The Windows Phone 8.1 update sounds fantastic, but is it too little late?

[syedjalalt]

It's absolutely ridiculous when people say the notifications on Android are disorganized. I have used Android for nearly 3 years and haven't seen anything better than those notifications. I like WP a lot and I have dedicated myself into using Windows Phone from now on. I use 820 and I am extremely satisfied with the OS.

Android has flaws, a lot of them and NOTIFICATION SYSTEM isn't one of them.

 

[syedjalalt]

Very nicely put.

 

[Ashish Kakade05]

In my opinion,when wp8.1 will launch it will decrease android and apple marketshares.........what do you think guyz???????

 

[JoeDizzle33]

I don't think its too little too late. Like mentioned previously Android and iOS weren't built in a day. It took many builds and updates and tweeks to get where they are now. My wife loves the Windows OS looks and features, she even had a 1520 for a week. Unfortunately the OS doesn't have everything she needs and likes yet. She still wants to get a Windows phone when it starts getting the functions she needs and wants. With 8.1 it will get closer and that can only be a good thing.

 

[dalydose]

No. Not too late. The nerds that occupy boards like to shout doom and gloom because of some pet peeve, but the market fluctuates. WP is already beating iOS is some key markets. The US is tougher, but there is solid growth. This 8.1 update is great. All of the "catchup" stuff seems to be in there along with a few tricks that iOS and Android don't have. Additionally, if Cortana can live up to the hype and make voice more than a gimmick, that alone could be a game changer. The SD card use improvements will attract more camera enthusiasts as will the API access to video.

If you're part of the "shoulda all been done at initial launch" chorus, you'd complain if they had delayed that launch or if they rushed to get it all in. It is not as if they can just wish it into code. That stuff has to be written and designed and tested. That line of logic says that if they didn't get it done then, that they should never bother, right. It's"too little, too late". They should just pack up and call it quits because you didn't have that feature that you miss?

 

[inffy]

Too late? Well maybe, but the problem with WP aint the features. It's still the apps.

Microsoft needs to find a way to attract more people bying the devices and that way attract more developers to the pack. The big games and apps from Android/iOS need to be on WP too, and that is the problem what Microsoft is facing.

With more users, comes more attraction to developers to develop for WP. Features are of course part of the deal, because if you don't have the "normal features" you won't sell phones, but still the app gap (which is declining) is still the biggest problem.

 

[AgnishB]

IM from India. In my locality, no one used a Windows phone. I was the first one in last September with L720. Now after me 8 people I know have bought Lumias. Dnt knw ant US,bt in India WP is surely growing

 

[woodrow_hills]

Yes, it's too late. While it may sound wonderful, most of the rumoured features for WP8.1 are basic and standard features, already in Andriod and IOS long long time ago. So what the big fuss about !!!

 

[rohitharsh]

Its hard to decide if its too little too late. We still do not know about all the features. All the features listed are playing catch up which is good but not enough. Whats the differentiator? Why would someone who walks into a shop pick up WP over Android or iPhone which most of his/her friends and family has?

There has to be compelling feature which will excite people. If not then devices has to be dirt cheap and attract people who only care about price(which is what has happened recently). This worries me. This will mean that WP will go Android way where they control the market share but most people buy junk.

I hope they have some features which will differentiate the product and excite new users.

 

[Cheeky Ghosty]

If they made it so you could sit the phone in a dock and use BT keyboard and mouse and use office and surf web they will become ahead of the game why are they not doing this?

 

[fitcious]

I don't think the question is whether or not it is too little or to late. the features that Windows Platform offers may be features android and iOS ppl have been used to or have expectation of. So having these new updates in 8.1 may not be enough to sway customers because they are used to these features on let's say android.

Obviously there are some features which are unique but for the majority they would not know. If anything 8.1 may make ppl realize that windows is slow to catch up and 8.1 further proves it.

Don't Get me wrong, although I use an android, I love windows. I have a 521 and a surface and I'm waiting to see what they have announcing for Tmobile at MWC and hopefully a full pebble watch supported app will be soon available. But I feel the look and freshness of the windows platform itself must do the work to lure ppl over and not just 8.1.

