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

[BeFr4ctal]

My failed experience with Windows Phone

Hello all,
Few days ago i took the decision to switch back to iPhone after using a Lumia 925 since about one year. Here is my story. I'd be happy to know if other feel like me.

Before buying the Lumia, i owned a series of iPhones (2G, 3G, 3GS, 4). My iPhone 4 was OK, but the screen was a little small & interface quite sad. When WP8 came out, i thought the design was refreshing so i bought the best phone on the market at that time, the white Lumia 925: Light, classy & big HD screen, and Optical Image Stabilisation.

The first months were impressive: Huge battery life (2 days), Hubs feature was very fast, no need to start an app to send a Facebook text or check the timeline, same for Skype etc. The drawbacks of the loss of integration between my iPhone & Mac was compensated by all these features.
November 1st 2013.

I joined the developper program to get WP8.1 earlier because WP8 was missing major features (better calendar management, etc). Since then, everything wend bad....

First, the battery life of my phone decreased to less than 1 day. It's still the case today.
Second, the coolest feature of Windows Phone disappears in WP8.1 : Hubs.
The hubs were replaced by apps that are -still today- bad quality compared to iOS equivalent.
The only thing i'm still very satisfied is picture & movie quality, but i'm quite sure Iphone 6 or newer phones have such quality as well.

At the end i'm going back to iPhone. Of course, the interface has nothing unique, but everything else is working, iOS 8 got Swype keyboard, Camera is good, etc. Apps are top quality AND updated often...

I definitely think that Microsoft buying Nokia was a bad thing for the WP world. I do not suspect any innovation in the WP world in the next months/years....

 

[Kalvin Wood]

Goodbye Windows Phone :/

I decided a few days ago that I've had enough of the lack of third party app support for Windows Phone. It's not the app gap I care about, it's the quality of available apps. Facebook, Twitter and various other social apps come to mind (As a student, staying connected is important to me). A HTC One Mini 2 should be arriving in a few days to replace my Lumia 720 (though I'll be keeping the 720 as a back up).

Don't get me wrong, I love Windows Phone as an OS. It is simply beautiful and there's no doubt that I'll keep up to date with the WP news. I know as WP grows, the quality of apps will improve. Unfortunately though, I feel that the pace at which it is growing is not fast enough for developers to prioritise Windows Phone to the same extent as Android and iOS.

I will miss the simplicity of WP, its high quality camera software, its very comfortable keyboard, its battery life, its customisation (love how you have complete control over notifications), its little but useful features (such as the ability to mute text threads) and its synchronisation with other Windows devices.

I never got to use Cortana (UK) but I'll be sure to try it out when Denim becomes available to me.

It's been a great ride guys, and I hope the best for the future of Windows Phone

 

[Ryan ODonnell]

Re: Goodbye Windows Phone :/

You can mute text messages if you have Update 1, but good luck with your HTC! Hope you come back to WP soon

 

[WorzelGummage]

Re: Goodbye Windows Phone :/

I suppose Windows Phone isn't for everyone and still needs some hard-core support to keep the socially connected young adults interested.
I wish you the very best of luck for the future and hope you keep Windows Phone in the back of your mind in case it develops into something more suited.

 

[delltoid]

Hey, can you explain the quality of apps problem you have with wp? What do you mean by Quality of apps that lacking? Are the apps that available not good quality?

Hey, can you explain he means about the quality of apps problem he has with wp? What does he mean by Quality of apps that lacking? Are the apps that available not good quality?

 

[anon6002755]

Re: Goodbye Windows Phone :/

Hey, can you explain he means about the quality of apps problem he has with wp? What does he mean by Quality of apps that lacking? Are the apps that available not good quality?

I'll jump in with an easy one. IMDB is laughable on WP while its android and IOS counterparts are very functional.

