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

[libra89]

I agree on the eye opening part.
The live tile layout though, I miss that and think its informative enough. Widgets are OK but a bit inconsistent, the badges of iOS apps are meh.

Is it just me that noticed that emojis work?! For some reason, I'm feeling like I didn't see them as well before. It's weird to go from thinking that your friends don't use emojis to suddenly seeing them.

I have been on iOS for a week, and I feel like this is it. Still no frustrations, or annoyances, so I guess I have switched. Haven't used Windows Phone/Mobile for a little over a month now, and I am just missing the Glance thing. Probably not going to quit this site, because my fingers are glued to typing in "windowscentral.com" haha.

On a serious note, I am truly realizing that wp is right in the middle for customization. For some of us, leaving the platform makes us want more of it. For others, that makes us desire simplicity (like myself).

 

[Tempest790]

Longtime Windows Mobile user switched to Galaxy S7

I?ve had my Samsung Galaxy S7 for a few days now. I traded both mine and my wife?s Lumia 950?s back to AT&T. Both of those phones had lots of issues ? random reboots, app crashes, weird syncing issues, phantom calendar reminders and lots more ? that was too much.

I?ve never used Android before, so it?s a new learning experience for me.

As for the Galaxy S7 itself, I?m pretty pleased with it. I swapped my 128GB card from the 950 to the S7 with no issues. The screen is fantastic and one of the brightest I?ve ever seen. The capacitive buttons at the bottom and a standard physical button in the middle that also doubles as a fingerprint reader. I do miss a dedicated camera button though. I prefer that on my phones.

Headphone jack is at the bottom although, I would prefer it at the top. However, I?ve pretty much switched to Bluetooth sound so it?s not any issue for me. I will rarely use it anyway. USB Micro port? Yeah, that sucks. I?m spoiled by USB-C easy to use, because no matter how you grab that micro USB cable it?s ALWAYS oriented the wrong way. But, wireless charging works great, so it?s a diminishing issue. I?m going to put wireless cradles in my car and that?s that.

Haven?t used the camera much but from other online reviews it seems to do a good job. I think the camera wars are over. Nokia 1020 stormed onto the scene, but Microsoft didn?t push the advantage, so other manufacturers aren?t really worried anymore.

Battery life is very good. Better than my 950 and that?s with a lot of usage these first few days. Very impressed. All of my wireless chargers work great.

Now for Android. Yep. It takes a while to get used to. Live tiles are just awesome! Nothing comes close. Widgets are decent but spotty support and limited size and placement issues don?t come near what live tiles deliver (when they work that is). Google Now launcher is definitely better than TouchWiz, and I switched both our phones to it. The main app list is now vertically scrolling with a search bar at the top very similar to Windows Mobile style. It works good.

Settings are scattered all over the place and some don?t even tell you what it may do. Notifications? What kind? Pop ups, sounds, rings, etc.? Microsoft?s notifications center is easier and more intuitive in one place. You know what you?re turning off or on. Android is not there yet (unless I'm missing it).

And the main thing is the apps! Yes, I can now get a Google Voice number. My home phone is now an app on my S7. I can contact anyone and use whichever number I want. Really nice. Skype works great and is definitely better than the Windows Mobile version which I?ve had nothing but issues for the longest. Microsoft makes a ton of apps for Android. I love their Sunrise Calendar which I made as my default. It syncs with my personal Outlook great since I use the Outlook app for my work account. I have all my banking and credit union apps, travel apps, and more. I do like Windows 10 Facebook a lot better than the Android. Seems cleaner and more modern. Cortana is installed and immediately synced all of my reminders. She?s worked flawlessly so far ? I don?t use voice entry though so I can?t comment on that.

I?ve only had one issue so far, and it?s the AMC Theatres app. It refuses to install on my phone with a 505 error. No other problems except that. Using a PC, I can easily install apps to my phone straight from the PC web browser. While Microsoft did have that in the 8.0 Phone store, it was very unreliable (worked less than 20% of the time and then not at all).

I?m still learning about the audio players. Although Microsoft has a Groove app, it won?t play locally stored music. What?s up with that? I?ll have to check around for a decent audio app. Same thing with the video app too. Both seem to want you view and buy online stuff.

It's taking my wife awhile to learn it, so I definitely think Windows Mobile is easier to use.

Overall, very happy with my purchase. I love Windows Mobile versions over the years, but Microsoft has a lot of work to do. The 950?s issues were too much for such an expensive flagship. If they do release another flagship or Surface phone, all 950 users should get a hefty discount as an apology.

One last thing. If you are switching from Windows Phone to Android, Paul Thurrott?s guide ?Android for the Windows Guy? is invaluable on making Outlook, Calendar, and other stuff work properly. I definitely wouldn?t have figured some of that stuff out on my own.

