Things missing vs other platforms that keeps me from coming back

[Dusteater]

Hmmm does iOS or Android do this? If not then why are you upset at Windows for not doing so?

It creates an inconsistent workflow. They integrate SMS and Skype together in your text messaging app. Then you find out those messages are treated differently, and the integration really only makes things more confusing. They shouldn't have rolled out that messaging app if they weren't willing to treat all messages alike for the purpose of Bluetooth.

Like I said, this all goes back to the fact that no one at Microsoft drives a car. They ride their shuttle buses around and have no idea what kind of features people need who drive cars. And since there has not even been a mention of this issue, or the development of MirrorLink, I don't think Windows 10 Mobile will ever be a viable platform to use in the car.

I sure wish that wasn't the case, but it is.

 

[TennisGuy45]

It creates an inconsistent workflow. They integrate SMS and Skype together in your text messaging app. Then you find out those messages are treated differently, and the integration really only makes things more confusing. They shouldn't have rolled out that messaging app if they weren't willing to treat all messages alike for the purpose of Bluetooth.

Like I said, this all goes back to the fact that no one at Microsoft drives a car. They ride their shuttle buses around and have no idea what kind of features people need who drive cars. And since there has not even been a mention of this issue, or the development of MirrorLink, I don't think Windows 10 Mobile will ever be a viable platform to use in the car.

I sure wish that wasn't the case, but it is.

While I dont argue the merit of your point I still would like to know how this is "core" functionality missing that you get from Android or iOS.

Those platforms wont even read you SMS messages much less Skype messages.

So at its "core" I'd rather have my fully bluetooth integrated and hands free SMS messaging that Windows Phone OS offers native, than the nothing you get with the other mobiles OS systems.

 

[Dusteater]

While I dont argue the merit of your point I still would like to know how this is "core" functionality missing that you get from Android or iOS.

Those platforms wont even read you SMS messages much less Skype messages.

So at its "core" I'd rather have my fully bluetooth integrated and hands free SMS messaging that Windows Phone OS offers native, than the nothing you get with the other mobiles OS systems.

iOS has CarPlay
CarPlay - Apple

Android has Android Auto
Android Auto

Both of these solutions put the display of your phone on the display of the car and handle navigation, messaging, etc. in a way you don't have to mount your phone to the dash. Microsoft could do the same with the open standard MirrorLink. In fact, Microsoft is even a phone manufacturing partner of the Car Connectivity Consortium, who manages the MirrorLink standard. A couple of years ago they even gave a demo of it working on WP7. But they seem to have completely lost interest in the automotive space, while Apple and Google were going full steam ahead on feature rich car systems.

Since new cars are now supporting all three standards (CarPlay, Android Auto and MirrorLink), as well as aftermarket receivers from Pioneer, etc., why won't Microsoft do this? I doubt the development would be all that resource consuming, considering they already have Miracast support in the OS. It would just take a little bit more work to get full MirrorLink functionality. There is no reason this shouldn't be a huge priority for Microsoft.

 

[scottinmd]

I have both an iPhone 6plus and a Lumia 640XL. More and more I use my iPhone for work. Snapchat is how my kids communicate with me so the Lumia is a no-go. But, at a more basic level, the Lumia with Win10 just feels incomplete and buggy. I realize this is pre-release s/w for my phone but it's not prerelease for all win phones. Sitting watching the phone churn while emails don't sync, etc. Amazingly, the worst experience is the Microsoft email!!! I love Win phone and sold a number of folks on the platform. I can't do the same now though.

To keep this on topic, what would get me to go back to a Win phone full time:

1. A snapchat app or reasonable clone.
2. Better email syncing.

 

[Dusteater]

I have both an iPhone 6plus and a Lumia 640XL. More and more I use my iPhone for work. Snapchat is how my kids communicate with me so the Lumia is a no-go. But, at a more basic level, the Lumia with Win10 just feels incomplete and buggy. I realize this is pre-release s/w for my phone but it's not prerelease for all win phones. Sitting watching the phone churn while emails don't sync, etc. Amazingly, the worst experience is the Microsoft email!!! I love Win phone and sold a number of folks on the platform. I can't do the same now though.

To keep this on topic, what would get me to go back to a Win phone full time:

1. A snapchat app or reasonable clone.
2. Better email syncing.

And text messages that don't take 10-15 second to send. I also use the Lumia 640 XL, but my family members ok the Lumia 950 & 950 XL have same issue with extremely slow text messages.

