Sad and true...Tom Warren giving up on WP

[Loco5150]

Yes I agree with him 100%, and its sad. Microsoft should still ride this out. They have the money for it. WP will pick up, but it will take a long time and loads of money.

 

[EBUK]

Use the damn mobile website instead!

I've never understood why an app is needed for all these websites. Apps for BBC News, BBC Weather, BBC Sport, BBC This, BBC That, BBC Other... Just browse the website!

Of course, what do I know?! I'm not an app-monster, I have just a smattering installed, none of them linked to websites.

 

[Vernon Vincent]

Maybe I'm funny about this - but I don't see the lack of apps as Microsoft's problem. I see it as the app developer's problem. If I want an app on my phone, and it's not there, I complain to the app developer - not the phone maker. Blaming Microsoft for the lack of apps is like blaming your car manufacturer for potholes in the road. If I want Amazon Music on my Windows Phone, I damn well better be complaining to Amazon. We the customers have to demonstrate a demand for the app and we have to make sure the people who nominally make the app *know* we want it.

It's not like Microsoft doesn't make their tools available for free (Visual Studio Community Edition). The two factors that contribute to a lack of apps are demand and bias. If they are biased against Microsoft, then they won't see a need to develop in the first place; and if we don't demand the app developer make a Windows Phone app, they won't know that their bias is incorrect.

 

[Luisraul924]

Tl;dr: If you want to leave the platform go ahead you're only part of Microsoft's problem.

To those saying "it's Microsoft, not WP" I can say that's not necessarily true. I've been a Windows Phone owner since it launched in '10. I was there for the first two years when Microsoft services were exclusive to Windows Phone. I remember when OneNote/Office/Skydrive for mobile was only available on Windows Phone. What did people do? They continued to use iOS/Android and when they needed those services they found counter parts to those apps whether they were third party knock offs or competing services offered by the respective platform developers (i.e. iCloud/Google Drive). I'm not saying I know the answer to get people to use Windows Phone prolifically. What I am saying is that Microsoft knows what they're doing, especially with Windows 10. I feel that by this time next year things will start to look up for this platform. Two years from now I'm sure market share will then speak for itself. Oh as for competing Skype apps, they were already in development prior to Microsoft purchasing them. Those apps were inherently ahead on other platforms prior to Windows Phone. Just because Microsoft purchased them doesn't mean they (Skype dev team) have to slow down competing platform development. It's just business get over it.

 

[thesachd]

Have y'all seen the freaking swarm of official apps coming recently???? I give it another year and the app gap will be gone!

Exactly what Joe Belfiore said last year.

Good luck with that.

 

[theefman]

I've never understood why an app is needed for all these websites. Apps for BBC News, BBC Weather, BBC Sport, BBC This, BBC That, BBC Other... Just browse the website!

Of course, what do I know?! I'm not an app-monster, I have just a smattering installed, none of them linked to websites.

Good god... how many freaking apps does a person need?? People need an app to flush their ****ter...and if the official app is not available on WP, than it's a no go! I've been using WP since WP7 was released, and I've never had more than a handful of apps on my phone... a weather app, news, mint, a couple others, and that's it. I'm so sick of hearing about apps. Use the damn mobile website instead! 99% of the time it's a better experience than an app anyway.

Yeah I had the Samsung Focus WP7 it was my first WP I didn't know much about apps so I didn't download as much. But yeah mobile website is better at times. Also people forget phones are used for calling and texting but alas not anymore they're just miniature PCs.

Lets not be dishonest in the rush to defend WP. The reality of today's smartphone user is, they use apps and they expect apps to be on the platform they choose and trying to downplay their importance just because WP doesn't have most of those apps is delusional. In many cases apps provide functionality you wont get from a mobile website. That's just the truth, especially for less tech savvy and new smartphone users. Trying to diminish the importance of apps saying "I don't need a million apps" completely misses the point.

And the flip side to this is all the hype about how Windows 10 will bring apps to WP and Windows because its unified and developers would be "crazy" not to develop for Windows 10. Well if the website is all people need why would desktop users need apps? In which case the argument is completely negated and its back to square one.

However, its a valid point that Microsoft cant do much to force developers to release their apps on WP but what is within their power is to make the OS competitive, market it effectively, support it and at the very least treat their own platform like a first class citizen but again, the reality is they are not doing that. So the OS doesn't grow and devs aren't attracted and, no apps. It all starts with Microsoft and until they stop pissing about nothing is going to change.

 

[JamesDax]

Windows Phone isn't going away. But haters are free to leave.

 

[Slovenix]

Microsoft should make a Windows Phone launcher for Android

 

[someone2639]

Microsoft should make a Windows Phone launcher for Android

And word flow for IOS.

 

[Mike Gibson]

I wonder what's going on. This week we've had Ed Bott and Tom Warren saying they're ditching WP and, on Windows Weekly yesterday, Thurrott and MJF gave a virtual epitaph for WP. None of them have reported even rumors that MSFT is dropping WP but they must be hearing something (vague hints). Of course, you could say that MSFT has been screaming that WP is dead recently by:

1. Releasing apps for all their services on iOS and Android
2. Talking about services more than platforms
3. Removing the Metro UI from Windows
4. Adding Android as a Visual Studio 2015 target

 

[Nicholas Maguire]

Exactly what Joe Belfiore said last year.

Good luck with that.

Yes, but now we really do have official apps swarming in! Just recently we've gotten VLC Media Player, Minecraft, Candy Crush Saga, and a bunch of others that I can't remember.

