The Windows Phone App Gap Thread

[notinbeta]

Same here. I really do enjoy using Windows Phone, for the most basic tasks like SMS, calling, browsing, e-mail (with exceptions) it does really well. But when it comes to basic social apps, utility apps, productivity apps (except for Office of course), EVERYTHING is either lacking in features or just isn't available. People say the app gap is closing, yes I do believe that's true, but it's closing with the goal to -catch up- with iOS and Android, and that's what is really frustrating about this whole thing.

BTW, I gave up as well, I switched to iPhone again a few weeks ago, and although I don't completely enjoy the OS, the virtually infinite amount of well made apps that are full of features and most importantly offer a -complete- experience, are what makes switching to iOS and Android worth the hassle and more than justify (IMO) the switch.

 

[Mad Cabbie]

Same old threads.... If WM isn't for you then the decision is yours, and yours alone. It seems that every other post is about app gaps. Yes, the store doesn't carry the inventory of 'others', but the majority of us cope with it. Most of us knew what the score was. If you want to join the other Fashionistas' and end up being handcuffed by iOS, that's your choice. If you want to go droid, best of luck to you, but having spoken to a couple of devs I used to cook with, security is becoming an issue, and Google want to know everything about you almost to the point of you can't crap without them knowing about it!

I'll stick to the relatively 'safe / mundane / enjoyable OS' that I have come to enjoy after being on droid for many years.

 

[Slovenix]

Aren't there better phones though with Android?

Actually I'm one of that part of the people who prefer plastic phones with removable back, big battery, SD card, on screen buttons, and most certainly awesome Camera, as I guess the only thing that sucks at 950s camera is software.

These two 950s are actually the most appealing phones on the market for me. I do enjoy Samsung's Amoled screens or HTC's Sense, LG's design.. Yet 950 just fills all my needs on the hardware part.

 

[KimRM]

But what came next was really irritating and symptomatic of the app gap. One guy starts a karaoke app on his Android phone, that automatically syncs the lyrics to what is playing on the jukebox. That was really cool and fun, and we had a blast.
THAT is what the app gap is.

Shazam does that.

 

[Slovenix]

Shazam does that.

Yes, yes it does.

 

[SafeSchoolsCzar]

It's not in the store but it was in my library as compatible and works just fine.

 

[Habib Dagher]

As far as I am concerned, I feel since switching to Lumia 1520 two years ago, I have had far less headache than when I was on Android... Soooo many apps I've installed that I never ever used.

With Windows Mobile, I do miss some apps... Usually those about practicality... And that is where I wish Microsoft SERIOUSLY steps up its game.

You don't have to woo developers. You can't woo them all. You don't have to seduce them. You don't have to push and pull and compete with other platforms.

It's wayyyy simpler than that. Simply, set up a unit within Microsoft Mobile, let's call it the App Hub. 2, 3 or 5 employees, whatever it is. Monitor the major markets where the competing platforms are dominant. Start with the globally-dominant apps that trespass localization needs such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, the major news channels, etc...

#1: Get a tech counselor or lawyer to negotiate a deal with the publisher or developer. Either pay the developer to create a Windows Mobile version with a commitment for all future updates and releases IN PARALLEL to the iOS/Android updates OR have the Microsoft in-house team develop the Windows 10 Mobile version with the supervision/guidance/agreement of the rights holders.

#2: Pick up the top 100 apps from each competing platform category. Pick up the Top 100 games, Top 100 chat apps, Top 100 mapping apps, Top 100 health-related apps, Top 100 fitness apps, Top 100 advertising industry apps, Top 100 educational apps, Top 100 traffic tickets apps, Top 100 e-books libraries apps, Top 100 music apps, Top 100 photo editing apps, Top 100 video editing apps, Top 100 Instagram editing apps, Top 100 coffee recipes apps, Top 100 cooking apps, Top 100 restaurant locator apps, Top 100 sites apps, Top 100 WHATEVER apps.

I am sure it won't cost more than $500 million IN TOTAL and i am sure Microsoft is throwing way more than that on marketing budgets of current products AND losing the same if not a bigger amount of money on creating great phones that sell poorly because of the app gap issue/stigma.

They should be smart enough to know by now, they cannot coax or seduce people into buying their mobiles and handsets by simply showcasing how great they are. I know they are great, those who use them know they are great, those who are tech savvy know they are great, but no store is going to risk selling a Win OS to someone expecting SnapChat, Tango, and their bank's app to be compatible,
they will return second day to either exchange it or report the sales people if they can't return the device for being sold a "useless" gadget.