 

[Ten Four]

And text messages that don't take 10-15 second to send. I also use the Lumia 640 XL, but my family members ok the Lumia 950 & 950 XL have same issue with extremely slow text messages.

I don't have this problem with a 640 on .164. Text messages are near instant, and my emails from work arrive on my phone before my work computer gets them with the work computer attached to the network by ethernet! I can't understand that at all--how is it that email sent to my work address from other people at work gets to my phone first? Outlook works perfectly--much better than on Android. Never have a problem with it being out of sync.

 

[N_LaRUE]

Can I reply your question with another question?

What do you miss the most on android? Because I am seriously thinking of jumping, but I live in Brazil and cellphones here are REALLY expensive. Right now, I have a 640 XL, looking forward for the 950 XL which still doesn't sell around here. I'm also a carrier client for a very long time, which usually means huge discounts. Right now I could upgrade to a G4 (which I'm inclined not to because I'm a large screen guy) or a Note Edge (which I'm inclined not to because it's very dated and probably won't get 6.0 or 7.0 features) which price around the same with my carrier discount.

When I studied the possibility of a switch, there were a few major holdbacks:
-I really like the jumplist feautre in W10M. Makes thing easier to track down on just about any app. I find Android quite messy whenever I'm trying to find anything. Nothings is alfabetically organized, settings change name every other phone and I usually have the hardest of times trying to find just about anything in an android phone. I know that I'll get used to it, but having a steep learning curve makes a platform unapealling for me.

I personally didn't find the learning curve all that steep. No worse than learning anything else new and in general, you don't need to go into setttings that often to really worry about it. As for the listing of apps, you can typically put them in alphabetical order or search for them or in order of most used.

-I'm really into the skype+messaging integration. I love interactive notifications and I know they don't work like that on Android

The Skype-IM integration is new so probably why it hasn't made it to Android as of yet. I'm assuming it will eventually make it's way over as it's easy to do things like that on Android. Currently there's Hangouts integration but if you don't use that then it's rather pointless. Android has interactive notifications...

-I have an 50GB+ music collection on my OneDrive I stream via Groove. Streaming services don't have all the music I listen to (Yes, I'm that alternative), so having my music collection in Onedrive is kind of a major deal and I know Groove on android is one of the few apps that is significantly worse.

Most (all?) standard Android music apps allow you to connect to Cloud or even NAS storage. You don't need Groove for it to work. So you have no issues streaming music. If the standard music app didn't you can easily download one that does.

-I'm a productivity guy and I'm all in on MS services. I have three Office 365 accounts (personal, office and college) and not being able to manage my e-mail, calendar and using office apps is totally a deal breaker, bc I usually complement powerpoints or edit spreadsheets on the go on my W10M

I have Office 365. I have Outlook (has calendar), Word, Excel and Powerpoint on my tablet and phone. Is there something I'm missing here?

-I'm in love with Cortana. I like the fact she has personality, unlike Google Now. I also like how she truly learns from me, such has understanding when and where I work, the kind of news I like to read and most of all location based reminders, which are amazing for me since I have irregular schedueles and a really crappy memory

Can't say much here. They were bringing Cortana to Android but that seems to have stalled. You're right that Google Now isn't 100% the same but it does have some good features as well. I personally don't care about the personality aspect myself.

I know that sounds like settling, but the app gap really isn't major for me. Instagram and Twitter were just about the only two daily apps that I wanted updated. Well, that and WhatsApp and Messenger, but I've all but replaced them with Skype+Messaging (since most of the people I talk to mostly are on W10 too). I ditched all news apps for the amazing RSS Reader NewsFlow, so I don't miss news reading apps either. That kinda sums up my use of an smartphone: News Reading, Listening to music, exchanging message and being productive (Wunderlist+Outlook+Slack = <3).

It's only 'settling' if you don't get what you want out of something. You seem happy enough so there's no issues.

That said, what do you see in W10M that you haven't found on android? Do you think I can get all of those things done in android?

Yes I can do pretty much what you do but a little differently on Android.

There's lots I've found on Android that I prefer to W10M or WP8.1. The biggest differences that I keep hearing in regards to the two is interface. You either like Android or W10M. I'm indifferent personally. The W10M 'live' tiles is no big deal to me. I'm quite happy with widgets and icons. It doesn't bother me as I just use my phone, I don't really care if things animate or flip or whatever.

