The Windows Phone App Gap Thread

[Rooks308]

re: Is there really an app gap on WP?

I'll chime in as well. I am an iPhone user who loves mobile tech and so own a few different smartphones of various OS's. I have every iPhone since the 3GS (well, except the 4). I have two android phones, and now 2 Windows Phones (635 and now the 640). I LOVE the windows Mobile OS and to use it as a phone/email/web surfing device it is WONDERFUL. The problem is the lack of important and quality apps. The people who say there is no gap are very very likely not really aware of what life is like on the other platforms.

As mentioned above, you RARELY ever see the Windows Store mentioned anywhere when an app is advertised. The apps that actually ARE made for Windows Phone are usually laughably less robust. Yes there are 3rd party alternatives to some of these apps, and yes you can pin a website to your Live Tiles, but lets be real. The quality for the vast majority of those apps is terrible.

I am very much looking forward to Project Astoria and Islandwood because to me this could really save the day for Windows Phone.

I actually started making a spreadsheet of all of my frequently used apps on my iPhone and their equivalents on Windows Phone. On the surface I was initially impressed that most of my apps were available in some form. When I started using the apps I was frustrated by the missing features rampant throughout the apps. I don't blame the developers as I know they have to be responsible about how they allocate their resources but I really hope with universal apps and Windows 10 Mobile that things change in a huge way.

I'll certainly be using my 640 alongside my iPhone as I monitor how the platforms advances but I'm just not sure if I can leave the iOS ecosystem for WP. I could (but wouldn't want to) switch to Android, and Lolipop is a step in the right direction, but I really really want Windows Phone to succeed.

 

[Mindi B]

re: Is there really an app gap on WP?

Yes I guess it was cathartic, but I'm just being honest.

Look I'm not trying to bash WP / W10M, I'm one of the biggest fans of the platform there is. I still pay more attention to WP than I do to iOS, and I love my iPhone now tbh.

But I'd relentlessly hammer all my friends at work about WP when I had my Lumia 1520, that thing was like a trophy to me, I was sad when I finally sold it earlier this year.

I badly want WP / W10M to succeed, we need a third player in this game. But MSFT has totally screwed the users and the potential of their incredible mobile platform. I'm furious about that. Who read the furious rants by Paul Thurrott in the past? I can totally understand his frustration, and now even he has backed away from WP somewhat.

But as other people here have posted, most WP / W10M users don't realise how rich the experience of having available services is like on other platforms, as life on WP is very desolate. The mobile future of WP is not a positive one. Things aren't looking good at all, and the days of trying to remain optimistic about it are gone. Moving to another platform has really made me see just how dire WP's future is. It's hanging on by a very thin thread which is about to snap.

This is the third reinvention in 5 years. Think about that. It's RIDICULOUS and outright embarrassing. No wonder the rest of the industry doesn't take it seriously at all.

 

[RaRa85]

re: Is there really an app gap on WP?

This is a needed thread and a reality for Windows Phone fans. I left Windows Phone last October due to no official flagship support via carrier exclusives made without my carrier, T-Mobile. I had already purchased the Samsung Focus, HTC Titan, Lumia 920 and 1020 through some other source and relied on unlocking them to use on my carrier. Mostly without issues I might add. But when Microsoft cancelled the McLaren and I realized the abundant availability of competing phones on T-Mobile I thought to myself I'll test out some other flagships until Microsoft's vision for the future become clear to the public. For the record I believe this is Microsoft's biggest and most realistic plan with Windows 10. So I got the Sony Xperia Z3 which I'm still using. Fantastic device in almost every way(I don't like the omission of manual controls that Sony has chosen not to unlock but I digress lol). Truth is the most of the apps I use are comparable in both ecosystems with of course a few that are missing on Windows Phone. For my personal needs it's not so much of an app gap as there is a feature and quality gap. Just about every app that is available on both Android and Windows Phone are better on Android. There's just no way around it. I will include screen shots later on with brief explanations of missing features in the WP version. And I'll show a few of the apps that are pretty huge for me that are missing altogether. I am very hopeful and confident that Microsoft has publicly and unapologetically admitted to this shortcoming with the app recompilers but I'll take a lot of competing apps in the Store as opposed to what we have. I appreciate an app that flat out works and is beautifully designed over a knock off third party app that's lacking in features and updates. I will be returning to WP this fall with the 950/950XL (whichever comes to T-Mobile) and I am prepared to take the hit in the app situation seeing as how I can live without the missing ones. But if the apps do not come and the market share does not grow(we'll never be as large as Android and iOS but that's OK as long as we don't hover around 3% for our entirety) I would much rather stay on WP until Microsoft pulls the plug than switch to a different OS in which case it would be iOS since all features listed in an update on Android (ex. Camera2 APIs that enabled manual shutter, focus, and RAW capture since Lollipop 5.0 and is still missing in Sony's current version for the Z3 and won't be included in the next update) are not guaranteed to be included in the update even for new devices. For me Android's greatest strength is also it's greatest weakness. Anyway I'm getting off track, but the app gap (personally I say quality more than quantity) does exist but I believe universal apps and new hardware will bring the heavy hitters missing in action over to our Store in the end.