 

[cckgz4]

Re: All Those Switching from a Windows Phone to another device (including Windows Phones), Post Here

I'm getting an LG G2 in the coming month(s) that's used to a) save my upgrade for a windows phone on Att that is specced pretty well and b) get something with awesome battery life to hold me over. Love windows ecosystem and will be keeping my 1020 to switch to back and forth or for music. But the battery life and lag is starting to get on me, which are my only pet peeves that cause me to switch phones

Edit: Make that the note 3. Better accessory support, and damn near the same price on eBay

 

[Karthik Naik]

Re: All Those Switching from a Windows Phone to another device (including Windows Phones), Post Here

I'm getting an LG G2 in the coming month(s) that's used to a) save my upgrade for a windows phone on Att that is specced pretty well and b) get something with awesome battery life to hold me over. Love windows ecosystem and will be keeping my 1020 to switch to back and forth or for music. But the battery life and lag is starting to get on me, which are my only pet peeves that cause me to switch phones

Edit: Make that the note 3. Better accessory support, and damn near the same price on eBay

check out the G3 as well,has a 3gb ram variant as well

 

[cckgz4]

Re: All Those Switching from a Windows Phone to another device (including Windows Phones), Post Here

G3 has been very expensive from what I've seen outright. I'll see what I can dig up on ebay


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[cckgz4]

Re: All Those Switching from a Windows Phone to another device (including Windows Phones), Post Here

Ended up getting the studio 5.0 lte. Works great, memory is sucky but working around it so far. And android seems to be so much better

Sent from one of these devices hanging around here....

 

[pjs37]

Re: All Those Switching from a Windows Phone to another device (including Windows Phones), Post Here

I could've bought a Lumia 920, or possibly 1020. At the time I didn't get a OnePlusOne invite so I got a Nexus 5 instead. Haven't regretted doing so.

I've owned the device for nearly two months now, I still prefer Android over Windows Phone.

Though Windows Phone is pretty nice. Btw how is the OnePlusOne going so far? How is the camera?

So finally got my OPO and I been pretty happy with it. Tested the GPS and it works. No screen yellowing issue that people were reporting. My only issue is I wish they added an oleophobic coating. I know they are saving money but honestly given you can get them on a $10 screen protector I am not seeing why it cannot go one a $350 smart phone.

Played with my camera a bit and I like it but I had to put it into steady mode or clear shot to get the picture I want. I also found Google Camera works well too though I may try out some other apps. One thing I have really loved is being able to change my default SMS app (and others) and I am learning a lot more about the OS daily. I am customizing it the way I want and have had little issue so far. Some apps are buggy but it is no different from any other OS really.

I still have to switch to ART mode so I will need to do that.

As for multitasking it was one of my favorite things on the Nexus 7 and I enjoy it on my phone too. I will never miss the sometimes forever and a half "Resuming" animation. Still got my 920 on the side being a backup but I have moved all my services over to Android without issue. I will say the MS Authentication app is a lot better on android then in WP. If I try and log in I get an alert on my phone and I just check approve. No stupid codes to enter or anything. Its very nice.

Honestly I am pleased with the device I do not get all the hate people have for it. The battery is amazing; the screen is great; the camera is decent. But I am also realistic. This is a $350 device not a $500+ device so I don't expect it to be.

 

[iamtim]

Re: All Those Switching from a Windows Phone to another device (including Windows Phones), Post Here

Several months ago I switched from WP back to iOS on an iPhone 4s and then a 5s. I never posted why, here, but a week or so ago I was asked why in another thread. So, here is my reasoning:

A number of factors, really. Before I get into this, though, let me state that I am not an Apple "******", nor am I an "iSheep". I think it is entirely possible to recognize benefits in multiple platforms and, further, to acknowledge when one platform excels over another, whether that's your favorite platform or not. You should use what works for you in any given situation, and brand loyalty be damned.

That said, I work with and use Microsoft Windows on a daily basis. I maintain and develop on many Windows Servers, and all of my workstations are powered by Windows 8.1 (which is, for my usage patterns, a more efficient OS than OS X and any Linux). My tablet is a Surface RT; I do not like iPads, nor will I use one (I don't think iOS scales up to the iPad size very well).

Before I purchased my first WP, I had used an iPhone 4, an iPhone 3Gs, an iPhone 3, a Samsung Captivate (AT&T's Galaxy S) and a T-Mobile G1 (rebranded HTC Dream). In my early days I had used a Palm Centro and a Verizon XV6900 (rebranded HTC Touch). So I'm not a newcomer to smartphones.