When it comes to using a phone I'm very utility focused. I set up my phones to do what I want on them. I'm not in to fancy anything. I just want to do what I need. But that's me. Some people are into bells and whistles. I'm not one of them. The most important things to me are long battery life and a decent camera.

 

[dlalonde]

This is the kind of thing that doesn't help at all. From what I can tell, there's no opinion in this piece, just facts... and they are unacceptable for a company like Microsoft. It all seems very amateur, unorganized, quickly done and pushed.

This Is Why Windows 10 Mobile Was a Tech Launch Failure

 

[WinCoffee]

It will play in background anywhere. Even allow you to search youtube and have it play in a small window as you keep searching. You click on the window and your back to the video. You can keep it on in the background, do everything else, from webbrowse to 9gag, then click on the music bar andit sends you back to the app and it picks up the video where you left off. This is not automatic, you have to go into settings and choose run in background and in lockscreen. In the TubeCast settings.

But In official youtube app. If I'm using youtube app on Ps3, I could use the youtube app in phone to search stuff for ps3. Kinda like it is my keyboard.

 

[elitewolverine21]

But In official youtube app. If I'm using youtube app on Ps3, I could use the youtube app in phone to search stuff for ps3. Kinda like it is my keyboard.

The app supports mirrorcasting. I regularly throw TubeCast on my phone, hit the cast button and send it to a 50buck blueray player. Supports both dnla and the other one. Can also send it to my xbox, ps3/4, aircast, fire tv, smart tv (Samsung), roku, google tv, and dnla enabled devices...so yes. You absolutely can use it as a 'remote'.

 

[WinCoffee]

Thanks!

 

[NeoDerGrosse]

I personally don't care about most of the mayor apps. What I'm missing are special apps nobody makes 3rd party ones for. I'm talking mainly about apps for events (sports, trade fairs, etc.) and public transport apps. Finding public transport connections is no problem here in Germany. A lot of networks do have windows phone apps but the state railway has one that covers all. But getting a ticket with my smartphone is way more problematic. Some very few networks have this integrated in their WP apps (although Android an iOS have it). Some more are giving you the chance to use a mobile website (instead of their Android or iOS apps).

But that's not even what's frustrating me. That is Microsoft themselves. The constantly happening of abandoning features and apps I used. This will make me quit.

 

[anon(6078578)]

This is the kind of thing that doesn't help at all. From what I can tell, there's no opinion in this piece, just facts... and they are unacceptable for a company like Microsoft. It all seems very amateur, unorganized, quickly done and pushed.

This Is Why Windows 10 Mobile Was a Tech Launch Failure

This also shows that Microsoft realize that by now only the Enthusiasts and Diehards are left so they don't have to make as much effort to put a bit of polish into this. After all we'll figure it out right?

 

[dlalonde]

This also shows that Microsoft realize that by now only the Enthusiasts and Diehards are left so they don't have to make as much effort to put a bit of polish into this. After all we'll figure it out right?

Even though I do understand where this frustration is coming from, I'm not yet as cynical. But I get what you're saying though. It does sometimes feel as if they don't really care.

 

[Mikepoint]

I'm glad someone understands and speaks to what I see. You use Windows out of love not necessity. I had an old Windows 6.5 loved it, it became non relevant, had to go somewhere else. Android was next, but I always wanted my Windows phone, but I just could not justify going to something that couldn't support my life and career. The answer was to buy one for my dad and play with his. I so enjoyed his 635 I decided to give it a try. Brought my own Windows phun, (i know it's phone) enjoy it, made the app compromise (live tile pinning helps), but it gets kind of hard to excuse the fact that the apps you do carry don't update and are not fully functional went they're new. My brother went down the same path with his Blackberry, and they're somewhat compatible with Android. But what good are they if they're not in synergy.

 

[ubizmo]

Once again, I have to notice how eerily parallel many of the comments here are to what is happening on CrackBerry, with respect to BB10. We love the OS but despair over the apps. In the case of BB10, however, it's now pretty clear that BlackBerry itself has given up, so if there's a future for BlackBerry handsets, that future is Android.