Anyway, that?s my take so far.

 

[initram5]

Re: Longtime Windows Mobile user switched to Galaxy S7

Great post thank you. I'm in your shoes now. Haven't pulled the trigger yet but I'm very close. I love live tiles... And basically that's all I'm loving the most.

 

[savagelizards]

Re: Longtime Windows Mobile user switched to Galaxy S7

Great post thank you. I'm in your shoes now. Haven't pulled the trigger yet but I'm very close. I love live tiles... And basically that's all I'm loving the most.

I bought myself some time to make a choice by ordering a refurbished Icon off Amazon. My current Icon, between compromised battery and broken screen, is ready to give up the ghost after two years. A replacement buys me enough time to bridge to the surface phone.

I have to admit, my wife just replaced her Android, and very nearly got an S7 edge before choosing the more rugged Droid Turbo 2 (the one with the unbreakable screen). It has a 30% larger battery than the icon, a bigger, clearer screen and, of course, a large app library. I had a moment of weakness, because those are the specs i am looking for.

I am starting to worry that I am going to fall too far behind on apps to catch up if windows doesn't solve its app gap. I really don't want to leave windows phone, so i bought myself another six months. At that point, either W10M will be stable, or I may find myself leaving too. To Apple, probably, since the S7 edge runs Android, and i came to windows phone specifically to escape the Google ecosystem.

 

[phlamethrowre]

Re: Longtime Windows Mobile user switched to Galaxy S7

I bought myself some time to make a choice by ordering a refurbished Icon off Amazon. My current Icon, between compromised battery and broken screen, is ready to give up the ghost after two years. A replacement buys me enough time to bridge to the surface phone.

I have to admit, my wife just replaced her Android, and very nearly got an S7 edge before choosing the more rugged Droid Turbo 2 (the one with the unbreakable screen). It has a 30% larger battery than the icon, a bigger, clearer screen and, of course, a large app library. I had a moment of weakness, because those are the specs i am looking for.

I am starting to worry that I am going to fall too far behind on apps to catch up if windows doesn't solve its app gap. I really don't want to leave windows phone, so i bought myself another six months. At that point, either W10M will be stable, or I may find myself leaving too. To Apple, probably, since the S7 edge runs Android, and i came to windows phone specifically to escape the Google ecosystem.

I'm making the jump. Ordering 6s Plus as soon as the case I've ordered arrives. I love W10M and my 2 phones. I have a mint condition 1520 and a mint condition M8 but I'm no longer willing to put up with MSFTs incompetence when Apple has some of the best hardware available and the highest quality apps. Why put up with inferiority??

 

[glossallalia]

Re: Longtime Windows Mobile user switched to Galaxy S7

I'm making the jump. Ordering 6s Plus as soon as the case I've ordered arrives. I love W10M and my 2 phones. I have a mint condition 1520 and a mint condition M8 but I'm no longer willing to put up with MSFTs incompetence when Apple has some of the best hardware available and the highest quality apps. Why put up with inferiority??

I jumped to iPhone 6 , no regrets!

 

[phlamethrowre]

You really can't go wrong with an iPhone. I had a 6+ for most of 2015 along with a Note 4. Both were nice but the iPhone is probably the best user experience. I tend to tinker too much with Android. With an iPhone you just set it up and use it. If an app exist you can bet that the best version of it is in the app store.

 

[Nogitsune Micah]

Re: Longtime Windows Mobile user switched to Galaxy S7

I bought myself some time to make a choice by ordering a refurbished Icon off Amazon. My current Icon, between compromised battery and broken screen, is ready to give up the ghost after two years. A replacement buys me enough time to bridge to the surface phone.

I have to admit, my wife just replaced her Android, and very nearly got an S7 edge before choosing the more rugged Droid Turbo 2 (the one with the unbreakable screen). It has a 30% larger battery than the icon, a bigger, clearer screen and, of course, a large app library. I had a moment of weakness, because those are the specs i am looking for.

I am starting to worry that I am going to fall too far behind on apps to catch up if windows doesn't solve its app gap. I really don't want to leave windows phone, so i bought myself another six months. At that point, either W10M will be stable, or I may find myself leaving too. To Apple, probably, since the S7 edge runs Android, and i came to windows phone specifically to escape the Google ecosystem.

Fall behind on apps? That's a tad melodramatic isn't it lol. You can jump into apps at any point and time and not fall behind lol.

 

[phlamethrowre]

The bottom line. Staying with WinMo is settling for mediocrity.

