The Windows Phone App Gap Thread

[cracgor]

Lowe's is a hardware store and stuff is not organized intuitively. The app is amazing. My wife clips coupons at our grocery store to her phone for Kroger. I am annoyed also at the lack of an NFC payment system on windows phone only. The problem from a developer stand point is they first have to make it. Even if it is very easy to port, it is more difficult to port than not port. Second, they have to maintain the apps. That is probably the biggest reason apps disappear (banking apps or airline apps for example). Something changes on the back end and then you have to edit code again. Easier just to not do that since windows phone users have to either just deal with it or switch. I don't think the small user base is enough to sway opinion. I hoped that universal apps would fix it, but I doubt it, since computers are used for different purposes....you really aren't going to break out your surface to get a 20% discount on hummus. Most of the universal apps I know go the other way...phone then computer.

 

[BryceMD]

My wife switched from a 1020 which she was embarrassed to take pictures on because it was slow and blurry from day 1 to an iPhone.

I find that humorous as my friends ask me to take pictures with my 1020 over their smartphones because it's such better quality.

Though, I do agree(mostly) with your overall point. It is rather hard to recommend windows phone to someone who isn't already heavily invested in the microsoft ecosystem. There's not much to draw them in, and even less to make them stay.

Personally, I don't use many apps so I don't notice the 'app gap'. Couldn't care less if snapchat ever makes it to Win10. But, I am heavily invested in Microsoft. OneDrive, Office365, Groove Music, apps I bought from store, multiple Win10 PCs/tablets, etc. So, for me, Win10 Mobile is a bit of a no brainer and I do love it. Though, as a long time windows mobile user I am getting a little tired of the 'official' mantra: "It's going to get better". While I still believe it, it's been a long road and trying to convincing others is just a waste of both our time.

 

[cracgor]

I find that humorous as my friends ask me to take pictures with my 1020 over their smartphones because it's such better quality.

.

My Lumia 1520 took better pictures than her 1020. We got them at the same time. The problem was from the time you click until the picture takes, there was a lag that people wold move during...and produce blur. If you held the phone correctly with good stability it was great, but it is hard to hand someone your phone and explain all of that. She would have to ask people to take pictures a couple of times and she never told e this, but I could tell she didn't like asking people to take them anymore. The difference with an iPhone, Nexus, Galaxy, or 1520 even is the processor doesn't have that split second of lag.

I don't use many apps, but I think it is because I've been on windows phone for 5 or 6 years. My only outside experience is when the differences were more slight. The OS is phenomenal, but in order to dictate at work they give me an iPod...an iPod has more function than a Lumia 950. That is where the app gap gets me.

 

[MikeSo]

My Lumia 1520 took better pictures than her 1020. We got them at the same time. The problem was from the time you click until the picture takes, there was a lag that people wold move during...and produce blur. If you held the phone correctly with good stability it was great, but it is hard to hand someone your phone and explain all of that. She would have to ask people to take pictures a couple of times and she never told e this, but I could tell she didn't like asking people to take them anymore. The difference with an iPhone, Nexus, Galaxy, or 1520 even is the processor doesn't have that split second of lag.

I had the same problem with my Lumia Icon before the Denim update. Pictures were fantastic, but the delay made it a chore to use for anyone that didn't know. Since then though it's been great.

 

[MikeSo]

My Lumia 1520 took better pictures than her 1020. We got them at the same time. The problem was from the time you click until the picture takes, there was a lag that people wold move during...and produce blur. If you held the phone correctly with good stability it was great, but it is hard to hand someone your phone and explain all of that. She would have to ask people to take pictures a couple of times and she never told e this, but I could tell she didn't like asking people to take them anymore. The difference with an iPhone, Nexus, Galaxy, or 1520 even is the processor doesn't have that split second of lag.

I had the same problem with my Lumia Icon before the Denim update. Pictures were fantastic, but the delay made it a chore to use for anyone that didn't know. Since then though it's been great.