Which leaves W10M as the only currently (semi-)viable alternative to Android and iOS. As an owner and still sometime user of a BlackBerry Passport, I think the app situation for my humble Lumia 640 is in some ways a bit better. Yes, my Passport can run many Android apps, but it's stuck forever at JellyBean, and Android apps are moving on. Kindle, which is one of my most-used Android apps, now takes forever to load, and freezes once in a while after it does load. Tapatalk, which I also use a lot, is barely functional.

In contrast, mTalk on W10M works pretty well. Kindle for W10M is...well, disappointing. As an academic, I mark up my books a lot, so I can find important passages later. I can't do this on the W10M app, and that's kind of a Big Deal for me. I use Pocket quite a lot on Android, but Poki is pretty decent too.

But occasionally when I'm out it'll occur to me to record a television program. I can't do that on W10M, whereas on Android I can use the Verizon fios app. It's a convenience that I don't use very often, but nice to have. And that's how it is with apps. We get used to not having them, especially if we've never had them, but once we get used to having them it's hard to go back. This is the problem W10M faces: If it feels like a step backward, there simply isn't any convincing reason to switch. Live tiles won't cut it.

The only way forward is for UWP apps to get enough traction with developers that W10M enjoys a coattail effect. Developers have to see that the number of installs is going up, not down. That's the only way they'll take an interest.

I think we need to remember that the bigger, more popular apps tend to be the more complex apps, and these cost money to update and maintain. That's why Waze is slow to update on W10, until they see more demand. Same for Kindle. In my uninformed opinion, it can still happen, but it's far from a sure thing.

 

[tgp]

Once again, I have to notice how eerily parallel many of the comments here are to what is happening on CrackBerry, with respect to BB10. We love the OS but despair over the apps. In the case of BB10, however, it's now pretty clear that BlackBerry itself has given up, so if there's a future for BlackBerry handsets, that future is Android.

You are correct; I've noticed this too, it seems that what is going on in this forum is what has been in CrackBerry the last year or two. It is following a similar path.

The advantage that Windows phone has is that it is owned by Microsoft, which is a very large and profitable company. Microsoft can afford to artificially prop up mobile financially as long as they please. Blackberry was much more reliant on their devices, so when sales dropped they were forced to make a move.

 

[ubizmo]

The advantage that Windows phone has is that it is owned by Microsoft, which is a very large and profitable company. Microsoft can afford to artificially prop up mobile financially as long as they please. Blackberry was much more reliant on their devices, so when sales dropped they were forced to make a move.

True, but Microsoft can't be expected to do this forever. Still, there is a strategy in place, which BlackBerry didn't really have for BB10 (other than put it out there and hope for the best). There's a lot of dissatisfaction expressed in this and other threads about Microsoft's strategy and execution, but at least there's some degree of recognition of what they're up to. W10 is meant to be the tide that causes all boats to rise, including mobile. That's it in a nutshell.

But their challenge is the subject of this thread: How to attract the users who have already wandered to iOS and Android? They've gotten used to not having to resort to workarounds or just put up with missing apps. Continuum is a start, but I don't know if it will have much pull. UWP apps have more potential, in my view, but if the pace of growth is too glacial nobody's going to notice.

 

[anon(6078578)]

True, but Microsoft can't be expected to do this forever. Still, there is a strategy in place, which BlackBerry didn't really have for BB10 (other than put it out there and hope for the best). There's a lot of dissatisfaction expressed in this and other threads about Microsoft's strategy and execution, but at least there's some degree of recognition of what they're up to. W10 is meant to be the tide that causes all boats to rise, including mobile. That's it in a nutshell.

But their challenge is the subject of this thread: How to attract the users who have already wandered to iOS and Android? They've gotten used to not having to resort to workarounds or just put up with missing apps. Continuum is a start, but I don't know if it will have much pull. UWP apps have more potential, in my view, but if the pace of growth is too glacial nobody's going to notice.

Part of the problem is that even though Microsoft's strategy with Windows 10 Mobile makes a lot of sense, they have in effect cried wolf too many times already. Technically inclined users such as ourselves can at least see the potential but regular consumers won't especially as Microsoft doesn't exactly go out of it's way to advertise and educate ordinary consumers.

As many have already said, even though Microsoft can keep this going for a long time, that doesn't mean it will. There is always talk of it can't afford to ignore mobile, but does that mean it has to have its own mobile platform especially if it evolves into a premier cloud services company.

 

[alinpletea15]

Instagram is good,twiter got updates regulary,facebook is trash..