Survey: are you satisfied with WP8.1 so far, or is it not what you expected?

[Ezhik]

It's just not quite there yet. Although you can see lots of improvements, the main focus was still on the insides of the OS - adding WinRT and all.

Most problems I have are with apps that have not been replaced with new WinRT versions - you can tell them apart: WinRT apps have splashscreens before starting.

IE, for example, while gaining new features, is a bit unreliable: background tabs would reload randomly (I understand that this might be done for memory reasons, but I'm using a 1520, so it really should not happen), the swipe to go back/forward feature often misses tabs, and there weird text size and zooming issues all around.

Office was not updated at all, and as I'm looking at Android and iOS versions of OneNote that just gained features I was asking for on WP, I get rather sad.

Still, WP seems to be heading in the right direction, but MS really cannot afford another year-and-a-half of silence like they did with WP8.0 to WP8.1.

 

[oseansaditya]

I don't know, I feels MS trying to be more android like (than iOS).

 

[buxz777]

I would like too see the quality of some apps improved and equalled to their counterparts on ios and android :-/ yes apps are turning up , yes we have instagram , facebook , twitter etc etc but even the quality of them apps are far off android and ios in terms of features and capabilities , with some its like they are betas to get them on the windows marketplace because Microsoft or nokia have urged them to get it into the store , but then we see no improvements for ages

I do love my nokia 1020 but with some of the apps lacking I am tempted to buy a android device as well , either a tablet or a phone , which is a shame as I am all about convergence and I would like my 1020 apps to be solid enough I didn't need another device to run apps that on windows are lacking features

I guess this is to do with the market share and you cant really blame devs for not spending loads of time on a app for a an os that hasn't got the market share yet ...... it does annoy me sometimes though

just look at the music app for example and that's made by Microsoft :-/ even whatsapp pulled their app from the store :-/ I don't know are Microsoft dev tools and kits that bad to use that some devs cant make a decent app with the same features as other operating systems for love or money :-/

 

[manicottiK]

​no call duration on WP8.1

Long-press a call in the history, choose Details.

It's dumb that we have to do that, particularly given that the only "detail" given is the duration. MS should just add it to the history screen.

 

[DJCBS]

I'm more satisfied with 8.1 than I am with the "flagship" that doesn't take full advantage of 8.1's new features like full microSD support. Hopefully Sony will come along and solve that problem for me.

Apart from that, there are only a few things missing that I think can be solved with GDRs like the lack of data toggles or a wider variety of accent colours (and please, learn the extent of what accent colours do before you come with the "you can use a picture of any colour you like" argument).

And I also expect Microsoft to solve some design problems created with the possibility of introduction of 3 columns of tiles. I think there's no logic whatsoever in introducing a 3rd column yet leaving the 3 sizes of the previous design. I think that at least 4x4 and 2x6 tiles are in order. I don't like the 3 columns but I've put it on my 1020 so I can get used to it because the 930 will force it on me. And I miss a wide tile that can stretch from one side of the screen to the other. Those tiles are very useful not only for apps we use a lot but to also help organize the tiles into sections.
Ideally Microsoft should make the tiles "free hand" meaning we could resize them as we can resize windows on a Windows PC. But since I know that's a coding nightmare I don't expect it to happen. I do however expect Microsoft to introduce more tile sizes and the sooner the better.

 

[EC Translating Services]

Solved some issues, still lags behind anything else.
Lacks keyboard inputs for some languages
IE mobile won't allow you to share links or save to Pocket/Instapaper, etc.
Office still insists in not opening password protected files
Battery drains quicker for some reason. I have partially solved this.
I expected more customization for tiles (You can't have 3 rows of tiles on a Lumia 1520 and tiles that can only be streched for 2 rows, for example).
Action centre is not as flexible as that in Android.
Mail management requires to have tiles and tiles in the home because mail aggregation is terrible.
I won't comment on the apps as they are not 8.1 related but i am deeply frustrated there too.
It's a good improvement over the terrible Ver. 8. Surely unsatisfactory for my needs, and light years far away from the other mobile OS' out there.
Market share (3,7% globally) after 4 years reflects this.
In short, i am not satisfied. It lacks too many basic things to keep people happy, especially spoilt users who were used to other more complete devices. MSFT should stay in the low-mid end of the market without trying to go premium with devices like L1520 till they have a real complete OS ready. Customers leave and it may take a long time before they come back.