The competition between iOS and Android has surpassed the concept of apps and app stores and they have saturated their own markets therefore they have shifted to other routes. Android expansion is based on covering an unlimited number of OEM's from low-end to high-end devices while iOS already has a cult-like following that will buy anything with the Apple logo on it, even if it's an empty box.

Let's be honest, Microsoft is way behind. A great platform doesn't make a great seller which doesn't secure its chances of survival.

No one ever thought Nokia would crash (in disregard to Elop's role) while they were creating far more advanced devices when the first iPhone came out.

Let's be blunt this time, Microsoft, you are way behind in market share. You can't even compete with the other two the same way they compete among each other. It's like 2 black-belt karate masters with a yellow-belt karate pupil. You need to get the apps on your platform, Continuum and all that, we all love, but that doesn't mean I can use a proper Tango app. That doesn't mean I can have that Instagram app where i can create split videos. That doesn't mean I can handle my online banking through my bank's app. That doesn't mean I can check my speeding tickets. That doesn't mean I can do this and that while my friends have far poorer phones in terms of specs and their experience is way smoother.

Until Project Astoria becomes a reality that is completely compatible with Win 10 Mobile, I cannot see any other solution than what I've suggested.

Universal apps is an amazing concept, and I am on Win 10 and Win 10 Mobile, then again, Universal apps are USELESS if the ones that i need are not there to begin with.....

 

[Norman Marshall]

Shazam syncs automatically too.

 

[cracgor]

What universal apps come from the PC? My experience is most are ports of existing phone apps. Universal apps so far are failing.

The other thing to ponder is apps bring functionality. Continuum os like a built in app that maybe 10% of users would use on a regular basis. You can't sell a phone on gimmicks when even the majority of that 10% will miss some other app they use more.

Finally, the "needed apps" change to fluidly for this method of forced app development. It also requires cooperation, and multiple times we have seen these developers refuse to play in the past.

The real question is what if anything will be different? The only difference I hear is less marketing and lower market share. Good luck with that plan. It sounds like MS is letting the platform die or beta testing for something else.

 

[KimRM]

What universal apps come from the PC? My experience is most are ports of existing phone apps. Universal apps so far are failing.

You can't seriously expect the concept of universal apps to be a success when the 950 is the only device that runs W10M officially, and it's been out in the world for a couple of weeks only. It's way to early to call it a fail or a success.

 

[Mad Cabbie]

What universal apps come from the PC? My experience is most are ports of existing phone apps. Universal apps so far are failing.

The other thing to ponder is apps bring functionality. Continuum os like a built in app that maybe 10% of users would use on a regular basis. You can't sell a phone on gimmicks when even the majority of that 10% will miss some other app they use.

Made me laugh!! Can't sell a phone on gimmicks?? The whole ethos of Samsung et al is Gimmicks!! Oh look, lollipop reinvented as marshmallow, so how do we sell more new devices when the OS is basically the same...Oooo me Sir...yes Johnny....lets convince people they need curvy screens, one phone with one curve so that their mates can rush out and get one with two curves, that way they won't realise the serious amount of bloat we install, how much info we gather and that the OS is once again the previous one with bug fixes that create their own bugs....

 

[MarkAllett]

They only need to compile it over with a touch of a button. Yet, they still refuse. I question the motives of these developers. Are they getting paid not to? I don't know. It's a mystery.

It's not a mystery. The problem with your statement is that your first sentence is a long way from being correct.

 

[cracgor]

Lets instead take a beautiful, stable os that does all of the basic functions well, strip it of those basic functions make it crash, and keep the general look of things which the majority of users are resistant to. Yeah that plan is going well.

The other phone oses have thousands of gimmicks that appeal to different subsets. You can pick your gimmick. You just need more than hello and continuum to give the diversity of experience that will cause a market shift. Gimmicks like continuum just help distinguish one Lumia from another. They don't cause market shift anymore than a curved screen makes an iPhone user jump to Samsung.

 

[Steve Thackery]

Some people are getting mixed up about "universal apps". They are NOT apps that run on Windows, iOS and Android, as some seem to think. They are Windows apps that run on all form-factors of Windows: desktop, tablet, phone.

As for porting apps from other platforms, Microsoft have already done a lot. With W10M they've deliberately abandoned the innovative UI of WP8.1, and essentially gone for an Android look-alike with live tiles (to my anger and deep sorrow). This was essential to allow easy porting of Android and iOS apps to Windows. They've also developed and released - free - two software development products specifically aimed at helping Android and iOS developers port their apps to Windows with the minimum of hassle.

