Switching platforms? | Thinking of leaving?...comment here!

[zlx]

good bye Windows Phone, I will miss you :-/

I've had the Nokia Lumia 800, the mindblowing 1020 (at that time), now the Lumia 950 XL, and now moving back to Samsung Galaxy S7 edge.

Why?

I'm a huge fan of Windows phone. In the beginning, the 'App-Gap' never bothered me. But now some important Apps are not being developped further, or just are too buggy: Uber, Spotify, news apps, etc.

In some countries in Europe, Windows Phone departments are being shut down right now. Not a good sign for future develpments...

What do I miss?
-Dual SIM
-LIVE TILES! so cool!
-USB-C
-exchangable back covers (Mojo leather etc.)
-The city lens app

nothing else.

What I hate about the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge:
-The 5hitty micro USB connector (ok, wireless charging works sweet as)
-non removable back cover
-the home screen that looks so 90s (ok it's 2000ish, but it feels old)
-nothing else

I'll be back maybe in 1-2 years when they will launch a surface phone or something else, but sorry microsoft, you did it all wrong in the end... what a shame!

 

[ttsoldier]

Re: good bye Windows Phone, I will miss you :-/

I've had the Nokia Lumia 800, the mindblowing 1020 (at that time), now the Lumia 950 XL, and now moving back to Samsung Galaxy S7 edge.

Why?

I'm a huge fan of Windows phone. In the beginning, the 'App-Gap' never bothered me. But now some important Apps are not being developped further, or just are too buggy: Uber, Spotify, news apps, etc.

In some countries in Europe, Windows Phone departments are being shut down right now. Not a good sign for future develpments...

What do I miss?
-Dual SIM
-LIVE TILES! so cool!
-USB-C
-exchangable back covers (Mojo leather etc.)
-The city lens app

nothing else.

What I hate about the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge:
-The 5hitty micro USB connector (ok, wireless charging works sweet as)
-non removable back cover
-the home screen that looks so 90s (ok it's 2000ish, but it feels old)
-nothing else

I'll be back maybe in 1-2 years when they will launch a surface phone or something else, but sorry microsoft, you did it all wrong in the end... what a shame!

See you if you come back. Best of luck

 

[libra89]

I stopped at my local T-Mobile store today just to see what they had new and saw a couple of Android phones which might be possible future upgrades to my LG K7 only because I am looking for something that's still inexpensive but with a better camera, but noticed they are 5.3 and 5.5 inch respectively.

It seems every time a new phone is released, the screen increases in size with respect to the previous generation. I'm all for a reasonably larger screen but at this rate I soon won't be able to get a phone under a 6 inch screen size! Both my 640 and K7 are 5 inch screens and I like the size but as I posted before this is already becoming an awkward size especially as I tend to carry mine on my belt. I never put phones in my pocket as I just know I'll end up cracking the screen sitting down wrong one day regardless of which pocket I use :eck:

I guess if they start approaching 7 inches I'll just have to use a Satchel instead :grin:

Haha! What do you think about the nexus 5x? Decent camera, but 5.2". It works just like a T-Mobile phone with Wi-Fi calling and all.

I get you on this,funny that you mention the 640. That is my new middle sized phone. I mean out of phones I have xd

 

[anon(6078578)]

Haha! What do you think about the nexus 5x? Decent camera, but 5.2". It works just like a T-Mobile phone with Wi-Fi calling and all.

I get you on this,funny that you mention the 640. That is my new middle sized phone. I mean out of phones I have xd

I had been considering the Nexus 5X but originally I had read it had a lot of problems compared to Nexus phones in the past and that the 6P was the one to get, but I didn't want to spend that much. I assume the 5X is much better now though and also it's now reduced in price so much more attractive.

 

[libra89]

I had been considering the Nexus 5X but originally I had read it had a lot of problems compared to Nexus phones in the past and that the 6P was the one to get, but I didn't want to spend that much. I assume the 5X is much better now though and also it's now reduced in price so much more attractive.

Ooh okay. I didn't really experience these lag issues that people have been talking about. It improved a bit with the software updates from my first try. I recently tried it again and it's being sent back. Nothing against it at all, it's just that my heart lies with the Nextbit Robin so having a 5x is pointless for me.

 

[mark233]

Ooh okay. I didn't really experience these lag issues that people have been talking about. It improved a bit with the software updates from my first try. I recently tried it again and it's being sent back. Nothing against it at all, it's just that my heart lies with the Nextbit Robin so having a 5x is pointless for me.

Are you using the Nexbit at the moment or are you still waiting on it. Please give your personal thoughts/impressions when you want to take the time.

