Thinking about going back to WP7 from 8.1

[Zulfigar]

I used to have a Venue Pro and I loved it! But when it broke I got a WP8 and It's not nearly as good. Mainly because of Xbox Music. I keep hoping that it'll get better, but it just gets worse with every update. I love everything about the Zune software and I have a Zune/Xbox music pass. I'm just wondering about apps... I'm not really a heavy app user (If I was I'd have an Android) but are any new apps compatible with WP7?

I can see where you're going with this, and yes, I agree that Zune is still ahead of the current Xbox Music software they have out, both on the phone and computer (I still use the computer software), but having Cortana helps me get past, or at lest help cover up, the problems. I wish wireless sync would come back, but saying "Cortana play..." makes playing anything a lot easier than anything in WP7.

Come on Xbox Music team, get some pointers from your old software.

 

[DavidinCT]

All this romanticism about Zune.

It was pretty, but basically not great. So, it could sync with WP7... That was about it. It's gone, dead. Forget it and move on....
MS will finally sort out XB Music Player, and they will I'm sure.

Ok, let me get this strait... Your on a Windows 7 desktop. Your choice is The Windows Phone app for Windows 7 OR Zune. What do you chose ?

The WP app for WP7 is a joke, its ugly and is designed to do 1 thing, sync your phone, Not even close to what Zune offered as feature or even playback of content. I do really miss this feature, in fact, when I connect my phone to my PC, I close the WP app and just is Windows explorer to copy images over and music over.

Now as the OP is thinking, If you were able to get yourself a 7.8 device and you could find the apps that you use every day for WP7, you should be good for a while. It should give you the day to day things like a WP8/8.1 device gives you before everyone freaking out, the day to day is, checking email, running apps, listening to music, the layout with the smaller tiles are there and WP7 layout is exactly like WP8...

It's just a matter of time before support for WP7.8 ends, then you have to make a choice, live with what you have or move on.

Maybe MS will fix the mess of Music and Xbox hub in WP 8.1....MAYBE but, till then you have an option but, I wont give up my ICON to go back....

 

[negative1ne]

It's just a matter of time before support for WP7.8 ends, then you have to make a choice, live with what you have or move on.

Maybe MS will fix the mess of Music and Xbox hub in WP 8.1....MAYBE but, till then you have an option but, I wont give up my ICON to go back....

support for windows phone 7.8 ends in 8 days.

Products Released Lifecycle Start Date Mainstream Support End Date Extended Support End Date Service Pack Support End Date Notes
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Windows Phone 7.8 2/9/2013 9/9/2014 Review Note Microsoft will make updates available for the Operating System on your phone, including security updates, for a period of 18 months after the lifecycle start date. Distribution of the updates may be controlled by the mobile operator or the phone manufacturer from which you purchased your phone. Update availability will also vary by country, region, and hardware capabilities.
================================================================================================================
Microsoft Product Lifecycle Search


guess what. it doesn't matter.

i'll still use this phone until it breaks, and then i'll buy another used one, and use that.

there is no point for me in switching to windows phone 8 or 8.1 or 8.1 update 1. it just doesn't work.

if they keep refusing to fix issues, and not offer hardware support and other features, i will continue to use a phone that works.

not one with 'broken' features.

later
-1

 

[Ashalinia]

support for windows phone 7.8 ends in 8 days.

Products Released Lifecycle Start Date Mainstream Support End Date Extended Support End Date Service Pack Support End Date Notes
================================================================================================================
Windows Phone 7.8 2/9/2013 9/9/2014 Review Note Microsoft will make updates available for the Operating System on your phone, including security updates, for a period of 18 months after the lifecycle start date. Distribution of the updates may be controlled by the mobile operator or the phone manufacturer from which you purchased your phone. Update availability will also vary by country, region, and hardware capabilities.
================================================================================================================
Microsoft Product Lifecycle Search


guess what. it doesn't matter.

i'll still use this phone until it breaks, and then i'll buy another used one, and use that.

there is no point for me in switching to windows phone 8 or 8.1 or 8.1 update 1. it just doesn't work.

if they keep refusing to fix issues, and not offer hardware support and other features, i will continue to use a phone that works.

not one with 'broken' features.

later
-1

I understand the need to back up your decision of sticking with Windows Phone 7.x by advocating the pros of it, but insulting Windows Phone 8.x by bashing it is unnecessary and saying it doesn't work is simply untrue.