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[RaRa85]

re: Is there really an app gap on WP?

The mobile future of WP is not a positive one. Things aren't looking good at all, and the days of trying to remain optimistic about it are gone. Moving to another platform has really made me see just how dire WP's future is. It's hanging on by a very thin thread which is about to snap.

This is the third reinvention in 5 years. Think about that. It's RIDICULOUS and outright embarrassing. No wonder the rest of the industry doesn't take it seriously at all.

Well I agree with you somewhat I don't think it's all doom and gloom. I simply say let's see if Windows 10 Mobile catches on with the new hardware and the rise of Windows 10 and them working hand in hand. We should have a pretty good gauge of what the future looks like by next summer/fall and if Windows Phone still has not garnered attention, sales, and apps with Microsoft's efforts to lure developers, then we can say the future of Windows 10 Mobile isn't a positive one. But I think Microsoft should get this last chance to redeem themselves for their fans and for the naysayers. I really don't want a two way race between Android and iOS. I hope it doesn't come to that.


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[chmun77]

re: Is there really an app gap on WP?

I think is time we WP fans to face the hard cold facts that app gaps on Windows Phone will NEVER improve. Now, with making of Universal apps already available for Windows 10, do we see or hear about any improvements for the missing gaps so far? Why Facebook for WP is no longer updating? Why ain't we getting the FB app from Windows store? Why Instagram is not updating as well? The only worth celebrating is the latest update of Whatsapp that bring the WP version to be near on par as iOS / Android version.

I took this photo this morning while going to the supermarket near my neighborhood. When will we be able to see the 3rd option labelled "Windows Store"?



We are missing apps like this in our daily lives. Not just those major ones. Even having the major ones are not as well polished as the iOS / Android counterparts. I see Candy Crush is already ported over from iOS version, but where are the rest of the apps? Why the app store for Windows is still so quiet?? What's the hell is going on? MS already provided the options and solutions but devs are just not giving a damn. Why? Reason is simple. Why should they be spending efforts, even the slightest conversion required, on Universal apps? Also, as a Windows user, I can enjoy the same cloud services available on other platforms as well, with much better app selections. What perks can the users enjoy if they want to take up Windows Phone? Better camera? Not any more.

 

[RaRa85]

re: Is there really an app gap on WP?

I think things are quiet as they gear up for the OFFICIAL release of Windows 10 Mobile. I'm not going to throw in the towel quite so soon before the latest version of Microsoft's mobile vision comes to life. And remember Microsoft never promised we'd get apps the same time as Android and iOS. That will happen after and if Windows 10 Mobile gains significant attraction. Then we'll see "such and such app" for Android, iOS and Windows Mobile.

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[Mindi B]

re: Is there really an app gap on WP?

Well I agree with you somewhat I don't think it's all doom and gloom. I simply say let's see if Windows 10 Mobile catches on with the new hardware and the rise of Windows 10 and them working hand in hand. We should have a pretty good gauge of what the future looks like by next summer/fall and if Windows Phone still has not garnered attention, sales, and apps with Microsoft's efforts to lure developers, then we can the future of Windows 10 Mobile isn't a positive one. But I think Microsoft should get this last chance to redeem themselves for their fans and for the naysayers. I really don't want a two way race between Android and iOS. I hope it doesn't come to that.
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I agree with you. The problem though, is that we've already said these sort of things before. With WP 7.5, 8.0 and 8.1. And now we're doing it again with W10M.