 

[libra89]

Are you using the Nexbit at the moment or are you still waiting on it. Please give your personal thoughts/impressions when you want to take the time.

I have tried it two times but I'm waiting on it still (planning to keep it this time). The first time, I had a lemon of a device so I returned it. The second time, I liked it but the battery life annoyed me. I couldn't even get a day out of it, ever so I returned it. Between that time I tried it and now, I came across some tips on how to improve the battery life of the 5x, so I got one again (there was a great deal for it) and the tips changed my experience with battery life. Since I liked the Robin more than the 5x, the 5x is going to go back.

When I get it and apply these tips to the Robin, I'll be glad to share how that goes. The two are very similar so I'm hoping for a similar result.

 

[psyhound]

More and more people are slowly but surely leaving the platform... Only two days after I got my P9 lite, my gfs brother got rid of his Lumia 550 and, on Saturday, my sister decided to switch after two years of using Windows and got the LG K8. They were both fans of WP but they, same as me, felt let down after seeing what Microsoft is doing with their OS.

 

[Hoku001]

I have been using WP since 2010 and my Samsung Focus. I've been a WP fan until I got a 950. I'm sure if I were to compare Windows 10 Mobile to the original WP7 OS, Windows 10 would be light years ahead in every category. But you know what, for some reason it doesn't feel that way. Maybe the tech world has moved too far since then, so maybe my expectations are so much higher today. Maybe a platform that has been maturing over the past 6 years should simply be waaaay better that it is. But my experience is that W10 is NOT better than what came before, and in many ways it's worse. So to me, my 3 year old 1020 with WP8 is still the best Windows Phone experience and one that I'll remember most fondly.

So about 3 weeks ago I ordered a Nexus 6p. When compared to W10 Mobile running on Lumia 950, here are some pros / cons:

Nexus 6p, Pro:
- Less costly. I got my 950 at launch, and it cost more than a 6p. Of course today, they're giving away 950s so...
- More premium look and feel. The Nexus is beautifully crafted phone. No comparison.
- Fingerprint reader. Windows hello iris scanner? umm, no comparison. The fingerprint reader is fast and it just works.
- Apps. Of course Android beats WP here hands down. BUT, the kicker is that Microsoft's own software is also almost always BETTER ON ANDROID. Outlook (which isn't even on WP) alone is worth changing for. Onedrive is better, heck I think even Goove Music is better.
- Battery life. I know Android isn't known for battery life, but maybe my 950 was just that much worse. My 950 would NEVER make it through the whole day, my 6p does.
- Less bugs. My 950 would crash, freeze, restart, have a mean echo problem on voice calls, have mic problems on voice calls, would drop cellular connection with AT&T at random times, have funky bluetooth problems with all my BT devices INCLUDING my Band 2. ALL of these problems are now gone. Yes, even my Microsoft Band 2 actually works better on Android.

Nexus cons:
- Android OS is ugly and lacks the UI consistency of WP. That said, I think WP8 was GREAT in terms of UI and they took a step BACKWARDS with W10M in terms of UI. With Android, I hate that I have to tap all over the screen to control apps or go to menus and settings. Sometimes it's a hamburger menu on the top left. Sometimes it's the top right. Sometimes it's three vertical dots. Sometimes it's a gear. Just sloppy. On a big phone like the the 6p, this means you MUST use two hands as your thumb can't reach the corners. I'll get used to it, but the WP UI (at least pre W10M) was much more elegant.
- Home screen is boring and just like the iPhone (or my 25 year old Palm Pilot, or Windows 3.1 for that matter). A grid of icons. Overall, live tiles are really good. I miss this aspect of WP the most. People talk about endless customization available on Android. This IS true, but WP's home screen and tiles are the perfect combination of information density and customization, in my opinion.
- No dedicated camera button. You can to double press the power button to launch the camera, but it's not the same thing as having a camera button that opens the camera and takes the picture.
- Cortana integration in WP is really nice. Cortana is NOT better on Android. I really like how Cortana handled voice texting (reading and replying) while on bluetooth. With my Nexus I have to find (and buy) an app that will do this. And I've not found one yet that does this well. If anyone does know which Android app handles this texting function as well as Cortana, let me know.

 

[Devin19]

#Wexit

 

[libra89]

Nexus cons:
- Home screen is boring and just like the iPhone (or my 25 year old Palm Pilot, or Windows 3.1 for that matter). A grid of icons. Overall, live tiles are really good. I miss this aspect of WP the most. People talk about endless customization available on Android. This IS true, but WP's home screen and tiles are the perfect combination of information density and customization, in my opinion.