 

[Pierre Blackwell]

It seems to me you're expecting an Android experience from a WP. Simply put you're wasting your time.

 

[Christopher Lindsay]

I like it but wouldn't say completely satisfied. Wood be nice if there were a few more obvious features. IE synced bookmarks and other info with other explorers like how safari does on IOS. Built in Wi-Fi printing. Flash light built in. Options to download or open all file types in one drive app like on IOS.

 

[Christopher Lindsay]

A mono button for audio would be nice. Pining anything to action center would be a dream.

 

[Ntropy99]

What I Like: Cortana, 3 tile rows, transparent tiles, synched internet favorites with my tablet and laptop, notification center (didn't think I would care)
Needs help: Battery Life (result of all of these things 8.1 does, IE Cortana), Xbox music.
Wish - tiles had vertical options, Xbox hub for music, video, podcasts.

 

[AMT21]

Got my first windows phone and don't think ill be switching anytime soon! Love everything about it

 

[EpicIncognitO]

Absolutely agree with you. The music app is absolutely bull . Apart from this the sharing things has gone to hell, I never post anything to facebook via my phone, the app is so effin slow. I prefer posting on twitter as the official twitter app is hundred times better in speed and functionality than the facebook app.

And wallllllaaaaahhhh! What to say about Whatsapp, I lost it you know why? Because I reset my phone 3 times as the SMSes were not getting restored. The smses never came back but whatsapp went away !

Now with the notification centre and the great background should I love my phone. I dont think so because not only the sharing and backup features have gone down but also my Camera has gone to the dogs. I remember my Lumia 720 had such great camera, the Amber spoiled it.

Xbox music was never my primary music app, so I never invested much energy in opinion of it. I will agree about features needing to added that made it unique like the active tile showing the music being played. I personally think WP should somehow link Zune to Xbox music. On a bigger scale, I would gladly take the issues with Xbox music with the other enhancements like Action center and cortana. The start screen looks amazing with the transparent tiles. I love IE11 and how you can modify the reading mode. Video editing, and the lists go on and on.

 

[EpicIncognitO]

Well, first of all welcome to Windows phone community and WPCentral. What model?

Got my first windows phone and don't think ill be switching anytime soon! Love everything about it

 

[EpicIncognitO]

Refinement, oh wait alot of refinement is needed my friend.
1. The apps like Facebook should be fast enough. Whatsapp should be good enough and in the store to download lol and sharing features i.e the ME tile must have multiple sharing options. I think wp8.1 SDK is much better so lets see.
2. The Microsoft Camera made no difference in quality. My camera went to hell after Amber update and never came back. it was ten times better when I bought my phone post GDR1.
3. Small things like Music and Videos must be fast to access. If I have to wait for 30 secs to open them I rather not listen to music.
4. And yes the naviigation of start screen tiles which is slow at times.

I think it feels complete on the built in feature part. Now just needs a bit of refinement. Wonder what they got planned for wp9.

 

[Editguy1900]

I don't know, I feels MS trying to be more android like (than iOS).

I don't believe it is, but if you're going to emulate another OS, it would only make sense to go with the number one (Android).

 

[Reebs Reebs]

Love it.. but hate the battery life. Something is really bad happening with the battery life...

 

[Vertego]

​no call duration on WP8.1

Yes there is. Just press & hold an item in call history, then select details...call duration is provided.

 

[Nakazul]

Im still positively negative. Some good and some bad changes.

 

[KHALID ISMAIL]

I am really satisfied till now and Wp 8.1 is a huge improvement from WP 8. Although some features may need some work I am Satisfied

 

[maclancer]

I am really satisfied till now and Wp 8.1 is a huge improvement from WP 8. Although some features may need some work I am Satisfied

Same here, Windows Phone 8.1 is 10 better than 8.0 in every aspect.