The Windows Phone App Gap Thread

[esackbauer]

re: Is there really an app gap on WP?

Well I tell them I play Star Wars Commander which is roughly the same.
However I can play it with synced game status accross all my devices: smartphone, surface tablet, desktop PC.

 

[Sonu K]

re: Is there really an app gap on WP?

I feel like the main reason for most people to not get WP or switchto another OS is the absence of applications and I understand it. I myself am frustrated by the absence of (what else than) Snapchat. While all my friends are snapchatting all I can do is look at my screen hoping that one day I will be able to join them. But that's not what I wanted to talk about.

Few days back there was a leak of information about project Astoria and people talking about getting their desired Android applications to work on W10M. I was excited about the news, so I decided to join the crowd and try some Android apps on my own. I did some research before and found out that Snapchat does't work (I might be wrong), so I went to all my friends with android phones and asked about apps I should try on my W10M.

After about an hour of disscussion no one could suggest a reasonable app for me to install. The reason is simple, I already had them. I already had native apps ( like Uber, Instagram, Shazam), unofficial clients (6tag, 6tin, Telescope) or good alternatives.

For sure there is plenty of apps missing (I can't see any Couchsurfing app, etc.) and there are people needing those apps, but I think we have fairly good base.

I think the reason for people thinking we don't have apps is that they heard it somewhere and/or they just don't know. For most of the users I'm sure there is more than plenty of apps.

So, is there really that huge app gap everyone is talking about?

Main reason is most of the developers don't even advertise that their app is available in WP.

From 'tapatalk' to 'CutTheRope2', for some unknown reasons no developers want to advertise that their product is available for WP! This is the truth. I've seen many examples. The attachments is an e-mailer from tapatalk where they don't even talk about their WP app!

 

[stekar]

re: Is there really an app gap on WP?

To answer the question in the headline.
YES ! ! !
My bank had an app - it is now withdrawn . . .

 

[Eric_J]

re: Is there really an app gap on WP?

Yes, I would say that there are major banks that are absent. Capital One, Wallet from Capital One, Bank of America, Citi, Chase, Wells Fargo. I pay my cards and loan with my app. I also, like the feature for B of A to take a picture of a check and up load it. Capital One has a feature that, with Wallet, you are notified of any posted transaction in real time. My wife a shopper and all the major department stores are noticeable absent. I love WP but they are missing game changing apps. Many would say the web is better but no!

 

[Rahul Nargundkar]

re: Is there really an app gap on WP?

The issues isn't that major apps are missing alone.. But the quality of apps themselves.. All the major apps WhatsApp, Twitter, Fb, instagram etc are not on par with what they are on other platforms.. Hell Microsoft's own apps are better on other platforms..

 

[paulxxwall]

re: Is there really an app gap on WP?

The issues isn't that major apps are missing alone.. But the quality of apps themselves.. All the major apps WhatsApp, Twitter, Fb, instagram etc are not on par with what they are on other platforms.. Hell Microsoft's own apps are better on other platforms..

No,it's also that apps are missing. Its still the issue and wont be fixed till consumers technically wont have an excuse and that'll happen when there is exactly the same amount,same quality apps as in IOS and android!

 

[akshaypn]

re: Is there really an app gap on WP?

No,it's also that apps are missing. Its still the issue and wont be fixed till consumers technically wont have an excuse and that'll happen when there is exactly the same amount,same quality apps as in IOS and android!

And all at the same time.. No waiting or coming soon?...

 

[Bkresto]

re: Is there really an app gap on WP?

I love windows phone, the OS itself is to me the most intuitive and user friendly of all the smart phones, but in terms of App gap there definitely still is for me.
In Australia a lot of the major banks are still missing, but being able to tile a website kind of fixes that for me, the ones i wish i had are snapchat as always, hearthstone, ITTT and its button apps etc, even apps like parrot drone arent up to scratch with android and ios versions, or any home automation apps like the belkin wemo.

Hopefully with this porting of Apps the smaller apps that arent on Windows can get a chance.

 

[ene_hache]

re: Is there really an app gap on WP?

All my banks missing, Garmin missing, goverment apps missing.The gap exist and at the end of the day matters.

I'm still here with my L920, but from time to time I really miss my iPhones.

 

[Blacklizted]

re: Is there really an app gap on WP?

I use OI share to connect my Olympus E-PL7.

 

[adeski]

re: Is there really an app gap on WP?

The same reason I feel that WP is a let down is due to the lack of proper BBC apps with the same basic functionality as IOS and Android. The current suite of apps are just web wrappers and even those don't work properly. No one at the BBC is going to fix them. They don't care - not enough users to justify cost they say.
Annoyingly roll back 10 years ago and I was using Windows Mobile 6.5 apps (of course they weren't know as apps then) which could provide this type of functionality (via other devs).
I got my girlfriend a Nokia 735. She also has an ITouch and moans about apps on the phone not being as good e.g. Waitrose. No HSBC app.
Alas, whilst a lot are a bit faddy, some of the key apps are critical to the success (or demise) of the platform.
I just hope that Windows 10 phone gets the ability to load those Android apps. easily and legitamately SOON

 

[Juan Manuel Morales1]

re: Is there really an app gap on WP?