I totally agree with the bolded. There are launchers that can help with this though. Sorry, just had to say that. Check out this post (and the comments) on Android Central: How to give your Android phone a Microsoft makeover | Android Central

 

[wgs84]

- Cortana integration in WP is really nice. Cortana is NOT better on Android. I really like how Cortana handled voice texting (reading and replying) while on bluetooth. With my Nexus I have to find (and buy) an app that will do this. And I've not found one yet that does this well. If anyone does know which Android app handles this texting function as well as Cortana, let me know.

I think it really depends. In some ways, I think Cortana is better on Android. I like the reminders widget that shows me all of my upcoming reminders, and I can check stuff off as complete right in the widget. Also, Cortana on Android lets me set recurring monthly reminders, whereas Cortana on Windows phone doesn't.

 

[Brian Emmerling]

I dont think right now is a good time for anyone to switch. If going to Apple, wait for the iphone7, if going to android wait for next year, if moving to microsoft wait for surface phone.

 

[jdballard]

They were both fans of WP but they, same as me, felt let down after seeing what Microsoft is doing with their OS.

For me it wasn't what MS was (or wasn't) doing with the OS, but more about the lack of an app ecosystem. While it does have some limitations in the OS when compared to Android, it's the apps (or lack thereof). I could have lived with a few of the OS limitations because they can eventually catch that up now that they've (hopefully) stopped rebuilding the platform. But I've realized how limited the apps were. And it's not just the missing apps - it's apps that exist but have fewer features.

 

[libra89]

I dont think right now is a good time for anyone to switch. If going to Apple, wait for the iphone7, if going to android wait for next year, if moving to microsoft wait for surface phone.

Or maybe the devices we want to try are already out. Microsoft aside, of course.

 

[lunaticjim]

I have had numerous Windows Phones and loved every one of them. Started with a Lumia 720, then at various times owned an 800, 920, 925, Ativ S, 1520 and most recently a 950 XL. I just last week bought a Galaxy S7 and going to make the move to Android for at least the foreseeable future. I have just found that Windows 10 is buggy, the apps dont work as well as I would have hoped (especially the Garmin Connect App) and the app gap has also gotten to me. I am not saying I will never come back. If things improve with Windows 10 phone, I will look at getting another one in the future. The live tiles are the thing I will miss most.

My allegiance is not to any billion dollar company but to myself and the company that provides the phone that meets my needs best will get my business.

 

[Lloyd_S]

Well I went to Android as this weekend by getting the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge as my daily driver. Why? I was out of town for business travel last week and I had to use my old HTC One M8. I had to download a scanning app for the conference we were attending and they don't support W10M so i figured I would just use the M8 that week. And wow the world of apps available. Uber worked better, I could open my hotel door with my phone, I could check into my hotel and select my room from my phone (HHonors app no longer supported W10M), I could board my plane and track my luggage (American Airlines app no longer supported on W10M), I could use Android Pay, and so many more conveniences that W10M doesn't afford.

The only thing that my Lumia 950 did better than the M8 was take pictures. It still can't be beat for that, though my S7 Edge takes fantastic photos.

Sorry Microsoft, you make a quality product for the most part, but it's old and outdated. I'm not one for having a million apps, but there are apps that are must haves like airlines, banks, hotels and a reliable Uber tool. I'm sure I'll still use my 950 once in awhile when taking pictures is important, but too many conveniences out the offered by Android to ignore.

 

[jdballard]

Sorry Microsoft, you make a quality product for the most part, but it's old and outdated. I'm not one for having a million apps, but there are apps that are must haves like airlines, banks, hotels and a reliable Uber tool. I'm sure I'll still use my 950 once in awhile when taking pictures is important, but too many conveniences out the offered by Android to ignore.

How is it old and outdated? Most of the benefits you mention are all app related, and not OS, with maybe the exception of Android pay. And don't get me wrong - I just switched to an HTC 10 myself - so I know that there's a lot more I can do on Android, but it's mostly related to apps (the ones you can't get on W10M and the ones that are more full featured).

There are definitely a few OS things that are missing but that doesn't make it old and outdated - just not as functional. An example is setting a trusted Bluetooth device so you don't always have to unlock the phone. Given the constant rewrites, features like that'll probably make it to Windows mobile someday.

 

[Kovaelin]

I got fed up with 8.1 feeling totally abandoned on my Lumia 635, and the 950 did not seem like a reasonable price when I could buy a an Xperia Z3 for a quarter of the price, so that's what I did. I already kind of miss the WP platform, but the feeling of having support for the system is very important to me. I hope to return to WP in the future, but it doesn't seem to be happening anytime soon (at least not within the next year or so).

 

[Blu3V3nom07]

I've been about a year on this LG G4, and going to that Galaxy Note 7 real soon. Probably the edge one.
Life goes on. Le sigh.