Question for Developers - Can Windows Phone always match iOS/Android app capabilities?

[runamuck83]

This is just a generic, general question for developers - especially one that have worked on all 3 major platforms (Windows, Android, iOS).

Are there capabilities that the "other two" OSes can do that Windows Phone simply can't or is this a myth?

Or, are there things that possible but more difficult to achieve on Windows Phone?

Curious...

 

[ramyZgHR]

This is just a generic, general question for developers - especially one that have worked on all 3 major platforms (Windows, Android, iOS).

Are there capabilities that the "other two" OSes can do that Windows Phone simply can't or is this a myth?

Or, are there things that possible but more difficult to achieve on Windows Phone?

Curious...

+930

 

[jordanzhninja]

This is just a generic, general question for developers - especially one that have worked on all 3 major platforms (Windows, Android, iOS).

Are there capabilities that the "other two" OSes can do that Windows Phone simply can't or is this a myth?

Or, are there things that possible but more difficult to achieve on Windows Phone?

Curious...

From what I am aware, the apps in Android have more flexibility than Windows Phone apps do. To put it way too simply: apps can talk to each other on Android. Just like they can do on a desktop OS for example.

For example, when you goto select a photo in an app and then you want to edit it, a menu will appear saying "which app would you like to use?" and you can choose one or ask for one to be chosen automatically.

I don't think iOS and WP can do this, could be wrong.

 

[ramyZgHR]

WP also does that. When you tap to edit photo it offers you apps you installed for that purpose.
I noticed that lots of apps and games for WP looks more simple in graphic then their counterparts in Android and iOS. And I am not talking about low end WP but high end like 1520 and 930. So, hardware shouldn't be the problem...

 

[runamuck83]

WP also does that. When you tap to edit photo it offers you apps you installed for that purpose.
I noticed that lots of apps and games for WP looks more simple in graphic then their counterparts in Android and iOS. And I am not talking about low end WP but high end like 1520 and 930. So, hardware shouldn't be the problem...

I agree, I don't think there's any limitations there...

 

[a5cent]

Yes, there are differences... a lot. It's not just a myth, but that is not always a bad thing.

There are some features which are just plain missing from WP. One example is the ability to determine which carrier the device is connected to. That was something WP8.0 apps could "kind of" do, but WP8.1 (windows runtime) apps no longer can.

Overall though, for the most part, iOS and WP are quite comparable. Android however is a completely different beast. It's probably simpler to ask what Android apps can't do. The thing is, these differences are not so much oversights on MS' behalf, but rather deliberate and conscious decisions MS has made in the interest of stability, reliability, performance, battery life, security and privacy. For example, some developers may find it annoying that their apps can't access your text messages, but from MS' point of view that is a sacrifice worth making in the interest of privacy and security. Considering text messages are often used to regain access to websites (after forgetting our passwords), or for two-factor authentication, I would agree, but it's not completely crazy to be of the opposite opinion. Similar restrictions exist all throughout both iOS and WP, many of which provide profound and important benefits, where Android has none or very few. Which you prefer ultimately depends on what you are looking for in a smartphone, and how highly you value those traits I listed above over flexibility and features.

Finally, developers will sometimes blame difficulties on API restrictions, where blaming the developer would probably have been more appropriate. Blaming API restrictions is easy to get away with in the WP community, because it's just reinforcing a preconceived (but not entirely untrue) notion. If you're not a developer, you just don't have much hope of validating which claims are justified and which aren't.

 

[androidtoWM]

From what I am aware, the apps in Android have more flexibility than Windows Phone apps do. To put it way too simply: apps can talk to each other on Android. Just like they can do on a desktop OS for example.

For example, when you goto select a photo in an app and then you want to edit it, a menu will appear saying "which app would you like to use?" and you can choose one or ask for one to be chosen automatically.

I don't think iOS and WP can do this, could be wrong.

with iOS 8, iOS apps can talk to each other (extensions).

 

[D M C]

Their are screen recording apps in Android.
Is it possible to make one for WP?

 

[andrei_1998]

No with The actual OS restrictions