On to the crux of your question: I've owned two Lumia 920s, one HTC 8x, and two Lumia 820s. All of them - except for my current 820 - have had problems. Overheating, random network disconnects, faulty buttons, loose batteries, a whole slew of issues which should have never hit consumer's hands. Professionally, I'm one of three employees in the IT department of a global company with offices in the US, the UK, Singapore, and China. Personally, my GF is in nursing school and I'm helping to raise her two kids, both in elementary school. I *need* reliable hardware. With all the other phones I've had, I can honestly say I've never had one single hardware problem like my Windows Phones had.

Now, all that said, my current Lumia 820 is a workhorse. It's not had a single hardware problem of any sort, and were it my daily driver I would have confidence in it.

I've now gone through three WP updates, each which was supposed to have brought with it features that I, personally, needed. Each time, the feature set has been just slightly shy of what I need. Not so shy that I couldn't find a work-around, but shy enough that it didn't just work. For instance, I really need VPN connectivity on my phone for quick remote fixes; Black/GDR2 (I think) was supposed to bring VPN connectivity, but it didn't bring the type I needed. And then we upgraded to a VPN which uses the Cisco AnyConnect client, which isn't available on WP. We also use PhoneFactor multi-factor authentication on several of our outward-facing servers, and I've NEVER gotten that to work on WP.

Suffice to say, the iPhone 4s and 5s hardware that I've been using since getting off WP as my daily driver has been solid like a rock, and everything I need just works: our pre-AnyConnect VPN was not a problem for iOS, the AnyConnect client is available on iOS, and PhoneFactor works without a hitch.

Like I said, though, I'm using an iPhone 5s because it works for me in my situation. I'd love to have a WP that did the same, but there just isn't one.

 

[mark233]

Re: All Those Switching from a Windows Phone to another device (including Windows Phones), Post Here

I'll have my first iPhone ever (iPhone 6 64GB Space Gray) next week. Not abandoning Windows phones tho. Still have my L925. Will wait to see what MS has next year.

 

[salmanahmad]

Re: All Those Switching from a Windows Phone to another device (including Windows Phones), Post Here

So finally got my OPO and I been pretty happy with it. Tested the GPS and it works. No screen yellowing issue that people were reporting. My only issue is I wish they added an oleophobic coating. I know they are saving money but honestly given you can get them on a $10 screen protector I am not seeing why it cannot go one a $350 smart phone.

Played with my camera a bit and I like it but I had to put it into steady mode or clear shot to get the picture I want. I also found Google Camera works well too though I may try out some other apps. One thing I have really loved is being able to change my default SMS app (and others) and I am learning a lot more about the OS daily. I am customizing it the way I want and have had little issue so far. Some apps are buggy but it is no different from any other OS really.

I still have to switch to ART mode so I will need to do that.

As for multitasking it was one of my favorite things on the Nexus 7 and I enjoy it on my phone too. I will never miss the sometimes forever and a half "Resuming" animation. Still got my 920 on the side being a backup but I have moved all my services over to Android without issue. I will say the MS Authentication app is a lot better on android then in WP. If I try and log in I get an alert on my phone and I just check approve. No stupid codes to enter or anything. Its very nice.

Honestly I am pleased with the device I do not get all the hate people have for it. The battery is amazing; the screen is great; the camera is decent. But I am also realistic. This is a $350 device not a $500+ device so I don't expect it to be.

Congratulations and glad that you are enjoying it.

Haha my Nexus 5 takes the best images with HDR+ but it's a small price to pay when you get an above average shooter for $350.

Do switch to ART when you have time.

 

[werner6769]

Re: All Those Switching from a Windows Phone to another device (including Windows Phones), Post Here

Am thinking of trying bb10 on a Q5 but I am not leaving WP! I'm quite satisfied with it. I do want to learn bb10 cascade development along with c#.