It's quite sad that the reality for WP users is this kind of state of affairs - you guys are getting continuously screwed over by no developer support, no support from MSFT in terms of marketing, constantly changing roadmaps for the platform that never fulfil any plans that are announced. That's a very uncool thing to do to your customers. How much can they take getting a constantly half-baked product?

I think is time we WP fans to face the hard cold facts that app gaps on Windows Phone will NEVER improve. Now, with making of Universal apps already available for Windows 10, do we see or hear about any improvements for the missing gaps so far? Why Facebook for WP is no longer updating? Why ain't we getting the FB app from Windows store? Why Instagram is not updating as well? The only worth celebrating is the latest update of Whatsapp that bring the WP version to be near on par as iOS / Android version.

THIS. Exactly.

On another forum I was having a similar discussion to what's going on in this thread here. And there's another thing I'd like to point out:

Windows evangelists are heralding universal apps to be a saviour, solely by numbers of critical mass. The problem is that desktop users aren't going to visit the store often because most desktop W10 users will continue using desktop as they always have - normal old school Win32 programs, not "apps".

Also, another issue exists. MSFT should have had major developers demonstrate fully functional apps in the Store BEFORE launch, that would be 100% ready to go on launch day. But did we see anything like that? No. Have any major developers even announced anything? Nope. It's pin drop silence. Now this is for a universal app Store. So the same issue will be inherited by W10M.

Instagram has been in beta for over 12 months. On iOS its updated almost every week. It has extra functions now that you guys probably haven't seen. Sure, you have 6tag. And no disrespect to Rudy, because he RULES, but it's still 6TAG NOT INSTAGRAM. It's like being content with a fake $2 watch from the markets, and what's worse is that you guys as WP users are being forced to put up with it.

It's pretty clear now that after all this time, that dev's aren't "busy" - they're just not interested. MSFT would've reached out by now, but it's just not worth an investment by a dev to publish for WP / W10M.

 

[RaRa85]

re: Is there really an app gap on WP?

Well I'm using both Android and I have my old Lumia 920 to play with Windows 10 Mobile on so I definitely know what's missing in apps like Instagram and Facebook. I'll include screen shots soon showing the lack of features in Windows Phone apps. I hope they just recompile the heck out of all the big name apps and bring them to the Store to replace the Windows Phone ones. Loyalists can complain all they want about modern designed apps but once they use the new ones they'll see what they're missing. If developers still don't bring their apps then we'll just have to take it as a loss as one of the most beautiful OSs rides off into the sunset. But I'm all in with Microsoft until the end and if that happens, I'll have no problem switching to iPhone. Speaking of which, just got the official port of Final Fantasy VII. That is just craziness and I may use T-Mobile's new Jump on Demand plan to get an iPhone just for that game until the flagships arrive. But even cases like this prove that the best apps are on other platforms.

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[chmun77]

re: Is there really an app gap on WP?

Windows evangelists are heralding universal apps to be a saviour, solely by numbers of critical mass. The problem is that desktop users aren't going to visit the store often because most desktop W10 users will continue using desktop as they always have - normal old school Win32 programs, not "apps".

Also, another issue exists. MSFT should have had major developers demonstrate fully functional apps in the Store BEFORE launch, that would be 100% ready to go on launch day. But did we see anything like that? No. Have any major developers even announced anything? Nope. It's pin drop silence. Now this is for a universal app Store. So the same issue will be inherited by W10M.

Instagram has been in beta for over 12 months. On iOS its updated almost every week. It has extra functions now that you guys probably haven't seen. Sure, you have 6tag. And no disrespect to Rudy, because he RULES, but it's still 6TAG NOT INSTAGRAM. It's like being content with a fake $2 watch from the markets, and what's worse is that you guys as WP users are being forced to put up with it.

It's pretty clear now that after all this time, that dev's aren't "busy" - they're just not interested. MSFT would've reached out by now, but it's just not worth an investment by a dev to publish for WP / W10M.