 

[tissotti]

I wonder what's going on. This week we've had Ed Bott and Tom Warren saying they're ditching WP and, on Windows Weekly yesterday, Thurrott and MJF gave a virtual epitaph for WP. None of them have reported even rumors that MSFT is dropping WP but they must be hearing something (vague hints). Of course, you could say that MSFT has been screaming that WP is dead recently by:

1. Releasing apps for all their services on iOS and Android
2. Talking about services more than platforms
3. Removing the Metro UI from Windows
4. Adding Android as a Visual Studio 2015 target

As insiders to some extend they just see what's ahead for the next 12 months and still can't see light in the tunnel? There's just so much waiting you can do and "next year" promises before enough is enough.

Disclaimer: I gave up on WP 3 months ago and went for Nexus 5.

 

[Silence#WP]

Maybe I'm funny about this - but I don't see the lack of apps as Microsoft's problem. I see it as the app developer's problem. If I want an app on my phone, and it's not there, I complain to the app developer - not the phone maker. Blaming Microsoft for the lack of apps is like blaming your car manufacturer for potholes in the road. If I want Amazon Music on my Windows Phone, I damn well better be complaining to Amazon. We the customers have to demonstrate a demand for the app and we have to make sure the people who nominally make the app *know* we want it.

It's not like Microsoft doesn't make their tools available for free (Visual Studio Community Edition). The two factors that contribute to a lack of apps are demand and bias. If they are biased against Microsoft, then they won't see a need to develop in the first place; and if we don't demand the app developer make a Windows Phone app, they won't know that their bias is incorrect.

I don't know how true your statement is. I've read a few articles that outright state or strongly suggest that a lack of certain APIs is one of the reasons some apps don't come to WP or are less feature rich. If this is true then that is on Microsoft.

 

[kristalsoldier]

I recently bought the 830 and I like the phone a lot. Previously, I had the 720, which also served me well. But what I found most interesting was the OS. I like the tile concept and in general the OS has been stable and fast. As for apps, I have no major requirements though I am fully committed to the MS eco-system for mail, cloud services etc. I also use a SP3 all the time and have a desktop machine as a backup.

However, the more that I see what MS is doing, the more I am contemplating a move to either an iPhone or to some Android device. And, I have basically two reasons for this:

First, if all MS services are available on competing mobile OSs, then the question I have to ask myself is why do I need to be on Win Phone OS? Think about it - as of now, I could very well buy an iPhone or an Android device and enjoy each and every MS service. And, some of these services are probably better presented on these devices than on Win Phone OS devices. See here: http://winsupersite.com/mobile/microsoft-delivers-msn-content-apps-android-ios-and-fire-os

Second, the state of hardware in the MS side is not very good. As many have pointed out, flagship devices are very few in number. Low-end devices proliferate. I am sure MS is working to a specific strategy here, but it is just that for me the choices of hardware are quite limited. If I become OS agnostic, I can then choose between a number of devices (running different OSs) and still have the benefits of my being committed to the MS services.

Now, since I have just bought the 830, I can't contemplate a new phone in the near future. My next hardware update will probably be around Oct. 2015 by which time Win 10 should have dropped. I also hope MS will have a newer and better line of hardware options available by then suitably optimized to run Win 10. Let's see what happens.

But if this state of affairs continues, then the title of this thread - "sad but true" - will indeed ring true as far as I am concerned.

 

[David Van Ryn]

I gotta jump on-board here with the idea that if or when they miss the boat again next year, i to will be looking to another platform.
I really hope this does not happen en MS surprise all of us and the competition with unforeseen greatness! Fingers crossed WP fan's

Owner of a Lumia 830

 

[anon(8532178)]

I gotta jump on-board here with the idea that if or when they miss the boat again next year, i to will be looking to another platform.
I really hope this does not happen en MS surprise all of us and the competition with unforeseen greatness! Fingers crossed WP fan's

Owner of a Lumia 830

Let's hope they surprise us but I doubt it knowing how slow MS is. Once they announce EOL with WP I'm out but with Windows 10 mobile? Idk...

 

[Mike Majeski]

But isn't this the case with every tech company? Apple, Samsung, Microsoft - they tease us with previews and then when the product is finally released we are all under-whelmed. Sure the iPhone 6 sold like crazy, but at the end of the day was it really a game changer? People have been saying Apple is going to collapse for years now - the same with Samsung.

 

[prasath1234]

Or if you have great news live tile app which show website info as live tile try it guys kudos to developers .
From Windows phone

 

[anon(8532178)]

But isn't this the case with every tech company? Apple, Samsung, Microsoft - they tease us with previews and then when the product is finally released we are all under-whelmed. Sure the iPhone 6 sold like crazy, but at the end of the day was it really a game changer? People have been saying Apple is going to collapse for years now - the same with Samsung.

Idk how the hell aPP\e is still alive it's fake image? That the world see's it as.

 

[Luisraul924]

Idk how the hell aPP\e is still alive it's fake image? That the world see's it as.

Because excellent software? People can hate on Apple all they want it doesn't make their products less amazing. Both hardware and software wise Apple has awesome products, they just work no questions asked. No force closes no memory shortages causing app crashes nothing it just works. I just came back to Windows Phone from two years of being on iOS I had both the iPhone 5 and 5s, and hand to my heart throughout those two years not ONCE did I have any issues. I'm not saying they're perfect because no software is, what I'm saying is the failure/error rate in Apple products is by far the lowest of all ecosystems and that is the result of an extremely locked down environment. The downside to that is that the experience can start to get pretty boring. Precisely the reason I came back to WP. /rant