Seeing if I can move to windows phone.

[RavenSword]

So over the past month or so I've been mulling in my head if I could move to windows phone without losing what I love using my iPhone for. I did use a 925 with 8.1 dev preview for about a month (it was my friends) and I concluded that I loved the OS pretty much added what I felt was missing and I would totally be cool using it as my daily driver. The only thing holding me back was apps. I felt that it wasn't receiving new apps often enough and that it didn't have every app I had installed on my iPhone. I then returned the phone to my friend and went back to my iPhone 5S.

Lately though I've been thinking about what I actually do on my phone, not just what I might do one day and what I want my phone to do.

So, I've compiled a list of apps that I use on a daily basis or that I use frequently and I wanted to see if the same app or a equivalent was available on the windows phone app store.

Pocket casts : I could probably make due with the built in podcast manager

Tweet bot: I'm not sure what quality twitter application us on win phone. Suggestions?

Google maps: there's Here maps

1password: there's a reader app for win phone. Also I could just use last pass

Wellsfargo/chase: apps available for both

Audible: app available

Slacker radio:available

Pandora: available

Spotify: available

Pocket: there's a few apps that act the same like pouch .

Reeder 2: next gen readers pretty good.

Amazon store: yup . It's there.

YouTube: no official app , but metrotube was a good app.

Netflix: yes. It's there .

Amazon video: NOPE ! But to be fair it's also not on android.

So honestly, considering these are the only apps I really use outside of onedrive and onenote (obviously on win phone) it seems to have the apps if use . My concern then comes from how good are these version of the app in comparison and if they'll get timely update support . While it's hard to know the latter (although slog of apps don't seem to get updated) I have noticed that app quality is hit or miss. Netflix I had buffering and image quality issues (also not multiuser log in), slacker doesn't have the new redesign, pandora was ok, audible looked a bit rough, but ok, and the amazon store app was laid out weird.

Know comes to the question if what I'm gaining with windows phone over iOS: I gain better integration with onedrive and onenote , I gain Cortana which seems like a better Siri, I gain close integration if outlook and office, I gain Nokias great build quality and great camera tech, and I gain a new and refreshing UI compared to what I'm used to on iOS .

However , I also gain some negatives such as using a device with low market share, spotty dev support , and quite a bit if fear, uncertainty, and doubt at the moment. I don't know what the platform will be like 2 years from now. heck , I don't even know if it'll be around in 2 years. I feel that if I buy a win phone ( it'll have to be purchased off contract or via AT&T Next payment plan) I'm putting faith that things will get fixed.

So, with all that said I may just bite the bullet and buy one and if it doesn't work out no real harm would be done, I just move on. But I dunno. What do you all think. Is there a inexpensive device that will run well ? Or best to just save and get a 600 dollar it so model?

 

[ULOP3Z]

If you do make the switch you should wait until a new device from Nokia/Microsoft is released, I personally don't have any issues with the apps, I just like Windows Phone because I like how all my devices are connected through one account (Microsoft Account), I would say go for it, I honestly can't give you any advantages other than deep integration with Microsoft Services, but WP 8.1 really makes it a solid OS now, like you said the apps seem to be the thing holding you back and the only way to actually know if its worth switching is to switch and use it as your main device for a least a year, I know its a long commitment but it will be the only way to TRULY find out if its worth it for the long run because at the end of the day its your decision and no one else's

 

[RavenSword]

If you do make the switch you should wait until a new device from Nokia/Microsoft is released, I personally don't have any issues with the apps, I just like Windows Phone because I like how all my devices are connected through one account (Microsoft Account), I would say go for it, I honestly can't give you any advantages other than deep integration with Microsoft Services, but WP 8.1 really makes it a solid OS now, like you said the apps seem to be the thing holding you back and the only way to actually know if its worth switching is to switch and use it as your main device for a least a year, I know its a long commitment but it will be the only way to TRULY find out if its worth it for the long run because at the end of the day its your decision and no one else's

thats true. I dont think i can use it for a month and then see if I can use it full time. seems like a year long thing maybe. I was thinking of a cheaper model just in case I dont like it I wont be out alot of money. but maybe itll be a better test on the top fo the line model, whatever that might be.

 

[Laura Knotek]

thats true. I dont think i can use it for a month and then see if I can use it full time. seems like a year long thing maybe. I was thinking of a cheaper model just in case I dont like it I wont be out alot of money. but maybe itll be a better test on the top fo the line model, whatever that might be.

Have you checked the Marketplace forum? There might be someone who is selling a Windows Phone that would be inexpensive yet not an entry level device.

 

[RavenSword]

Have you checked the Marketplace forum? There might be someone who is selling a Windows Phone that would be inexpensive yet not an entry level device.

yeah, ill give that a look. never dealt with marketpalce forum before though.

 

[JamesPTao]

I wouldn't worry about long term prospects. I know there a lot of doom and gloom posters out there. With windows recent reorganization and layoffs it is obvious they are restructuring to focus on and increase growth and development of WP. I am sold on WP completely. Their recent change with wp8.1 of breaking hibs into apps was done to allow a faster pace of updates and improvement. I foresee a lot of improvement in the next couple years (I say improvement, when to be honest I am already happy with the os as it is).

