Should I stick to Windows Phone?

[ItsDaFaz]

BEFORE YOU ASSUME ANYTHING...

I love Windows Phone. I bought a Lumia 525 some months ago and so far, I love it. However, I'm facing constant harassment from friends and family for buying a Windows Phone. Also, I have to admit, the ecosystem here leaves a lot to be desired. Should I stick to this platform? Is the future of WP so good that I will have nothing to lose if I do stay?

Also, about high-end Android Phones, there are always drawbacks. HTC One M8 has a relatively poor camera, Xperia Z2 has poor screens in that class, LG G2 has too many pixels to keep up on performance, and I don't like Galaxy phones. I also am not fond of the Lumia 930. So, please give your opinions whether I should stick, and get a high-end Lumia (I'll wait for 940) or ditch for Android? And please give reasons why, if you can :grin:

 

[ShinraCorp]

However, I'm facing constant harassment from friends and family for buying a Windows Phone.

I hope you're exaggerating on that part... because harassment isn't funny.

If they are screw them, you made the right choice and it's not like they'll influence you. If you love it, stick with it.

 

[jlzimmerman]

BEFORE YOU ASSUME ANYTHING...I love Windows Phone. I bought a Lumia 525 some months ago and so far, I love it. However, I'm facing constant harassment from friends and family for buying a Windows Phone.

*sigh* Whose life is it? Yours or theirs? Whose choice is it, yours or theirs? Ignore the haters and do you're own thing. Sooner or later you'll realize that peer pressure is an immature matter to buy into.

And you have the most entry level WP available. You are missing out on quite a bit that the platform has to offer.

 

[realwarder]

Not sure what all this 'next year things will shine' junk is. Windows Phone is great now. I can't think of one feature I want that isn't already present.

I love my phone and other phones don't interest me in the slightest. However phones are personal. If you want something else, go get it. If you want your friends to tell you what you want and you want to let them, let them. But I like the phone I have and I promote it all the time.

 

[turbodb]

I love my 920, but have recently been using a Galaxy S5 for a work project. It's got a great screen, and some of the apps really are better - specifically, Kindle has been better on the S5, since I can email myself books. Personally, I'll be sticking with... BOTH for the time being!

 

[TechFreak1]

Lol I can relate to this, when people found out I got a 920... the jeering I got from both the ios & android camp was well.. insane.. almost two years later I still get the jeering but not as much.

In the days of old, people only used their phone calls, sms and maybe some snake :winktongue: but these days the smartphone does so much more. The way I see it a phone is tool to enable you to be more productive and if it is not meeting your requirements you find a better one.

Right now you need to ask yourself what do YOU use your phone for & what YOU need it to do.

 

[L Beezy]

There's nothing wrong with having more than one OS or phone. I had a Nexus 5, iPhone 5c, and a L920. I also have a Nexus 10 and am considering getting the SP3--once my faithful 4 year laptop goes kaput (which I sense is coming real soon). I say get what's right for you and no one else. If you feel like you wanna go with Android, then go with it. Like others have said, each OS has their flaws...

My suggestion would be to do some extensive research on what device you will get next. Will it perform all the tasks you need it to? Will it have all the apps you need (and most you want)? Will it be a smooth experience? Questions like that made me choose my next device, the L1520. I see good things happening with WP. It's only been over 2 years since WP8, and the progress it has made is incredible. It does have alot more to do, but at the rate of its growth the sky's the limit.

Good luck with your choice, even though it may not be WP.

 

[Blkacesvf41]

L Beezy is right. Nothing wrong with having different devices with different OSs. Besides my 822, I still have a BB PlayBook, a Nexus 7 and a crappy Galaxy player that used belong to my daughter which I use to listen to Sirius xm. That's precisely how I know that every platform has its issues.

 

[DalekSnare]

I recommend getting the best device for what your really need all the time as your phone, and then have another device for random apps it's missing to use at home. I use WP because it's the best phone, but for some apps I need I also have an iPad and my old iPhone 4. That way I can use all the apps, but I don't have to deal with static icons/overdependence on cluttered NCs on my main device.

 

[todd7900]

Every phone/os has pluses and minuses. I love my 920, but there are apps I wish I could get, usually corporate type stuff I think would be fun. I am hoping that next year is a break out year for WP, or Windows, as the rumors would have it. I have to believe Microsoft is readying a slate of new phones including a real flagship device for release with Threshhold. Unifying the mobile and desktop environment should allow simpler app development and broader acceptance. The biggest issue I think Microsoft needs to address is the carrier exclusives and update roll outs, those two issues are the biggest hindrance to further growth in the US market.

 

[littlegreenbob]

I have a windows phone, android and iphone (all for development)
The Windows Phone is the least supported by developers but I find it the easiest platform to develop on

For a developer I would highly recommend it. For a user it will satisfy your general needs but perhaps not specific needs if there was a certain app / game you wanted

 

[Ankit Nawlakha]

I'll suggest you to wait till Windows Phone 9 comes..!!
Because Windows Phone 9 will be like do or die situation for Microsoft..
and i believe that Microsoft is gonna nail it with Windows Phone 9.. (and Windows 9 as well)..