This is coming from a former Lumia 710 user. Yes, 7.5 and 7.8 were great, but they were by no means better than their successors in most ways.

 

[colinkiama]

I used to have a Venue Pro and I loved it! But when it broke I got a WP8 and It's not nearly as good. Mainly because of Xbox Music. I keep hoping that it'll get better, but it just gets worse with every update. I love everything about the Zune software and I have a Zune/Xbox music pass. I'm just wondering about apps... I'm not really a heavy app user (If I was I'd have an Android) but are any new apps compatible with WP7?

buy a zune hd on amazon or ebay and get a new windows phone. Trust me, WP7 won't be supported anymore this month. You are not going to have a good time going back to an old device.

 

[negative1ne]

I understand the need to back up your decision of sticking with Windows Phone 7.x by advocating the pros of it, but insulting Windows Phone 8.x by bashing it is unnecessary and saying it doesn't work is simply untrue.

This is coming from a former Lumia 710 user. Yes, 7.5 and 7.8 were great, but they were by no means better than their successors in most ways.

i understand the need to move on.

but its not just me saying it.

there are a ton of complaints about the music, video, and other apps.

the core stuff works fine. phone calls,sms, photos, and basic things.

its these other uses that are causing the problems.
to me they are critical.

you can only hope they get fixed in the future.

later
-1

 

[Ashalinia]

i understand the need to move on.

but its not just me saying it.

there are a ton of complaints about the music, video, and other apps.

the core stuff works fine. phone calls,sms, photos, and basic things.

its these other uses that are causing the problems.
to me they are critical.

you can only hope they get fixed in the future.

later
-1

I don't think there's anything wrong with video. The only major things I'd like to see are a more polished music app, the settings list organized, Wi-Fi toggles on from the notification center, and actionable notifications.

I wouldn't say anything is "broken", I just think there's some refinement to be done in certain areas. I see how some of these things can be important to you though, and we're all hoping they'll be fixed in the future.

 

[Squachy]

Wp8.1 is an enormous improvement over wp7. 8.1 feels full featured, 7 feels half baked. There may be things that were done better (like the consolidated messages in one hub), but get a device with a fast processor (I went from a Lumia 710 to a 930) and apps open fast. Messaging apps have full features now that its split apart, updates come faster, you have access to apps you could never get on wp7, list goes on.

 

[HeyCori]

I recently setup my Lumia 900 so my girl could use it on our camping trip. I still think it's a nice device. It runs smooth and still has a nice selection of apps/games. However, I couldn't see myself returning to the WP7 platform, especially not for Zune.

The Zune software is great, no doubt about that. In fact, I still have a grandfathered Zune Pass, I'm just using it for Xbox Music now. The Xbox Music app has come a long way since first release. Songs don't take forever to load, playlists can now be synced between devices and the live tile is finally back! It's no Zune but it does get the job done.

Admittedly, it helps that I have a Windows 8 tablet and PC. There's no Xbox Music desktop app for Windows 7 so users are forced to do everything through the phone. I prefer to do everything through Windows 8 and sync it with my phone. That's basically what I did with Zune.

 

[negative1ne]

Wp8.1 is an enormous improvement over wp7. 8.1 feels full featured, 7 feels half baked.

there arent any features missing for me.

8 and 8.1 are missing features i use. and from reports i read, there are a lot
of issues and a beta feel to the whole operating system with updates that
dont work for everyone, and a slow creeping feel to adding features that used to
work in the past and dont now.