 

[cracgor]

Hers did it after denim updated even...but it had a slow processor.

 

[Krystianpants]

Lowe's is a hardware store and stuff is not organized intuitively. The app is amazing. My wife clips coupons at our grocery store to her phone for Kroger. I am annoyed also at the lack of an NFC payment system on windows phone only. The problem from a developer stand point is they first have to make it. Even if it is very easy to port, it is more difficult to port than not port. Second, they have to maintain the apps. That is probably the biggest reason apps disappear (banking apps or airline apps for example). Something changes on the back end and then you have to edit code again. Easier just to not do that since windows phone users have to either just deal with it or switch. I don't think the small user base is enough to sway opinion. I hoped that universal apps would fix it, but I doubt it, since computers are used for different purposes....you really aren't going to break out your surface to get a 20% discount on hummus. Most of the universal apps I know go the other way...phone then computer.

Ahh ok. Well that's cool. Yes, but keep in mind that we don't have a payment system in Canada for ios or android. In fact, Apple Pay works if you use American Express, but i doubt many people here have american express.

MS is releasing OnePay which should support visa, masterard and all the major credit cards.

 

[cckgz4]

I wield two, sometimes three devices. That's how I got rid of the app gap. Of course I don't carry them at the same time, but I rotate

 

[David Bladen]

I couldn't decide between the 6s plus, 6p and the 950xl, but think I will probably stick with windows as it is consistently getting better and better over time. I have an iPad for the odd app I need occasionally and to be honest my banks mobile site is miles better and faster than their ios or android app so I'm not really missing out there. I've been using windows phones since the Lumia 800 so if it's not in the store now I probably don't need it anyway. Besides I have folders and folders of apps on my iPad that I thought would be useful but I've only used once. Look at how windows tablets and 2in1s are smashing the iPad in sales, that's going to bring more apps in. It's down to personal choice in the end I guess. My wife moved from windows phone to a note 3 and there are some pretty decent metro style launchers in the play store if you find you are missing windows phone like she did. Good luck with your s6 it's beast of a phone.

 

[Jack Neill]

The Chase app got me, I've been sim swapping a Nexus 5 and a 640 for the last 2 months, its getting to be a chore.

 

[anon(5383410)]

I could care less about any social media app but it's downright puzzling why no major banks have maintained support for the platform. It can't possibly be a security issue as Windows is likely the most secure of the three.

 

[cracgor]

I couldn't decide between the 6s plus, 6p and the 950xl, but think I will probably stick with windows as it is consistently getting better and better over time. I have an iPad for the odd app I need occasionally and to be honest my banks mobile site is miles better and faster than their ios or android app so I'm not really missing out there. I've been using windows phones since the Lumia 800 so if it's not in the store now I probably don't need it anyway. Besides I have folders and folders of apps on my iPad that I thought would be useful but I've only used once. Look at how windows tablets and 2in1s are smashing the iPad in sales, that's going to bring more apps in. It's down to personal choice in the end I guess. My wife moved from windows phone to a note 3 and there are some pretty decent metro style launchers in the play store if you find you are missing windows phone like she did. Good luck with your s6 it's beast of a phone.

When I think about the universal apps that I use, they have all been developed for the phone first. It seems very few jump from the surface to mobile. I think this trend will likely continue. Apps aren't always what they are cracked up to be, but it is kind of annoying when EVERYONE else has access to something you don't, like the OP's story. Or when you try to get on a social app like Yik Yak. Before you ask "what's that," we just don't recognize that they are missing because we don't know anything about it. I at least just read Windows Central for most of my tech news, so have for a long time been kind of in the dark on how behind Windows is in app development. Sure the OS is the most beautiful and inspiring. But with each update a little gets shaved off as new functions are added with a lot of bugs to sift through. I would rather see slow forward progress instead of 80 improvements and 60 mistakes each time they overhaul the system (which is pretty much every 2 years).

