The Windows Phone App Gap Thread

[psurob55]

I think the worst part is, even if the panos phone is great when it comes next year, will the app issue be fixed by then? Somehow, I doubt it. I didn't realize how much the app gap bothered me for real until I switched to a Note 5 the other day. Even the apps I had on Windows phones are FAR superior on android. The app gap is a bigger problem than the hardware IMO, even more so now after actually having access to useful apps.

The microsoft apps are even better on android. Is MS trying to kill their own ecosystem?

 

[psurob55]

by they way, anyone thinking of switching, I highly recommend the note 5, and LG V10.

 

[winboy]

No thanks! I moved from a Note 2 more than a year ago to a L1520 and never going back. I love my new 950 xl.

 

[psurob55]

No thanks! I moved from a Note 2 more than a year ago to a L1520 and never going back. I love my new 950 xl.

I'd have bought a 950 XL and dealt with the app gap if they released it on Verizon. Unfortunately, Microsoft doesn't care about their fans.

 

[MikeSo]

I think the worst part is, even if the panos phone is great when it comes next year, will the app issue be fixed by then? Somehow, I doubt it. I didn't realize how much the app gap bothered me for real until I switched to a Note 5 the other day. Even the apps I had on Windows phones are FAR superior on android. The app gap is a bigger problem than the hardware IMO, even more so now after actually having access to useful apps.

The microsoft apps are even better on android. Is MS trying to kill their own ecosystem?

Except the Groove app. That one is better in W10M.

Posted via the Windows Central App for Android

 

[TennisGuy45]

I'd have bought a 950 XL and dealt with the app gap if they released it on Verizon. Unfortunately, Microsoft doesn't care about their fans.

No Verizon does not care about their customers.

Seriously they are about a POS wireless carrier and regardless of Windows support or not I left them a long time ago.

 

[garak0410]

Re: Cortana Hands Free Bluetooth Alternative on Android?

For all those who have switched from Windows Phone to Android, is there anyone that can speak to an App that will duplicate how Cortana works hands-free and will automatically come in over my car speakers via Bluetooth to announce I have a text and who it's from, and if I want to read or ignore it? Including the functionality to reply and dictate back everything I said for approval before sending?

The hands-free Bluetooth integration of Cortana is second to none-from what I've experienced & heard (so far) and seeing as I use my phone as a phone first and foremost, this is functionality I don't really see myself giving up over a few apps.

I've searched hi & low but haven't found an Android solution that comes close yet. I've heard the Moto Assist / Moto Voice apps built into Moto phones can come close... is that true? But I've also heard they are getting rid of those apps with Android Marshmallow.

If I could get this functionality on Android, I can see possibly switching over to gain access to the other apps I'd like to have in access to in Android. I'm currently using a Samsung ATIV SE as my daily driver (which I can update to WM10 via Insider thanks to some forum members hard work) and a Note 4 as a backup phablet device when I need to access the few apps not on WM yet.

I'd prefer only having one device, but really hate to give up that hands-free Bluetooth phone functionality. Any and all info is truly appreciated!

Cortana's Bluetooth car interaction is exclusive to Windpows Phone. That said, when I had an Icon on Windows Mobile 10, it was very inconsistent. Worked much better on 8.1

 

[psurob55]

No Verizon does not care about their customers.

Seriously they are about a POS wireless carrier and regardless of Windows support or not I left them a long time ago.

I wont argue with you, but I had to switch due to coverage at work. Paying less than AT&T for better coverage, so I can't complain.

 

[PuckCowboy]

Re: Cortana Hands Free Bluetooth Alternative on Android?

Cortana's Bluetooth car interaction is exclusive to Windpows Phone. That said, when I had an Icon on Windows Mobile 10, it was very inconsistent. Worked much better on 8.1

Thank you for the follow-up Garak. If my test run upgrade proves to be inconsistent on my ATIV SE, I may make the leap to Android just because I don't want to stay on a phone/OS version that isn't receiving any further official support (from Verizon). Since I need to stay with them (best service in my area & i'm not paying for it), I may try out the Droid Turbo 2 and see if the Moto Assit/Voice experience provides me with what I'm looking for.

Thanks again for everyone's help!

Another quick question, is Sync.ME the best app to get all of the contacts in my Exchange account on Android updated with the Facebook profile photos? This seems to be another area where Windows Phone excels, with it's integration of Facebook photos & info into the People contacts hub. Although, I've heard this isn't as good with WM10 either

 

[garak0410]

Except the Groove app. That one is better in W10M.

Posted via the Windows Central App for Android

Yes...Groove is so "meh" on Android that I am pretty much moving over to Play Music as my primary but using Amazon Music (for Echo) as my secondary.

 

[garak0410]

by they way, anyone thinking of switching, I highly recommend the note 5, and LG V10.

The Note 5 is highly recommended. Especially for Verizon users with no real high end option for Windows Phone .I'm using it with the Google launcher. Sure, I miss the elegance of the live tiles but I can't sit and pretend to really enjoying the "wait and see" with Windows Phone.

 

[garak0410]

Re: Cortana Hands Free Bluetooth Alternative on Android?

Thank you for the follow-up Garak. If my test run upgrade proves to be inconsistent on my ATIV SE, I may make the leap to Android just because I don't want to stay on a phone/OS version that isn't receiving any further official support (from Verizon). Since I need to stay with them (best service in my area & i'm not paying for it), I may try out the Droid Turbo 2 and see if the Moto Assit/Voice experience provides me with what I'm looking for.

Thanks again for everyone's help!

