Thinking of leaving Windows Phone for good, any thoughts?

[Jeff Erson]

I think I'm gonna wait and see for Windows 10 for phone too. That would be then my deciding point before I would jump to Android. I love WP and I want to stay. But if it stays the same, app/dev problems, lesser features than the competitors, slow updates, no new flagship, then I think it will be a sad goodbye.

 

[GSOgymrat]

I posted this on another website yesterday:

I currently have a Nokia Lumia 1520 which I dropped it down a flight of stairs and cracked the screen. It still works, the cracks are actually quite subtle, but I want to replace it. When the 1520 was released there were no other phones that interested me but now there are competing large screen models from Apple and Android. I know a lot of this come down to preference and how I use my phone but I would like to read other people’s opinions. My three contenders are:

Nokia Lumia 1520: I have been very happy with this phone. I have a Surface Pro 3, PC and Xbox so everything synchs and is consistent. I love Cortana, the camera, the dedicated camera button, expandable storage, the look of the phone, battery life and live tiles. I’m happy using Microsoft services: OneDrive, Office, Outlook, Xbox Music and Bing. On the downside, although I have most of the apps I want, some of the apps are not as good quality as iOS and Android and there are some apps that I would not mind having that are unavailable. Also with the 1520 I am locked into AT&T, although I can’t complain about their service. I'm happy with the 1520 but is the grass greener...

Apple iPhone 6 Plus: The only Apple product I own is an iPad, which I stopped using when Surface was released. With iPhone I feel like I will always have the best quality apps and the most accessories. My friends have iPhones, everything is made for iPhone and if I have a problem I can just go down to the Apple store and a genius will fix it. I’m not excited by the look of the phone itself, although I do like the fingerprint sensor. I was interested in Apple Pay but now it looks like that service may not take off any time soon or will be limited. iOS is very utilitarian and doesn’t excite me but isn’t objectionable. The iPhone seems the most practical choice. It’s the Toyota Camry of phones.

Google Nexus 6: Before going with Windows Phone I had a HTC EVO 4G and I know that Android has come a long way since then. From the online photos I really like the look of this phone. I like the screen size and wireless charging. I don’t like the 64GB memory limit, as I’m already using 69 GB on my 1520. I would have more apps than Windows Phone, but I’ve read that some of the Android apps are not always as polished as iOS. I’ve never been a big fan of some of the UIs on Android phones (I don’t like Samsung’s flipboard, I don’t like clutter or a bunch of animations) but I feel like Nexus 6 would be customizable enough that I could be happy with it. I think the only Google service I currently use is YouTube and I don’t really want to switch to Google services but I assume I can still use Outlook, Word, Xbox Music, Bing and such on Android. With Nexus 6 I like the phone and I like having more apps but after HTC EVO I worry, perhaps mistakenly, that there will be apps that don’t work right or little annoying issues.

 

[aldofarias82]

Also the new Moto X looks very promising,
As an apple "soft user" (ex iPhone user and I currently own an iPad and Apple TV) I feel more attracted to the iPhone 6

I am not an iSheep, but Apple provides a very solid and consistent user experience.

 

[David Parsels]

I am also thinking of changing to the I phone only because the app situation has not gotten much better. I have a lumia 920. it has been a great phone and is one of the most durable phones I have ever owned. But since I have owned it there have been at least a half dozen times that I wanted to download an app that was not available. As an example I was shopping for a new camera. The camera I wanted to buy had apps available that turned your smart phone into a remote control for the camera. The manufacturers app was only for iphone or android but not for windows phone apps.

This also happened with a remote temperature controller, a sports video analysis program and several others. It seems that I phone has caught up to lumia regarding its' camera and has surpassed the lumia in its video app capability. In my opinion Windows phone has fallen behind. What is worse, when i contacted nokia and windows phone my concerns basically fell on deaf ears.

Unless major changes take place with the Windows Phone apps and the video capabilities I think I will have to go with the i phone when i decide to upgrade.

Step it up Microsoft/Lumia I would like to stay with the windows phone in the future.