 

[jontyrees]

Re: All Those Switching from a Windows Phone to another device (including Windows Phones), Post Here

I've been with WP since the first week the Samsung Focus came out, had it for a couple of years, then switched to the Nokia 920, which I've had for almost 2yrs. Was very happy with both phones, and the OS. Until 8.1 installed itself on my 920 a couple of weeks ago, and rendered it virtually unusable. Battery life cut in half, no longer pairs correctly with my car, camera doesn't work at all, and the kicker - random calls in the middle of the night to people I had called earlier in the day! Since my AT&T contract is up on Nov 11th, I figured I'd had enough of WP and it was time to decide whether to opt for ATT Next, or a discounted phone on a new 2yr contract. I was pretty much certain to go Android, since my family have a Moto X, an HTC One, and a GS4, and we are weaning ourselves off XBox Music and on to Beats. Very little financial difference between Next and 2yr btw - basically came down to how much the new phone would be under Next - $25/mth being the break even point.

Until I had a brainwave - since my 920 is close to useless now, why not file a claim and get it replaced? Such an easy process - not even subject to review - answered some security questions, filled in what's wrong with hit, hit "next", screen says "we will be replacing your Red Lumia 920 with a Yellow Lumia 1520, it'll be in the mail, send your broken one back to us". Sooo, now I'm going to have the very large 1520. Almost universally positive reviews for this phone - it seems like TVs - nobody ever regrets getting a bigger one. Hopefully I like it, and it fits in my pocket. Seems like a pretty powerful device, and with luck, 8.1 sits comfortably on it. Now, the lack of Qi charging is disapponting - thanks ATT. Overall I'm happy enough to stay in the WP fold, as long as it's as bulletproof as it was before I got 8.1

 

[Symthic]

Heavily considering switching to Android

First a little background:

I'm a big Microsoft guy. I always have been, even when I didn't know it. My first MP3 player was the Halo 3 Zune, back when they were like big cool bricks and the Zune Software was brown rather than... pink. And I loved it, and it saved me from going down the Apple orchard that my father initially tried to lead me down. I got a Zune HD a couple years later, and loved it as well.

Then, two years after that, I got my first Windows Phone: the HTC Trophy. And it was essentially a Zune Phone, and everything I could ask for. It was simple, useful, and unobtrusive with its functions. This was back with Windows Phone 7, so the platform wasn't as pronounced as it is now, but the new selection of apps and games made the whole experience a great leap from Zune HD. When new phones were announced, I couldn't wait to get ahold of better hardware to further improve my experience.

What I got last year was a Nokia Lumia 928. Being on Verizon, there was no Lumia selection prior. Well, there might have been something called the 822, but it wasn't nearly as prominent as this, being a spinoff of the popular 920, and it ran on Windows Phone 8, the new OS, with access to all new games and apps!

But this was the start of a downward trend. Not immediately, at first I enjoyed it greatly, and still do to an extent. But further down the line there were too many problems for me to bear with.

First and foremost, the music app. Back then, it wasn't an app, just part of the OS, as we all know. But this was the first time that the app decided to play surgeon with my metadata. I'd always arranged songs and albums to my own preferences, putting single songs from different artists together into large albums. This was never a problem with my Zune and Trophy, as the Zune Software allowed for easy editing of metadata and easy merging of albums. But now Zune Software was orphaned, and in its place was an atrocious Windows Phone App that only allows you to add files without giving proper context, and so it decides to fill in the blanks itself and change stuff around, ripping songs out of albums and putting them into a new one, or duplicating songs to achieve that same goal, and all manner of just disorganizing and cluttering my work.

Even when there are no blanks to fill, it screws things up. My Halo soundtracks, which were handed down by my original Zune 30 GB, had whole albums get lost in translation, and some had album art changed to totally irrelevant pieces. At first I thought it'd get better with time, but it consistently gets worse with every update, which seems to find more ways to screw things up. I once even managed to put it all back together by deleting all the music off my phone and adding it again, but then an update came along and chopped everything up again. Even my Amazing Spider-Man 2 soundtrack was chopped up into like six or seven different albums, with five or six out of that six or seven containing only one song by a different artist, causing the entire problem.

