsoft don't need no Surface branded phone to promote an android phone with Microsoft's services when others are already doing it for Microsoft. Surface brand and phone is reserved for windows platform only, to show the power of windows and windows only. Don't come back for a Surface Phone, since, android can already do what a windows phone can and more. Right?

 

[EBUK]

Maybe WM users should start claiming the competition has a feature gap,

no glance, <-- ACDisplay or Dynamic Notification are apps that resolve that.
no continuum, <-- Available only on the two most recent handsets.
no heavily integrated Cortana, <-- Thank goodness. No need to use Cortana / Google Now / Siri to enable quiet hours.
no live tiles, <-- Widgets
not as secure, <-- W10M has been 'jail broken' so that argument may no longer be valid.
no keyboard/mouse support, Use Bluetooth or an OTG connector.
no cursor on keyboard, etc... I have it, and the implementation is better than on W10M
I prefer what I have now over what I used to use, thanks.I love my Lumia 735. Smooth, fast operation, great camera. But I love my LG G3 too. Both work well for me, though the LG is my daily driver.

IF developers are attracted to Windows 10 universal apps, then I wouldn't hesitate to upgrade to a 950. But I'm not going to risk it at the moment. It's a game of wait and see...

 

[Slovenix]

I think if WP10 fails and at this point I think it may, Microsoft will embrace droid. I can see them building hardware, plus a locked down and clean version much like Blackberry is doing.

It's really only about Microsoft's core apps. I'm no Google fan, but Android can be made to run well. It's just no one out there CHOOSES to do so. They rather get the kick backs installing apps for telecoms.

But imagine a totally clean Android kernel. On top of this you have the live tiles of WP, all the MS core apps, and the Lumia suite of photography apps. With hardware produced by MS and security provided by Google (on the kernel level) and MS (as the gate keeper to apps and services).

Yeah, I could see myself using a phone like that.

What's the purpose of Android if it was locked down? It's really not about Microsoft apps, rather it's all about Google apps and other big names which people cry for.

We already have a smooth OS.

Neither Android or iOS is any better in overall performance quality, especially when they release the first build of their newest OS.

Only reason I'm considering Android again is the looks and apps.

And after all, I think Microsoft is slowing their bug fixing by supporting so many devices. On Android you don't expect to get new OS version unless you have a flagship. However that's why we love Microsoft.

 

[Slovenix]

If Microsoft only focused developing on flagships, people would start hating on them, but no one hates on Google here when your non-nexus device is not updated. And no I don't even own a Flagship device. Just common sense.

 

[Slovenix]

The only complaint on Windows phones I hear from normal people is apps. It's usually "Works so much smoother than Android" "Just needs X apps"

 

[DoctorSaline]

People who think Microsoft made a mistake by offering their services on competitor platforms need to realize something. Windows licensing model isn't feasible in today's world. Look at iOS. Look at android. Free OS upgrades. Your average consumer just don't want to pay for a platform on their consumption device. Services on other hand are still relevant. Although they too have taken a hit but with newer freemium or in app purchase business model, they are still very much in the game. And the people who are on mobile devices are 10 times more than the people on PCs. Which meant Microsoft as a Software Vendor(Office apps developer) was missing out on a huge chunk of market. Office compared to Windows is still pretty much profitable and relevant. Microsoft did the right thing by securing their office market, wherever it might be. As for windows, a single platform and app development model that can work anywhere and everywhere is alluring to say the least. And it will help windows in growing the ecosystem. The only question remains how much time it will take to materialize as an adequate ecosystem.

 

[Sunstorming]

I don't give a crap what anyone else uses. Windows Phone is easy to use and does what I need it to do. And if I ever turn into one of those guys that uses a damn phone to pay for hot overpriced bean flavored water at Starbucks, please take away my phone. At that point I might as well get a scarf, tight jeans and a MacBook to complete the transformation to total hipster ******.

 

[chidoro42]

Than you get a Motorola with the Motor assist features. As capable, maybe even more so, than Glance. The easy ios conversion will help, hopefully

Posted via the Windows Central App for Android

 

[CruelEngine]

My Reaction

Posted via the Windows Central App for Android

 

[cracgor]

The only complaint on Windows phones I hear from normal people is apps. It's usually "Works so much smoother than Android" "Just needs X apps"

Not everything works smoothly on windows phone. Even windows central pp crashes in me and cant handle switching apps to copy text. The resuming screen is a real bother. Internet explorer in WP8.1 is super slow and does not display web pages correctly. I'm not sure if android is better or if edge is better in WM10, but I feel like the only reason I ever believed that kind of stuff was because it was true when I switched to wp7 and android was on a much earlier build. After trying the 950, I'm just going to get first hand knowledge and keep returning phones until I'm at least happy enough.

 

[cracgor]

I don't give a crap what anyone else uses. Windows Phone is easy to use and does what I need it to do. And if I ever turn into one of those guys that uses a damn phone to pay for hot overpriced bean flavored water at Starbucks, please take away my phone. At that point I might as well get a scarf, tight jeans and a MacBook to complete the transformation to total hipster ******.

A hipster would be more like to use a windows smartphone to be ironic...

Don't take that seriously. It is a joke.

 

[Slovenix]

Not everything works smoothly on windows phone. Even windows central pp crashes in me and cant handle switching apps to copy text. The resuming screen is a real bother. Internet explorer in WP8.1 is super slow and does not display web pages correctly. I'm not sure if android is better or if edge is better in WM10, but I feel like the only reason I ever believed that kind of stuff was because it was true when I switched to wp7 and android was on a much earlier build. After trying the 950, I'm just going to get first hand knowledge and keep returning phones until I'm at least happy enough.

Not everything works smoothly on Android. It's quite simple. And not even iOS iPad Air with much more powerful processor does same things with the same speed as a freaking Snapdragon 400.

Done a browsing test L830 (S400) vs LG G3 (S801, 3GB ram) and it's freaking same or sometimes slower or faster by 0.5 sec.

Screw benchmarks, real world use is much different.

And Windows Central is the slowest app on my phone. And there is no such thing as resuming screen on new W10 apps or rather it just says "resuming" while on Android you get a nice transmission so it fakes being fast.

I'm not really defending Windows, it pisses me off sometimes, but just as much as I get pissed of on an Android or iOS device which costs more.

Then again copying text and such.. In some apps it works with some it doesn't.. Still an app problem and not the OS. That's why the only reason to be pissed off is Apps being outdated or just not well made. And the worst thing is some of the Microsoft apps are like this.. Then again some works just fine.

 

[Slovenix]

And too many people are comparing low end or mid to Android and Apple flagships like S6, Nexus, iPhone etc.. No **** Sherlock..