 

[captaincalamity]

I've tried so many times with lumia 640 ,640 xl, 930.... Now I have an HTC one m8, wow, running marshmallow update, it's super slick, blinkfreed is what the people hub should have been, mode apps at such high quality, amazing speakers, battery lasts as long as my xl if not longer, the only thing I miss is pin to start

 

[phlamethrowre]

I've tried so many times with lumia 640 ,640 xl, 930.... Now I have an HTC one m8, wow, running marshmallow update, it's super slick, blinkfreed is what the people hub should have been, mode apps at such high quality, amazing speakers, battery lasts as long as my xl if not longer, the only thing I miss is pin to start

Do you use Google Now?

 

[captaincalamity]

Yes just started to, it's pretty intuitive, knows where you are , prompting time to arrive, agendas and traffic, news, parking all kinds of things, pretty cool

 

[phlamethrowre]

That's the main thing I miss about Android. I had a Note 5 recently and really enjoyed Google Now.

 

[libra89]

The bottom line. Staying with WinMo is settling for mediocrity.

I think that's a reaching statement, because it strongly depends on the apps that you use/need. For some people, it meets all of the wants and needs very well so it's not mediocre. For others, it doesn't, and they see it that way. And there are people in the middle of that too.

 

[phlamethrowre]

WinMo diehards are in denial just like the diehards were over at BBF as their ship sank. BB was far more successful than WinMo has ever been and it crashed and burned. When you compare the new iPhone hardware to the 950 phones it's like night and day. When you compare the app store to the windows app store it's like night and day. Even the service you get at the Apple Store is better than MSFT and there are alot more Apple stores out there.

I get it. WP and W10M is cool. I bought a Lumia 900 on launch day. I've had many WP devices, but I've also had iPhones and high end Androids. You are giving up alot by staying with WinMo. To each his own I guess.

 

[Nogitsune Micah]

The bottom line. Staying with WinMo is settling for mediocrity.

For you. You should learn not to speak blanket statements for everyone. For me going back android is purposely tormenting myself and iOS, while decent is simply settling.

Thankfully the people I surround myself with aren't all about trends and the latest apps. They use their phones to do what they need and many use android and iOS but others use windows like myself and we all sre able to stay connected and I don't hear the complaints in my real life like I do from people online who have long since left the platform but continue to bash it and it's users who prefer it over iOS and android. Contrary to popular belief, android and ios are not the be all end all

 

[phlamethrowre]

For you. You should learn not to speak blanket statements for everyone. For me going back android is purposely tormenting myself and iOS, while decent is simply settling.

Thankfully the people I surround myself with aren't all about trends and the latest apps. They use their phones to do what they need and many use android and iOS but others use windows like myself and we all sre able to stay connected and I don't hear the complaints in my real life like I do from people online who have long since left the platform but continue to bash it and it's users who prefer it over iOS and android. Contrary to popular belief, android and ios are not the be all end all

Sad, just sad.

 

[chmun77]

Re: Longtime Windows Mobile user switched to Galaxy S7

Fall behind on apps? That's a tad melodramatic isn't it lol. You can jump into apps at any point and time and not fall behind lol.

It's not melodramatic at all. Is a fact. If you continue to stay with windows phone platform, you will be fallen behind with apps eventually - by a lot.

 

[libra89]

WinMo diehards are in denial just like the diehards were over at BBF as their ship sank. BB was far more successful than WinMo has ever been and it crashed and burned. When you compare the new iPhone hardware to the 950 phones it's like night and day. When you compare the app store to the windows app store it's like night and day. Even the service you get at the Apple Store is better than MSFT and there are alot more Apple stores out there.

I get it. WP and W10M is cool. I bought a Lumia 900 on launch day. I've had many WP devices, but I've also had iPhones and high end Androids. You are giving up alot by staying with WinMo. To each his own I guess.

Like Micah said, it's not fair for you to make blanket statements. iOS is my dd now, but I'm not going to put down the platform because it lacked some of my personal needs.

I can consider some apps on here to be very poor, I don't need to say more. It's shocking to see the difference between some apps on WM and the same ones on iOS/Android. I'm not going to deny that I am shocked to see updates for apps I use often, including Twitter even.

 

[Nogitsune Micah]

It's not melodramatic at all. Is a fact. If you continue to stay with windows phone platform, you will be fallen behind with apps eventually - by a lot.

Thankfully,I don't measure my life worth and value and relevance based in what apps my phone has. Much as it feels freeing to use a different platform, it also feels freeing to realize my phone is simply a phone and not being able to send stupid or perverse pics on snapchat or playing the stupidest latest game is really not that important.

I am not going to leave an OS I like and that works well for me just so I don't fall behind on apps. Because the apps I do use,work well....and what I don't have, I dont have.

I also prefer not to follow the leader and run to the arms of apple or google (who repeatedly screws users) and I prefer to support Microsoft, who makes it easy for people like yourself to throw a fit and still use their apps and services on non-windows platform.

When android comes out with a phone that isn't a bunch of static icons and when apples iOS can filky connect my life the way windows 10 has so far, I may give them a look