It's hard to see what else they can do, technically. Personally I think this strategy will fail - they'll have thrown away the one outstanding asset of Windows on a phone - the fabulous UI design language - and STILL won't get a significant number of apps ported across. In other words, I predict a lose-lose, but I so hope I'm wrong.

 

[mvierling]

The app gap got me as well. I just grudgingly switched to Android over the weekend after many years on Windows Mobile and Windows Phone. I got tired of my "smartphone" not being a smartphone. A real life example of how bad it was, was when I already upgraded last Saturday, I was at Costco when my brother asked "don't you have an app for Costco?" I replied that it wasn't available for my phone until I remembered that I now had Android. Same thing with Redbox, banking apps, and countless other apps that I now have access to. The thing is I really dislike Android OS, but I dislike not having the apps more.

 

[MarkAllett]

They've also developed and released - free - two software development products specifically aimed at helping Android and iOS developers port their apps to Windows with the minimum of hassle.

They've shelved the Android one and AFAIK the iOS one is still in the early days of usability yet.

 

[asikis]

Let me write about a very bad experience i just had today....I have a Lumia 830 with latest W10M build installed.
My sister has a Lumia 635 with 8.1. She tried open an .xlsx file in her mobile but excel replied with error that file has protected work book. In her work PC she can open with out giving any password or anything similar. The she calls me and reports me the issue. I ask her to send it to my mail to try open it from my 830. Unfortunately i also got the same error...
Then I try to open from my work laptop and it opens directly, no issues. Then I try to open it from my HP stream 7, which i have office professional, and it also opens without any issues.

Then I forward the excel file to my wife's mail that she has an iPhone 5S and I have the MSFT excel installed there. I try to open sam exile and it...............OPENS directly without any issues!!!!!!

Now if this is not a terrible app gap then tell what it is!! This is totally bad way of business MSFT and office mobile team. You should just quit your jobs already today.
I am user of WP from 2012 and have also worked on NOKIA mobile phones part for a year. I like WP and their unique features, like glance screen. I was about to buy a 950 during December. But after today incident I already have very strong second thoughts for staying on WP. It is obvious that MSFT doe snot want their product to succeed, end of story.

And this is not the first time that MSFT apps work better to iOS that on WP (i don't know about Android.

 

[pLUSpISTOL]

I met up with some old friends recently. We started chatted about Snapchat because some of them are travelling and it's a go-to app for meeting up with hot Italian girls etc lol.
Then we started talking about handsets, one of them said he got a WP (Lumia 630) and that it was a mistake. This was down to the app gap.

I don't feel it too badly because I have certain apps I need everyday, Skype embedded into Messaging, even my main banking app is on WP! Others however it must be very bad for or at least they are having a sub-par experience. Like someone else said, you want your smartphone to be smart; apps aren't smart but Android & iOS have them so they are deemed "smarter" to the general public.
A problem is the social aspect. Facebook and Twitter apps are not as good as Android/iOS. A lot of official apps don't exist (Snapchat) or the alternatives are poor. Everywhere you look on adverts, TV, at least in the British Isles, companies say that they have apps on Android and iOS. It's a rarity to see/hear WP.

I really like the handsets and the choices available. I like the OS, it's speedy (discounting current W10 test software) and still intriguing. But really this needs sorting out big time.

 

[Mad Cabbie]

Screwfix and Secret Escapes show win store in ads.

Amazing if you have a wall plug that needs fixing in your hotel room!! Lol

 

[cracgor]

Some people are getting mixed up about "universal apps". They are NOT apps that run on Windows, iOS and Android, as some seem to think. They are Windows apps that run on all form-factors of Windows: desktop, tablet, phone.

As for porting apps from other platforms, Microsoft have already done a lot. With W10M they've deliberately abandoned the innovative UI of WP8.1, and essentially gone for an Android look-alike with live tiles (to my anger and deep sorrow). This was essential to allow easy porting of Android and iOS apps to Windows. They've also developed and released - free - two software development products specifically aimed at helping Android and iOS developers port their apps to Windows with the minimum of hassle.

It's hard to see what else they can do, technically. Personally I think this strategy will fail - they'll have thrown away the one outstanding asset of Windows on a phone - the fabulous UI design language - and STILL won't get a significant number of apps ported across. In other words, I predict a lose-lose, but I so hope I'm wrong.

I'm not confused about universal apps. I mean universal apps start off on windows phone and go to PC...think baconit. Rarely does someone like snap chat making a windows app and then send it to the phone. I think even the small amount of work is more than no work, which matters when there is no benefit to be had