You got it man! I'm enjoying Windows 10 on my desktop and notebook. But I'm not considering any Windows store apps at all! Why? Because we have the best desktop app of all - the browsers, regardless of Edge, Chrome, or Firefox. I can watch Youtube, do online banking, torrent, Facebook, Instagram, etc etc just with browsers! Why do I even care about other apps??? Even streaming radio is possible via the browsers. Or reading Manga / comics as well. It applies the same for Surface machines too.

On Xbox?? I dunno about others but if I ever turn on my Xbox, the immediate action is to jump into the games. Why will I bother to watch Youtube or do Facebook/Instagram on a game console??!

I don't use a single Rudy app, TBH. Why? Because I don't wanna use 3rd party apps. Beside Tubecast, which I really need a Youtube player on my Lumia, I don't fancy another 3rd party apps. It just makes me sad when I see so many official apps available on iOS/Android when the official titles on WP is just only a handful.

For myself, enough is enough. I'm not getting any new W10 phones even when they are available. Yes, they have the latest hardware or even supporting Continuum (which I won't even use). But so what? The phone is useless if I cannot even do the simplest thing like online banking with the missing local banking apps for WP. I'm going to switch to iPhone when my contract is up this coming Oct. Yes, iOS is stale, but at the very least, I get to enjoy the most and do not need to worry about apps availability.

 

[Doohickie]

re: Is there really an app gap on WP?

The problem is the lack of important and quality apps. The people who say there is no gap are very very likely not really aware of what life is like on the other platforms.

Yep. I found this out when I switched to Android.

As mentioned above, you RARELY ever see the Windows Store mentioned anywhere when an app is advertised. The apps that actually ARE made for Windows Phone are usually laughably less robust.

I didn't realize how true this was until I switched. A stunning example is Strava. As a cyclist, I would like to use Strava to track my rides. Everyone else I know does, and they try to beat each other on King of the Mountain segments and stuff. I couldn't. I could use another app like endomondo or Runtastic (and I did), but over the two years I owned my WinPhone, they couldn't keep an accurate elevation; it would jump all over. So on a 30 mile ride it would tell me I climbed and descended 100,000 ft. And also I occasionally lost data because they would crash for no apparent reason and stop recording. I never settled on an app; I switched back and forth for the whole two years because there just isn't a good WP ride tracking app out there.

Yes there are 3rd party alternatives to some of these apps, and yes you can pin a website to your Live Tiles, but lets be real. The quality for the vast majority of those apps is terrible.

Amen.

I am very much looking forward to Project Astoria and Islandwood because to me this could really save the day for Windows Phone.

I'm kind of neutral. If WP is still around when I'm ready for a new phone, I'll look at it, probably scout the forums here, and see if the app gap still exists. If so, why go WP? I like the interface of the OS, but hate the disappointment when I can't find the apps I want.

And remember Microsoft never promised we'd get apps the same time as Android and iOS. That will happen after and if Windows 10 Mobile gains significant attraction. Then we'll see "such and such app" for Android, iOS and Windows Mobile.

I'm not holding my breath. What I observed over two years was that not only were apps not released concurrently with the other OSs, they weren't released at all. I got used to that, fine. Whatever. But then apps started getting worse. The rest of the world moved on and WP didn't keep up, so apps stopped working properly or at all. I had a sweet little American Airlines app and since I usually fly AA for work, it was a nice app to have. But then it stopped working. I tried deleting it and reinstalling it only to find it was no longer in the WP Store. AA simply gave up on it.

Personally I think if MS wants WP to succeed, they should invest their own money to create the app ecosystem. So pay AA to develop their app. Pay Fiat Chrysler to develop their app. Pay Strava, etc. Continue to do so until they get enough market share for the developers to come and and do it. Maybe that's the whole point of Universal - it'll be close enough that developers won't mind putting a different wrapper on an iOS or Android app to make it WP friendly, and if the OEM developers won't do it, they can do it themselves relatively cheaply. Nice, if that's their plan, but they should have bit the bullet years ago. I think it may already be too late.

 

[davedashftw]

re: Is there really an app gap on WP?