 

[MarCou]

Nobody can say will you like WP or not. You see, these things are more emotionally oriented. No matter how perfect it seems logically for you, you still may not like it and vice versa.

And we tend to see what we want. No one of us can really say what's going to happen WP in next few years. It could be market leader or it could be wiped out completely. Or anything between those two.

So my advice is that buy some cheap or used model and look how it fits for you. After few months you know better its pros and cons and we know better what to expect from MS.

Posted via Windows Phone Central App

 

[RavenSword]

Nobody can say will you like WP or not. You see, these things are more emotionally oriented. No matter how perfect it seems logically for you, you still may not like it and vice versa.

And we tend to see what we want. No one of us can really say what's going to happen WP in next few years. It could be market leader or it could be wiped out completely. Or anything between those two.

So my advice is that buy some cheap or used model and look how it fits for you. After few months you know better its pros and cons and we know better what to expect from MS.

Posted via Windows Phone Central App

yeah, I'm wondering what model though. I don't want a 520. I want so etching at least modern.

 

[ULOP3Z]

yeah, I'm wondering what model though. I don't want a 520. I want so etching at least modern.

Yeah I wouldn't go with a 520 because you'll just get the feeling that WP is low range especially if you came from iPhone, maybe look into a 925 like your friends

 

[wpnokia920]

635 on AT&T for 99. Though many apps are available they lack the in depth features of android or iOS. I've had the 1520 twice possible best phone I've used. But with Microsoft restructuring again and the platform merging into one, I'd wait a bit and see what they produce. They don't know what they're doing with Xbox music or video, no xbox games anymore it seems on wp. I don't know id hate to be left behind again aka wp7. Especially with threshold nearing. To much chaos right now to feel like its a safe bet.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[houkoholic]

635 on AT&T for 99. Though many apps are available they lack the in depth features of android or iOS. I've had the 1520 twice possible best phone I've used. But with Microsoft restructuring again and the platform merging into one, I'd wait a bit and see what they produce. They don't know what they're doing with Xbox music or video, no xbox games anymore it seems on wp. I don't know id hate to be left behind again aka wp7. Especially with threshold nearing. To much chaos right now to feel like its a safe bet.

None of what you mentioned is actually a deal breaker in any sense. MS is firmly committed to WP with Threshold in the pipeline and Nadella has said as much that they are going with that part of the plan of unifying Windows, things like XBox Music are just one tiny bit of the entire ecosystem that is only an app which sits on top of the OS and thus has no effect on the direction of the OS nor anything like the WP7 to WP8 kernel swap, even if they flip the kill switch on XBox Music and Video right this instance it has absolutely no baring on the operation of WP as a whole. There's no chaos except with bloggers stirring up storm from mere corporate PR.

 

[wpnokia920]

None of what you mentioned is actually a deal breaker in any sense. MS is firmly committed to WP with Threshold in the pipeline and Nadella has said as much that they are going with that part of the plan of unifying Windows, things like XBox Music are just one tiny bit of the entire ecosystem that is only an app which sits on top of the OS and thus has no effect on the direction of the OS nor anything like the WP7 to WP8 kernel swap, even if they flip the kill switch on XBox Music and Video right this instance it has absolutely no baring on the operation of WP as a whole. There's no chaos except with bloggers stirring up storm from mere corporate PR.

I guess we will tell are selves anything when your stuck with a phone. Though they are committed and may have a direction the fact is they have a **** ton of work ahead. And the lack of features in the apps are a deal breaker alone If you rely on your phone for anything other than a quick glance of basic info. I love wp but we'll see


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Connor Price]

Just a quick warning, If you only have a Spotify free account, you will not be able to use Spotify on Windows Phone just yet. The Spotify for WP is a premium only app. There should be an update coming soon to add the free Spotify functionality.

 

[houkoholic]

I guess we will tell are selves anything when your stuck with a phone. Though they are committed and may have a direction the fact is they have a **** ton of work ahead. And the lack of features in the apps are a deal breaker alone If you rely on your phone for anything other than a quick glance of basic info. I love wp but we'll see


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

There's literally half a dozen bigger and more popular music/video services out there than XBox Music and Video available on WP, there's nothing missing even if it goes away this instant.

 

[Great deal]

Depends on how your going into it really, if your looking at getting a 24 month contract then id suggest waiting till the new OS is out along with the proper Microsoft engineered phones, if your happy to get a phone and sim plan then give it a go right away as you can sell it and upgrade next year.

 

[BUDDYFUNLOVE]

Depends on how your going into it really, if your looking at getting a 24 month contract then id suggest waiting till the new OS is out along with the proper Microsoft engineered phones, if your happy to get a phone and sim plan then give it a go right away as you can sell it and upgrade next year.

This is what i did with the Lumia 928 on Verizon. Picked one up cheap on craigslist. It was slow and sluggish so I went back to android and IOS (I use them all). Then when the Icon came out I kept my eye on it. When I had an upgrade I pounced on it. Windows phone experience is much nicer with a premium device. I never use my iPhone or Moto x anymore. The icon is my daily driver. However I am not a heavy AP user either. Once I found a substitute for hangout, I was golden.