That's my main beef. There are other small issues I have with the app, like how it seems that when playing with headphones/earphones, sound is quieter coming out of the left than the right. I don't know what causes it, but it's super bothering.

Another main problem is the optimization of the OS. With each update, it seems battery performance gets worse, especially with IE11, which seems to take up more power than any other app fathomable. I initially believed that this was due to the common "leave the battery charging at 100% too much and you'll ruin the battery life," but I was told that there was something in the software or hardware that cut off charge once it was full. I'd buy another battery to make sure, but the batteries on Lumia phones aren't removable, so it's out of the question. I can't even go through a day with moderate use before getting below 50% on a phone that's supposed to have over 2000 minutes of usage time.

The final major issue is carrier support. I'm on Verizon, and the Windows Phone selection is incredibly slim. AT&T seems to have its leash on all the flagship models, with the 920 and 1020. T-Mobile has a wide selection, too. The HTC Trophy was, for a good while, the only Windows Phone on Verizon. Now there's five, and the only upgrades are a Lumia Icon, which is just a somewhat beefier version of what I have now, and the new HTC One M8, which isn't really special beyond the dot-case gimmick. And none of them offer the color variety seen with the 920, coming only in dull black or white. This lack of support makes accessory selection incredibly sparse, which has also been an issue.

Then there's a bunch of minor issues, such as the lack of good app support, lack of customization, and all the other anchors plaguing the platform that, up to now, I was willing to put up with. The app selection in particular bothers me because apparently the store is very restrictive, much like with the App Store on the iPhone and unlike Windows and its desktop programs, but I've gathered that nearly anything can be done on Android. That liberty is particularly enticing.

But don't get me wrong, there's been a lot of improvements. The notification center is great, and the small improvements to customization were welcome, but there's just not a lot there for me. I'm not a photographer, so all the focus on photo apps and such isn't appealing to me. Cortana, while a very intriguing program, isn't of use, because I don't need a digital assistant.

There are things that make me want to stay with the program. I'll miss all the Microsoft cross-functionality. Like I said, I'm a big Microsoft guy. I use OneNote, Office, and OneDrive a lot. I'm a big Xbox gamer, too. So the ability to seamlessly work with that using my phone has been a major plus for me. However, it's not quite enough to stake a whole purchase on, especially as Microsoft applies these programs to other platforms.

And I know Windows 10 is coming and I'm excited to see it on my desktop. However, I haven't much hope for it on a phone, because if they couldn't do it before, I'm not 100% sure how they'll do it now. And that won't fix the music app and lack of Verizon support.

So I'm heavily considering getting an Android phone, particularly a Droid MAXX. But I'm not going to be rash and headstrong with this. I like Microsoft, I don't really like Apple, but I HATE Google. Every single service I've used (or been forced to use) from them has always caused me trouble, particularly because they have no customer support when I need it, as opposed to Microsoft, which has the most excellent customer support I've seen next to Elder Scrolls Online. But, to my knowledge, Google has little control over the OS, so it shouldn't be an issue. I hope.

I was just wondering if there's any solid reason I should wait, or if there's some answer to my prayers that I'm unaware of. I've been with this OS for over seven years, and I don't plan to abandon it so easily. I'll come back if Windows 10 turns out to be the messiah we've been waiting for, but after utter disappointment of Destiny, my hype is being kept well in check.

 

[rodan01]

Re: Heavily considering switching to Android

TL ; DR

The grass is always greener in the other platform.

 

[Nicholas Maguire]

Re: Heavily considering switching to Android

I've had more problems back when I used iPhone and Android than I do with my Windows Phone. Android: Do you know how annoying it is to have to use a task manager and anti-virus on your PHONE? iPhone: Going through iTunes is the worst experience ever.

 

[anon(9057135)]

Re: Heavily considering switching to Android

Having a antivirus is a good thing Maguire. It keeps you safe. And if you think Windows Phone is Invincible you're completely wrong. Android for the market and the open sourceness of it, iPhone if you wanna feel like your in customization prison and WP for hardware. This is from a person who has used all three. But yeah, don't ever go to the iCult.