Apps might be all the rage now but they're a dead technology.As web technologies mature and mobile connection speeds improve you will not have apps.

Where windows phone can be successful in the next 5-10 years while we wait for apps to die is the enterprise space. Forget consumer apps. Microsoft really dropped the ball here by trying to pander to consumers with Windows Phone and failing, while neglecting tight enterprise integration and functionality.
With Windows 10 though and the success of the Surface tablet in the enterprise space, there is a much greater appetite to have a consistent experience for employees across devices, and Microsoft is well positioned finally with Windows 10 to capitalize on that. It's a travesty however that they are only just getting their ducks in a row now in this space, they're lucky Google and Apple are fairly incompetent competitors here.

For a lot of services mobile websites do exist, so I think its more herd mentality than actually being at a large disadvantage when it comes to the 'app gap'. Yeah an app is more convenient - for now - until web catches up. And it will. No one wants to write code three times (web, iOS, Android*) and mobile demand is fuelling better mobile bandwidth technologies.
You'd also be surprised what you can do in the browser these days, we built a fully functional freight dispatch software with location services that was cross platform using web technologies and wrapped it natively, and that was 3 years ago.

*Yes I am aware of cross platform compilers and they're popular for a reason.

 

[TheCudder]

re: Is there really an app gap on WP?

Stop looking at fad or social media apps that sit in the "Top 50" apps list.. It's more about apps that provides a service or enhances an existing service.

DirectTV, set or watch your recorded DVR shows on mobile or tablets.
Xfinity, set or watch recorded DVR shows, or watch OnDemand TV on mobile or tablets.
Kroger (Grocery), load digital coupons to your store card / store ID.
CapitalOne Wallet, instant mobile alerts/notifications of all credit transactions.
Various Mobile Banking Apps, mobile check deposit and a enhanced experience compared to a use of a mobile site.
Car Infotainment apps, enhances the use of existing media apps by being able to control these apps within your cars infotainment systems instead of the phone.
Rhapsody Song Match, instantly ID and link to the song within Rhapsody's music streaming service.

Those are just a few examples that affect just me and is why I currently use Android device as my primary phone. There's many other regional or local companies and organizations that only target Android & iOS. For example local credit unions, banks, grocery stores, drug stores, cable providers etc.

 

[Chinocop]

re: Is there really an app gap on WP?

Apps might be all the rage now but they're a dead technology.As web technologies mature and mobile connection speeds improve you will not have apps.

Where windows phone can be successful in the next 5-10 years while we wait for apps to die is the enterprise space. Forget consumer apps. Microsoft really dropped the ball here by trying to pander to consumers with Windows Phone and failing, while neglecting tight enterprise integration and functionality.
With Windows 10 though and the success of the Surface tablet in the enterprise space, there is a much greater appetite to have a consistent experience for employees across devices, and Microsoft is well positioned finally with Windows 10 to capitalize on that. It's a travesty however that they are only just getting their ducks in a row now in this space, they're lucky Google and Apple are fairly incompetent competitors here.

For a lot of services mobile websites do exist, so I think its more herd mentality than actually being at a large disadvantage when it comes to the 'app gap'. Yeah an app is more convenient - for now - until web catches up. And it will. No one wants to write code three times (web, iOS, Android*) and mobile demand is fuelling better mobile bandwidth technologies.
You'd also be surprised what you can do in the browser these days, we built a fully functional freight dispatch software with location services that was cross platform using web technologies and wrapped it natively, and that was 3 years ago.

*Yes I am aware of cross platform compilers and they're popular for a reason.

Honestly, the way things operate now are extremely inefficient. If companies had any foresight, the would stop the insanity of having to develop for multiple platforms and push web technologies. It's a waste of company resources to have to employ IOS and Android developers. Once responsive web sites start becoming more light weight and efficient, we can stop all of the app nonsense. In reality, apps only make sense for video games. Microsoft were idiots to focus on a consumer oriented phone. You know what makes money in software, business applications. There's a reason companies pay $1500+/year/user for CRM or $1 million/year in maintenance for SAP. Apps for consumers are made to either waste time or get you to spend money. Very few phone/tablet apps are used to make decisions which drive revenue. Apps aren't built for productivity. Microsoft's culture was organized around productivity software. Asking them to connect with consumers was an exercise in futility.