 

[batboris]

It is just a phone. You are using it for voice calls, texting, browsing, taking pictures, etc... I don't get this with investing time. It's just a device! On the other side, there is the eco system. And I'm not talking about apps here. I'm talking about the combination of the desktop, tablet, phone and game console. Having all those in one eco system pays off. If you don't have it, switching the handset is a matter of your mood when you wake up in the morning. I've got the entire eco system and I'm happy with it. The only think that excites me even more is the win 10. I want to see it on a phone.
Again, do what makes you happy. I don't know happened with the world. We are talking about phones and tablets like owning/using them is the purpose of our life. But it's not!

 

[hagjohn]

I still love my 1020. I do not think it's old at all. Maybe you need a refresh or something. If I were you, I would at least wait till after threshold and then reevaluate if WP is still for you.

 

[Suicide Stacey]

I think now would be a bad time to leave...last night I saw an advert in British tv advertising Cortana with the 730... I was truly amazed by it. And the new surface pro 3 advert now shows you what it can do rather then a guy talking about it. Microsoft has finally (after many failed attempts) got the advertising spot on..... Since the Cortana advert I believe this will push people to open the option of getting a windows phone as Siri has some serious competition

 

[LTTG]

I'd either go for a Nexus or an iPhone 6.

 

[jlzimmerman]

You have to ask yourself, "Would iOS or Android give me a better overall experience?" If the answer is yes, then don't short change yourself on the premise of loyalty.

Until iOS or Android offer an overall better experience than WP, I will stay. At the moment, WP is the best for me. Yes, their ecosystem lags behind the others, but it has every app I need. The UI is never boring because I can change it and have come to rely on live tiles. MS products and services are great and tie into my work email flawlessly. Nokia's camera quality is unparalleled. I like being unique. Secure. Fast and butter smooth. Inexpensive compared to flagship models from Apple and Android. Privacy is better (than Android anyway). Etc....

 

[Kevin Hill2]

I to got bored with my Windows phone ( L920 ) so I bought a used HTC one M8, I really love that phone, I used it for a few weeks then went back to my 920 for a while then back to the HTC, back and forth for about 3 months, There is a lot of things I really like about Android and it has a lot of advantages when it comes to local Apps. But somethings just Bugged me in the back of my mind every time I used it, I cant even really put my finger on it and it has felt that way even before I started using a Windows phone . I guess the best way to put it is, It is like driving your car down the road and it starts to run out of Gas and it jerks then smooths out and then Jerks and coughs and then smooths out. So you restart your phone and it works great for awhile then it starts lagging after a while and app's start slow. Any way I sold the HTC I never have any of these issues with my Windows phone, there are just some things worth putting up with a little inconvenience for. But you can bet your Bippy I will have a HTC one M8 Windows phone when it comes to AT&T.

 

[EC Translating Services]

Are you in the position to:
A) Wait till Win 10 for phone comes out or
B) Use both platforms for a while and wait?

That's what i am doing. However i am also getting a Note 4 as soon as i can because my Nokia is honestly becoming a pain in the neck and it lacks too much stuff.

 

[jordanzhninja]

Thinking of leaving Windows Phone for good, any thoughts?

Go ahead! All 3 mobile platforms are great and I'm sure you will be happy with an Android or iOS device

 

[Rostyslav Gryvnak1]

Moto X looks very promising

 

[BobLobIaw]

Personally, I don't see any reason to leave Windows Phone if you are an existing user who is uncertain about WP's future because the future is uncertain in all aspects of life. However, everyone has to make his or her own decision in that regard and I don't think you will be persuaded to do otherwise by anyone here.

 

[cbreze]

Switch and enjoy. All the eco systems are constantly evolving. Nothing wrong with switching and if you know what apple's all about already then the learning curve is small, just a readjustment. I see WP getting better and better as the time passes. Taking a break for a period of time and consider coming back later when it's even better than ever is not a bad idea, thought of doing it also. Good Luck!

 

[mmcpher]

There's no accounting for taste! I really have grown to love the customizable live tiles on my Windows 1520, which feels high-end and fresh enough that I really don't want to be tempted by a new high-end Windows Phone right now. I am looking forward to upgrades to the OS which have refreshed the phone repeatedly since I've had it.