 

[QueenKonga00]

I changed from 630 to a core prime Samsung, must admit i am loving the apps i missed about 3 i loved. There is one app i did ask the company here is there response below.., just seems nobody cares about WP's ..such a shame as i do love their OS . What good is a smart phone without Apps?, ok if you just text and call i guess...I mean even Facebook is taking its sweet time!. I think check back in a year maybe the App Gap wont be an issue.
Hi
Thanks for your interest! We don't currently have plans for a Windows Phone App, but it is something that we may do in the future.

 

[cracgor]

I could care less about any social media app but it's downright puzzling why no major banks have maintained support for the platform. It can't possibly be a security issue as Windows is likely the most secure of the three.

They don't even develop them for the surface/PC market since most people in those markets, so I doubt universal apps are going to lead to more development. All universal apps do is make it easier for small 4th party developers to port from windows phone to PC. It almost never goes the other way.

 

[chmun77]

My point is those apps never existed before so the apps in store haven't gotten worse. But yes there's a lot of niche apps out there. I never had issues finding stuff at grocery stores and I don't see people at grocery store looking at their phone to find stuff, but they release these apps anyways just in case. And of course they are so niche that they know it's unlikely a windows user will walk in and need it. So why bother? That's why the dev tools are important and I hope ms can get people on board.

As more and more apps are introduced to Android and iOS, and Windows phone are still having the same old unpolished apps, yes that's getting worse.

 

[Andrew Pengelly]

Time to ask the app authors when they are going to release a windows version. With products like Xamarin it shouldn't be too hard.

 

[njnbat]

Windows mobile market share is 3% . I think the chances are only it might come down to 0.3 %. Hence the app gap issue is going to get worst. Most importantly existing apps too are getting buggy and no great updates seen in such apps compared to the ones in rival os. Even if we mail or raise a support issue with the developers on the app issues there is minimal or no response. It gives a feeling of discrimination and it doesn't feel good. But after 3 years of windows phone usage now i realize that there is no point blaming these developers or companies as why in the world would they put efforts on the maintenance of an app in a OS that's facing extinction. I seriously doubt if this is turning out to be the next Blackberry story. Yesterday they have launched 950XL in India for 50k. I have no idea with such app gap issue , nowhere near android/ios ecosystem,such minimal market share, and this ridiculous pricing how in the universe are MS planning to sell these mobile to people with some common sense.

 

[cracgor]

Windows mobile market share is 3% . I think the chances are only it might come down to 0.3 %. Hence the app gap issue is going to get worst. Most importantly existing apps too are getting buggy and no great updates seen in such apps compared to the ones in rival os. Even if we mail or raise a support issue with the developers on the app issues there is minimal or no response. It gives a feeling of discrimination and it doesn't feel good. But after 3 years of windows phone usage now i realize that there is no point blaming these developers or companies as why in the world would they put efforts on the maintenance of an app in a OS that's facing extinction. I seriously doubt if this is turning out to be the next Blackberry story.

Yeah I was just thinking about this numbers issue. 100% of WM users = 4% of Android Users = 20% of iPhone Users. That is why anything that might only get used by say 10% of WM users gets the respect it would if 2% of iPhone or 0.4% of Android users bought into it.

 

[realwarder]

Yeah I was just thinking about this numbers issue. 100% of WM users = 4% of Android Users = 20% of iPhone Users. That is why anything that might only get used by say 10% of WM users gets the respect it would if 2% of iPhone or 0.4% of Android users bought into it.

What a novel way of looking at it. In some markets, WM users must be 50-100% of iPhone users. When you quote it like that to an app producer it becomes a more interesting proposition.

 

[tgp]

In some markets, WM users must be 50-100% of iPhone users. When you quote it like that to an app producer it becomes a more interesting proposition.

iPhone users spend money freely. Windows Phone and Android users do not. There are probably no markets where the Windows Phone market is more lucrative than the iPhone market, or even close. Android is profitable through its sheer size, but yet not to the level of iOS which has maybe 1/4 of the number of users, if that.