What you said it is true, we have options for Instagram and it is 6tag but, there is a But, we have to pay for something others have for free. Recently 6tag add support
for video uploading and that was a great news, Yesterday I realized that if I want to keep using this feature a lot I have to pay so I did it, ask any other user of Instagram and they never were asked to pay for that. That the main reason people reject the OS. I think WP is faster than android on the same hardware and I am using WP since 2011 on my old Lumia 900 and now on a Lumia 720, always works great with 512 mb of ram. Non Android device can works with that amount of memory as well as WP.

 

[Parikshit Hooda]

re: Is there really an app gap on WP?

windows store may have fewer no of apps but it does have almost all necessary apps.
although play store have more no of apps but not all androids can install them because oems don't update the androids ,,
but all windows phones get the latest updates and unless it have unsupported hardware any phone can install any app from store,,
a friend of mine cant install uber on his android but I can, even on my 520

 

[Brian Emmerling]

re: Is there really an app gap on WP?

Yes there is an app gap. I love my window's phone, but it doesn't play well with anyone who doesn't have a windows phone. (snapchat, GIF in text, Youtube, banking, etc). Also, if anyone has rocked an iPhone 6, the apple pay and wallet is legit. I hope that MS doesn't give up on the phone, they have a great platform even if it is slow to get noticed.

 

[Paolo Ferrazza]

re: Is there really an app gap on WP?

Here in Italy there is almost no app gap anymore (as in missing apps), but there is still an app gap in features and when things come out meaning the quality of apps is frequently not on par with android and iphone and the apps usually take some weeks/months of delay.

Let's say things are looking good but they need to get better by the end of the year in my opinion.

P.s. in Italy we do not use snapchat (dunno about 15yrs old kids I'm 28 and I know ppl from 20 and up).

 

[windows10page]

re: Is there really an app gap on WP?

I agree with you. There is a noticeable app gap (I believe a little under 500k on Windows to about 1.5m on iOS), but most of the popular apps are there. Sure, you're missing Snapchat and a couple others. The million app difference is mainly due to many obscure app and indie game developers, many of which have probably never heard of Windows, let alone considered building an app for it. And to be fair, many small/indie developers have joined the Windows Phone crowd, such as Rudy Huyn (maker of 6tag, etc), Perfect Thumb, and Game Troopers, and all of them have become very successful. In many senses I think that the "app gap" is more incentive for devs to make WP apps. Less apps means a less crowded marketplace, meaning many a niche are left unfilled, a perfect opportunity for devs, allowing them to become instantly successful on WP, meaning that when more and more people begin using Windows Mobile, their app will be used more as well.

 

[Chomiq]

re: Is there really an app gap on WP?

Developers ever heard of windows? Come on. It's about market share. Why bother with wasting resources on developing apps for 2.7% of marketshare (Q1 2015)? Sure, some developers see app gap as potential for growth and provide alternatives for apps that are either poorly designed for WP or completely forgotten by their original developers. But most just don't give a damn about it.

 

[Koen6500]

re: Is there really an app gap on WP?

I'm afraid there really IS a gap app...

Sure, we see a lot of apps in the store, and 90% of the apps we need/want are there for us, but dig deeper, and we see a lot of things missing.
Unfortunately, we see all major company's developing native apps for android and iOS, but almost never for WP... Think about ipcams, wifi thermostats, NAS-systems, smart tv's, professional devices in HVAC, machinery, ...
We also see major banks in Belgium to be very slow to launch WP apps if they have any...

I must add, Microsoft itself is lacking in this matter, they launched it in 4/2014, and they still have no Cortana support in many countries in Europe. Sure, we can change our settings to English, but that's just a work-around...
If even Microsoft is not putting all there effort in their apps, why would developers do?
I'm getting my hopes up with project Astoria and the bridge for iOS apps and hope for more apps as mentioned above.

 

[jtzako]

re: Is there really an app gap on WP?

Most apps I want have a version on WP, but there are some notable ones that do not. Chase bank (used to have an app, now doesnt) and BMW (control functions of my car) are two that I want but cant get on WP. I suspect that with WP10 itself, and the easier ability to port apps (including web based apps) to WP some of that gap will close up.

My main gripe with WP in general is pretty much everything you plug them into other than a PC is not compatible. i.e. plug in or bluetooth to the car stereo for music and/or phone purposes.

 

[trivor]

re: Is there really an app gap on WP?

Eliminating the app gap tomorrow would not convince a notable number of people to switch. Why would people switch to WP for apps they already have on iOS or Android? They wouldn't. The app gap is a problem, as it is driving people away from WP. Closing that gap won't draw people towards WP however.

The lack of at least one signature and stand out feature, something that draws people towards WP, is the single biggest issue WP has. It has been for years. Without that, it simply doesn't matter whether the app gap is closed or not.

People who are already on WP and who want more apps will be excited by the iOS and Android bridges. Nobody else cares.

Actually, a really big issue is if you want to use MS services and Google Services and/or iOS Apple services. MS apps on iOS and Android are as good or sometimes better than those same services on WP10. The same can't be said for iOS or Google services on WP. I have my feet planted solidly in the middle of Google and MS and I get the best of both worlds. While I know people "blame" Google for not supporting WP it is not something that is going to change unless Google has a major change of heart. As far as I am concerned the App Gap is as large or larger than ever with Credit Unions, Banks, Brokerage houses and most sports teams missing on Windows Phone.