 

[popevillion]

the way i see it is that there two schools of thought.One group being "windows phone should be more like android as much as possible" and the other being "windows should be even more unique and less like android as much as possible".If your in the former thinking, you will always look to compare the two, looking for the same features in the different platforms.if your in the latter like me, there is nothing else like it and you want every app and feature to be customized and unique to windows phone.A good example of this is instagram and 6tag.In my opinion 6tag has more features and customization options than the official instagram app which was just a copy paste from the android version, and so when it came out i was disappointed that it wasn't unique the way 6tag was to the platform
So what people are expecting form the 8.1 update is very different from person to person, however saying that there is no innovation just catch up the windows platform is simply not true.Yes its not perfect and there are improvements to be made, but that's the same to the current version of android and IOs.If you want windows to be more like android, then just get an android phone. I just hope that guys at Microsoft do not want to make the platform like android on the hopes of its becoming mainstream. Windows phone doesn't need to be no.1, as it advances it should be more in line to the original vision of the platform.Just my humble opinion

 

[edwardob]

i bought windows phone because it was A nokia...for the camera.i came from Symbian which up to now has more features than wp.but Symbian is dead.
but 8.1 has made me want to stay.
customisation of some sort is what most people want.now they may have it with 8.1.too late...probably just in time.
a platform worse than Symbian is going down.which is what wp was.
just in time i would say..just in time!

 

[Nestor Mier]

WP 8.1 seems great thus far. Although, I'm not holding my breath on it considering the fact that I have a NL810 (which is not receiving black) I won't expect 8.1 to arrive either. But looks like it came just in time. At WP's prime.

 

[hallam555]

The rumoured features for Windows Phone 8.1 has got me excited for the platform. But there is a nagging feeling that it may be too little too late. After 3 years in the market place, it has only managed a paltry 3% market share. Android, love it or loath it has become the default choice for tablets and smart phones. It has in fact become bigger than Google itself in that they themselves have lost control of the OS and are trying to rein it in. As for the future of Windows on phones & tablets, I'm not sure where it will be heading. Somehow, I feel whatever changes and features are announced at Build, the market gap has widened so much that Windows Phone will never be able to catch up. It maybe the case of closing the stable doors after the horse has bolted. I'm a WP fan and love the OS, but in all honesty what do you really think? Are you as optimistic as when you first bought into the platform?

To answer your question, yes it is probably too little, too late for market share. Windows phone needed all these features from day one if it was to seriously make a dent in this market, but I ask you and everyone these question's;

Why does it matter to you and everyone of the same opinion how much market share Microsoft has in the mobile phone business? If you enjoy windows phone and the people you know who have a windows phone enjoy theirs, I ask again, why does it matter if another person on the other side of the world or another stranger in your town owns a windows phone?

Surely the only people who should be concerned about market share are Microsoft directors, employees and shareholders?

Because I mostly enjoy owning a windows phone and I am looking forward to these new features that may be coming in April, but people should look at the fact that owning a windows phone is great for them and their families. It does not matter whether Microsoft has 3% or 50% market share to me. There are popular companies and developers that are still to port apps over to windows, but why is that? Is it because of market share or is it that they have signed exclusivity agreements with IOS and android? Because 3% of a global smartphone industry is still a lot of people and nice chunk of money is still to be made out of it.

Or is it just a popularity contest so people can come on forums and say we are the greatest mobile phone platform?

 

[Moiz Mian]

I wouldn't say it's too little too late, but I haven't seen any features that the other platforms don't already have. I'm still optimistic that MIcrosoft is saving the unique features for BUILD so they can officially announce/release them. The platform needs stand out features if it wants to compete. Of course apps are important, but you won't get the apps unless your operating system has features that people are willing to try.

 

[anon(8151408)]

I will stay with Windows Phone forever. Full stop.

 

[brupub]

I am quite excited for the 8.1 update even though there is usually an inordinate delay with Microsoft, Nokia & the money first carriers trying to play nice. I believe and truly enjoy using my Lumia 1520 and know that great will be even better. More and more much wished-for and needed apps are coming onboard with a few exclusives. Microsoft still needs to do a better job of bringing in the nay-saying companies into WP8. Companies like Intuit made their original bucks on Window's back. Hopefully everything that 8.1 can be will bring them back (remember the WP7 GoPayment app)?

 

[Markham Ranja]

I'm more than optimistic, I am excited about 8.1 features.
I have the apps I need except for youtube which is coming so market share/app count is meaningless.

WP kills android and iPhone in the looks.
Its efficient and reliable.
MS is constantly improving the OS. They have the resources and the enthusiasm to beat the other two.

I wish people woud realise that we are in a win situation when it comes to choosing WP.
It can only get better and the features that we have if duplicated should make you feel some satisfaction in choice.

iPhone and Android are for the masses.

Feel proud to be a part of "The Revolution"

i.e. WP is for hipsters. Got it.

 

[qsr786]

It?s really weird when ppl say that they like WP but, will ditch it bcause of little marketshare. I mean why do you care about marketshare and other things, when you like your phone and ething is fine???