 

[Live2Deliver]

If you don't like that phone, why would you buy it? You are the one suffering not them if things doesn't work out for you.
Use what you like.

 

[Nick_1020]

I'm beginning to lose faith with WP due to the app situation.

Over the past months or even year or so, I've looked into getting various apps and wearables on WP which are already well supported on other platforms and I've just come up against a brick wall.

My latest efforts have been looking for a cycling app that supports Garmin Connect but there is nothing. The Garmin forum has a thread with hundreds of replies and thousands of views but not a single word from Garmin. There is a third party app but it seems the developer charges quite a bit to unlock features. I can't really blame him for doing so. He has seen a clear gap in the market and wants to exploit it. Unfortunately for them, myself and many others do not want to be exploited...especially when there is are free options for Android and iOS.

Runtastic and Sports Tracker apps and support are miles behind other platforms.

I'm still waiting for my bank to release a WP app. They have apparently been working on one for about 2 years but each time I request an update, they are unable to help me.

The weird thing is, I didn't think the app situation would bother me very much when I got my first WP (920), but since then it has become a very annoying problem. How are we supposed to believe we have modern smartphones when developers don't seem to want to touch the platform. The market share is growing in some places but interest from official developers seem as static as always. Every now and then an announcement is made about an official WP app which is great but it's too little, too late. I've lost count of the number of companies I've emailed to enquire about a WP app only to be told that they have no plans to do so.

It's really sad.

My contract runs out in February and at present I'm telling myself to purchase a DSLR to replace the 1020 and jump ship to Android. I'm aware I wouldn't be able to take a DSLR all the places I go with my phone but at least I'd have a 'smartphone' with me with all the apps and services that I want.

I'm not holding out much hope for improvements over the coming months.

 

[DJCBS]

Xperia Z2 has poor screens in that class

Perhaps you should check the Z3 Also, for what it's worth, the screen on the Z1 Compact is much brighter and with more vivid colours than the 930. Though in the end, that ends up to personal preferences.

I won't tell you what to do, obviously, but I can tell you what I'm doing: going Android.
Windows Phone 8.1 is a really cool OS and I'm not that fond of having to leave it. But Nokia is gone and Microsoft's support is beyond appalling outside the US. It took them over 1 month to replace my 930.
I could switch to another OEM but the problem is, there is no other OEM whose hardware and support I trust. Sure, a ton of OEMs joined Windows Phone. But those are all small OEMs with no support channels and no quality proof given.
So those are out.
The only OEM with quality proof given is HTC, but unfortunately HTC decided to put the worst camera in the high end market.
As Sony and LG keep outside the Windows Phone market and the M8 is out, I'm left with no option but to move to Android.

I simply refuse to stick with Microsoft. 1 - I will never ever buy a Microsoft Mobile phone; 2 - even though I still have my real Nokias, Microsoft's support is horrible. And Microsoft's commitment to WP is also very very questionable. And I'm sick of giving them second chances.

 

[Karthik Naik]

xperia phones have the self cracking issue on their z-series
the screen cracks randomly even without a force
same issue with ps vita
otherwise lovely phones,buy warranty extensions though just in case

 

[ItsDaFaz]

If you don't like that phone, why would you buy it? You are the one suffering not them if things doesn't work out for you.
Use what you like.

I LOVE the phone. And I mad up my mind. I'm staying

 

[Nick_1020]

Currently eyeing up the Z3!

 

[Nick_1020]

Anyone here have any experience of the Z3 please?

Any pros/cons to be aware of?

 

[DJCBS]

Anyone here have any experience of the Z3 please?

Any pros/cons to be aware of?

The Z3 hasn't been released yet, but I pre-ordered the Z3 Compact and Clove UK is shipping it next Monday.
So once I have it, I'll be able to tell you something more specific.

The one thing that I can tell you in advance about a con is related to Android itself. On 4.4 Google removed the saving and moving of apps and games to the SD card. The Z3 only has 16GB of storage (12GB available). While it has a microSD card, you can't put apps in it unless you root the device and go around that.
On Android L Google is expected to correct that situation. Sony has also brought that feature back on the T2. It's not clear if the feature was put on the Z3 series too or not. We'll have to wait and see.

Also, you may want to get a microUSB to magnetic charger adapter. It's a cheap device that turns the microUSB cable into a magnetic cable for you to charge the phone. It will spare you the nuisance of having to open the water-protection flaps of the phone to charge it every time you need to do so. Unfortunately Sony still hasn't built Qi into the phones (there's a Qi charging cover expected for the Z3 though)

 

[Da1020Da]

I have a soft spot with Sony product as well but if an android phone that could lure it must be Sammy Note Edge 4. Love at first sight u might say..