 

[lparsons21]

re: Is there really an app gap on WP?

Stop looking at fad or social media apps that sit in the "Top 50" apps list.. It's more about apps that provides a service or enhances an existing service.

DirectTV, set or watch your recorded DVR shows on mobile or tablets.
Xfinity, set or watch recorded DVR shows, or watch OnDemand TV on mobile or tablets.
Kroger (Grocery), load digital coupons to your store card / store ID.
CapitalOne Wallet, instant mobile alerts/notifications of all credit transactions.
Various Mobile Banking Apps, mobile check deposit and a enhanced experience compared to a use of a mobile site.
Car Infotainment apps, enhances the use of existing media apps by being able to control these apps within your cars infotainment systems instead of the phone.
Rhapsody Song Match, instantly ID and link to the song within Rhapsody's music streaming service.

Those are just a few examples that affect just me and is why I currently use Android device as my primary phone. There's many other regional or local companies and organizations that only target Android & iOS. For example local credit unions, banks, grocery stores, drug stores, cable providers etc.

That's what made me switch from a wonderful HTC One M8 Windows phone back to iOS and the great iPhone 6+. Banking apps are a real issue for me, more so that some of the others you mention. I have a couple bank accounts in banks that are not local and having a mobile app that gives me a way to deposit money without using snail mail is very damned handy.

But I really miss all that I loved about the Windows phone and most likely will just add a line to my existing account and pick up either the LG Lancet or Lumia 735. Both are inexpensive, both have good and bad things about them but nothing earth shattering. Sure, it will add $20/month to my phone service but what the heck, you can't take it with you!!

 

[a5cent]

re: Is there really an app gap on WP?

Asking them to connect with consumers was an exercise in futility.

MS did it with the xbox. MS could have done it with phones too. Connecting with consumers was not inherently doomed to fail.



WP was just mismanaged and their mobile efforts are still being mismanaged.

 

[Laura Knotek]

re: Is there really an app gap on WP?

If anyone likes an app for sending pictures from the phone to a store to have them printed, I recommend the Walgreens app. The Windows Phone version of the app works just as well as the Android version of the app. I've used both versions, depending on which device I happened to be using.

 

[anon(7901790)]

re: Is there really an app gap on WP?

There is also one called "Photomart." It allows you to upload and get instant prints from Walmart. I haven't tried it as of yet and the reviews are mixed. There are almost as many 1-star ratings and 5-star ratings. So it's overall rating is 3.2-stars.

 

[Doohickie]

re: Is there really an app gap on WP?

Where windows phone can be successful in the next 5-10 years while we wait for apps to die is the enterprise space.

Ha! I actually laughed audibly at that. My company had Blackberries for years. They recently switched. But not to WinPhones, they switched to iPhones.

I think the only shot WinPhone had at the enterprise market would have been to buy out Blackberry when they were open to that in 2013. A fusion of Blackberry secure communications with a WP interface, and a doubling of WP's market share, would have really bolstered WP's position in the market and signaled that MS was serious about this line of business.

 

[Mindi B]

re: Is there really an app gap on WP?

Apps might be all the rage now but they're a dead technology.As web technologies mature and mobile connection speeds improve you will not have apps.

My apologies in advance for being direct, but that has to be one of most blind allegiance and ridiculous statements I've seen yet from a WP user.

Apps are needed because of the screen real estate restrictions on mobile devices. Technically speaking they existed back on Symbian and even earlier!

Not only that, but from the perspective of WP / WM10, apps have the potential to be absolutely incredible and rich experiences to use, depending on how far a developer wants to push their design. There's an amazingly high ceiling available for it.

Until we move to the next phase of physical (or non-physical) form factors for mobile devices, apps will always exist. How they function in terms of interaction with the OS layer, with other apps and the real world itself is what will change. The lifecycle of apps as a concept hasn't even hit its peak yet.

 

[Nikolai Kuzbanovsky]

re: Is there really an app gap on WP?

Guys make a poll if you want to see what is the general opinion.

And bear in mind that windows phone is less than 5% of the market share, so get reasonable.