There may be things that were done better (like the consolidated messages in one hub), but get a device with a fast processor (I went from a Lumia 710 to a 930) and apps open fast.

i dont notice any speed issues with 7.
i have never seen a resume screen.

updates come faster.

there are no updates for 7.5 / 7.8,
so that comparison means nothing.

later
-1

 

[Squachy]

I use Line and whatsapp, and they loaded SLOW (especially line) on my Lumia 710. Its near instantaneous on my 930 now with the massively more powerful processor. Plus I get access to the sticker store in Line that I didn't get on the 710, and I can do voice calls (I don't use but its there). Facebook Messenger now has sticker access and all that fun stuff. And then I realized, I use whatsapp, I use Line, and that means ive used separate messaging apps already since they were never built into the messaging hub. It was a little annoying when I had to keep pressing that switch button to switch between FB chat and text chat before cuz sometimes I just open it up and want to chat right away and didn't realize I was in the wrong chat.

At least that's my experience with the messaging hub between WP7 and WP8.1 and why I think the hub isn't as great as it first appeared.

Oh and when apps load way faster now...trust me its a good thing. You'll notice that right away (its more of a more recent hardware thing than it is the operating system). Facebook app loads a ton faster too (I never used the me hub in WP7, it always missed some stuff. Its even more useless in WP8.1)

-Photo hub background image is gone now, but it doesn't matter, don't miss it. I realize it was a nice splash screen but when you're just going straight to the picture list you don't get a background anyways. Plus with the files app you can move your pics around and create subfolders for them (I wish it could be done from the photo hub though). And you can select multiple pics now.

-Xbox music seems to work fine now at this point, similar to Zune now. But its still a bit clumsy compared to it. I never really used it more than just 'play all' or 'play playlist' so I cant say much more other than its basic functionality for both works.

-The text grabbing is a bit easier this go around but not by much....it does have the two circles underneath the lines but that doesn't seem to help as much as it seems.

Email feels the same, contact list can actually be filtered by numbers only so I don't have a million contacts....
List goes on

 

[jomarr]

While Music is basically **** on WP 8.1, I wouldn't go as far as WP 7. WP8 Black for me. I would actually go back to that.

 

[TechAbstract]

Get a Zune HD. I am still rocking it.

 

[negative1ne]

Get a Zune HD. I am still rocking it.

Had one, a 32G one, but windows phone 7 eliminates the need for another device for me.

later
-1

 

[negative1ne]

At least that's my experience with the messaging hub between WP7 and WP8.1 and why I think the hub isn't as great as it first appeared.

Oh and when apps load way faster now...trust me its a good thing. You'll notice that right away (its more of a more recent hardware thing than it is the operating system). Facebook app loads a ton faster too (I never used the me hub in WP7, it always missed some stuff. Its even more useless in WP8.1)

Email feels the same, contact list can actually be filtered by numbers only so I don't have a million contacts....
List goes on

i rarely use apps, so those comparisons dont apply for me.

i dont use photos or email either, so its a moot point also.

later
-1

 

[colinkiama]

You should buy a zune HD and a new windows phone. That way you can get all the latest apps and features and still have the zone experience. Problem solved.

 

[onysi]

I am currently using dvp 7.8. I broke my 920 last week so I'm trying to wait for that glass replacement to change it. You can feel the lag and missing features on 7.8.

 

[negative1ne]

You should buy a zune HD and a new windows phone. That way you can get all the latest apps and features and still have the zone experience. Problem solved.

i don't need 2 devices. that's what i said.

there is NO windows phone 8/8.1 with a hardware keyboard.

that's not an option.

later
-1

 

[ronaldme]

Is this a serious thread?

There are a lot of music player apps, and you can use ANY pc software for sync your music, for example Music Bee, a lot better that those horrible thing named Zune (the desktop application forced to use for sync music), you can sync your music on Windows, Mac or even Linux.

Really, I can't understand how people prefer WP7 than WP8.1 ...

 

[negative1ne]

Is this a serious thread?

There are a lot of music player apps, and you can use ANY pc software for sync your music, for example Music Bee, a lot better that those horrible thing named Zune (the desktop application forced to use for sync music), you can sync your music on Windows, Mac or even Linux.

Really, I can't understand how people prefer WP7 than WP8.1 ...

music is just one thing, (although a main one for me).

did you miss the part about a HARDWARE KEYBOARD?

windows phone 8/8.1 don't even support bluetooth keyboards.

later
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