Another quick question, is Sync.ME the best app to get all of the contacts in my Exchange account on Android updated with the Facebook profile photos? This seems to be another area where Windows Phone excels, with it's integration of Facebook photos & info into the People contacts hub. Although, I've heard this isn't as good with WM10 either

Yeah...I was already without Cortana in my car, more or less, when I went to Windows 10 insider on my Lumia ICON, so I was already missing it. So, now having gone Android, I didn't really miss it that much. I do hope Google Now gets a Bluetooth voice to text/text to voice option one day. I still believe the Note 5 the best option for Verizon. I've been tempted to go Nexus but I don't have a problem using Google Launcher over TouchWiz.

 

[TennisGuy45]

Re: Cortana Hands Free Bluetooth Alternative on Android?

Yeah...I was already without Cortana in my car, more or less, when I went to Windows 10 insider on my Lumia ICON, so I was already missing it. So, now having gone Android, I didn't really miss it that much. I do hope Google Now gets a Bluetooth voice to text/text to voice option one day. I still believe the Note 5 the best option for Verizon. I've been tempted to go Nexus but I don't have a problem using Google Launcher over TouchWiz.

Full Cortana via Bluetooth in the car is back in Windows 10. She started working fully for me this Monday.

This is probably the single most important feature for me on my phone. I love love love a completely hands free experience with full voice support in any car that has Bluetooth.

 

[MikeSo]

Re: Cortana Hands Free Bluetooth Alternative on Android?

Full Cortana via Bluetooth in the car is back in Windows 10. She started working fully for me this Monday.

This is probably the single most important feature for me on my phone. I love love love a completely hands free experience with full voice support in any car that has Bluetooth.

Moto Voice on my Moto X Pure works good, but Cortana is definitely a nicer experience. The Moto X voice sounds like it's from a robot from a cartoon for kids and the interaction is more like a bunch of commands than natural speech. I don't know what the other Android manufacturers have though.

 

[MikeSo]

Yes...Groove is so "meh" on Android that I am pretty much moving over to Play Music as my primary but using Amazon Music (for Echo) as my secondary.

Yeah, I have to say I'm surprised how dull and cumbersome the Android version of Groove is, when the other apps from MS are so nice. Right now, the latest version of Groove on W10M is more useful. Though I'm on a 2 year sub, so I'm sticking with it. And it does show album art instead of a bad artist photo when playing back music, so there's that.

 

[cracgor]

I think the worst part is, even if the panos phone is great when it comes next year, will the app issue be fixed by then? Somehow, I doubt it. I didn't realize how much the app gap bothered me for real until I switched to a Note 5 the other day. Even the apps I had on Windows phones are FAR superior on android. The app gap is a bigger problem than the hardware IMO, even more so now after actually having access to useful apps.

The microsoft apps are even better on android. Is MS trying to kill their own ecosystem?

For example, why is windows central app better on android?

Posted via the Windows Central App for Android

 

[cracgor]

Except the Groove app. That one is better in W10M.

Posted via the Windows Central App for Android

But Google's music service is almost as good as zune, so there's that.

Posted via the Windows Central App for Android

 

[cracgor]

Re: Cortana Hands Free Bluetooth Alternative on Android?

Thank you for the follow-up Garak. If my test run upgrade proves to be inconsistent on my ATIV SE, I may make the leap to Android just because I don't want to stay on a phone/OS version that isn't receiving any further official support (from Verizon). Since I need to stay with them (best service in my area & i'm not paying for it), I may try out the Droid Turbo 2 and see if the Moto Assit/Voice experience provides me with what I'm looking for.

Thanks again for everyone's help!

Another quick question, is Sync.ME the best app to get all of the contacts in my Exchange account on Android updated with the Facebook profile photos? This seems to be another area where Windows Phone excels, with it's integration of Facebook photos & info into the People contacts hub. Although, I've heard this isn't as good with WM10 either

I entered my outlook into and it just pulled my contact photos without work.

Posted via the Windows Central App for Android

 

[PuckCowboy]

Re: Cortana Hands Free Bluetooth Alternative on Android?

I entered my outlook into and it just pulled my contact photos without work.

Posted via the Windows Central App for Android

What did you enter your Outlook into? The Outlook App? I tried that, but then the contacts are not accessible to anything else in the phone. I added my account via the Exchange option under Accounts and that integrated the contacts & calendar with the email, however no photos came over. Most of the photos on the contact profiles on my Windows Phone are there through the linked Facebook account. I also tried that Nine app, but that didn't seem to work either.

What am I missing?

 

[jhoff80]

I've actually been trying out a Note 5 for a couple days. I still prefer Windows 10 as an OS, but some of the things that you can do on the Note feel like magic.

First of all, OneNote with pen support is something I miss greatly on W10M. Secondly, Samsung makes a store checkout super convenient. I can use the Samsung proprietary beaming service (along with Beep n Go) to scan my grocery store rewards card even on a laser scanner... something that other phones generally don't work with. Then I can use Samsung Pay with its proprietary magnetic transmission to make a payment using the phone without the store needing to support NFC. I can't remember the last time something felt that special on a Windows Phone... probably when I first got my 1020 and saw the camera output I guess, but that was 2 1/2 years ago.

I still greatly prefer the Windows 10 Mobile UI and general experience, but nothing really wows me about it. Continuum is neat but half-baked at the moment (what was Microsoft thinking not supporting RDP, or Xbox streaming, etc.) and I have little use for it... and there's nothing else at all special about these new phones.

Like I said earlier in this thread, it's a really tough call, but the sad fact of the matter is you can do far more on Android phones. A lot of people have been doing a lot of naysaying and sticking their heads in the sand to say that there's no problem. If the problem doesn't affect you, that's one thing, but I just don't understand how so many people can claim it doesn't exist.