Iphones, even the big one, bores the whole of me. I don't see where the great leap forward is there. I am currently test-driving a Blackberry Passport, which is a different and interesting device. But the home screen just sits there. I am already running Windows 10 on a Surface and a Desktop, and I can't wait to see what it might bring on the Phone side. So I'm sticking with Windows Phone.

 

[chezm]

If you want to switch, nobody can stop you.
However, I will stay. I feel like something really great is going to happen with the release of Windows 10. The Universal apps are going to move forward and as long as Windows 10 is a success on desktop (which it looks like it will be), I have belief that it'll encourage developers to create Universal apps that will work on phone also. Hopefully, Windows on phone will gain traction.

I would believe this if more top tier apps on iOS and Android existed on Windows 8.1 (PC, not mobile). Even with the decent traction W8.1 has gained developers are still showing lack of confidence. When Windows 10 releases and we see the app development increase i'll believe it, but before then im being skeptical.

As for the topic, i recently left WP (planning to return when WP10 comes out) for Android and cannot say i regret the choice at all. Honestly like most have said is make the choice thats right for you, weigh the differences between iOS and WP to see which will cater to your needs better. I can guarantee you iOS is the same snore-fest it was many moons ago. My first smartphone was a iPhone 3G, returned to a 5S and got bored of iOS7 within 5 months (came back to WP L1020 and after 6 months i was done with WP8/8.1)...BUT (big BUT) its the most solid mobile OS, seriously the only downside is its lack of customization.

I have HOPES W10 will deliver but I am NOT going to put my money on it. I have put too much $$$ into Microsoft products where I feel i deserved 'more' or i kinda got 'burned' (example being Surface Pro 2, i really felt the device was going to broaden the Music capabilities but right after launch it was dead in the water, another example is MS changing the charging/accessory port from Pro 2 to Pro 3, essentially making my Pro 2 not available anymore).

 

[Jazmac]

I think that is a better move than going with android. Should I make the move, and its still a consideration of mine, I'll be heading to imore. But the lack of phones isn't why I would leave, its the lack of a coherent ecosystem. Coherent doesn't mean perfect because I know that nothing is but that is sorely missing. I still love my L920 with all its battery woes and it is still smooth as butter. But I'm a team kind of guy. I don't see that changing here anytime soon.

 

[fdalbor]

Could not agree more. I use a 820 as my main phone and a Moto G lte as my backup and also to keep up with Android. I don't plan on leaving WP as I like it better than Android. I enjoy using both but have no desire to use Apple as I think they are way to expensive for the same thing you can get on WP and Android for a lot less money.

 

[Desynthesis]

I may be switching in the future, not for reasons of apps--I'm probably in the minority when I say my app needs are very, very basic (browsing, searching, personal assistant, emails, media and maybe a few games). I may be compelled to switch due to the very unfortunate bugs that came with the 8.1 update on my otherwise excellent 8.0 Lumia 925--particularly the audio cracking bug for all songs played off the phone, and internet sharing being broken. Both functioned fine in 8.0.

I'm not happy about it--I used a Dell Venue Pro for 4 years, well after WP8 was released, and it left me confident enough to buy my Lumia 925--but I don't really have a choice. Replacing my Lumia 925 with an 830, for example, just to correct two bugs that came from WP's own updates is a very bitter (and expensive) pill to swallow, but without any solution on the horizon, that seems like the only way I could stay with this ecosystem.

Of course, I'm in a very unique situation: my phone needs to be my primary MP3 player (more and more, all three ecosystems are moving towards streaming music from cloud servers instead of storing), and internet sharing is important (not what to say about that...it's just a bug, plain and simple). My admiration for the Lumia-style handsets won't be enough, and I don't think Microsoft's any more likely to replace a phone bugged by their updates as they are to fix those particular bugs.

Since iTunes on Windows is still...pretty bad to mediocre, even compared to old WMP, that means I'm stuck with Android. I've never needed that diverse an app ecosystem (in the end of the day, my phone is not an app system, it's a phone/media player), but I guess that's a side benefit? First world problems, to be sure.