What is going to convince Android/IOS users to get Windows phone in the future?

[mikepalma]

Apps

 

[ODwyerPW]

IF all of our Windows 10 devices played together.... HomeGroup/FileSharing/MediaLibraries without having to go out on the cloud and make sync'd copies of everything.. It's unbelievable that my WIndows 10 powered phone cannot browse my home network, see my media library on my desktop and let me access them.... Ditto for photos on my phone... Why can't my desktop see them... and download them to my media library... I have a home network... why do I have to do everything through cloud. Cloud has it's place when traveling or remote, but there should be other methods of accessing your stuff once you are home or local...

IF people saw this seemless operation between their new cell phones and their laptops/desktops/printers that they already own, well they'd see even more reason to stay withn the WIndows network... But when an Android phone can attach to a shared drive on a Windows system and a Windows phone cannot? Well explain which is better??

Meantime..ignore that nice local wifi network you've got at home... It's get out the USB cables or set up the 3rd Party Cloud system and fetch across the Internet to share things between devices that belong to the same family, often stored within 100 feet of each other. That madness has to stop..

 

[Johnny Tremaine]

but what is going to convince Android and IOS users to switch?

Android users? Maybe.

iOS users won't switch. Once you get an iPhone, you're too committed to all the sunk costs of various cables, docks, paid apps and third party accessories, to switch to anything else.
Plus, iMessage.

 

[anon(7929613)]

It's the sluggishness of Android and poor design of OS that will force them to move to Windows. It's just a matter of time when people will get BORED with black and white and poorly designed interface of Android.

 

[colinkiama]

It's the sluggishness of Android and poor design of OS that will force them to move to Windows. It's just a matter of time when people will get BORED with black and white and poorly designed interface of Android.

WP is black and white. Also white theme on wp looks really cool. Especially on windows 10.

 

[Adriano Silva]

As long as this feeling that I can not do with windows phone what I can do with Android / IOS, no one will change platform.

Lack of quality apps. Have the apps simply does not solve (see Facebook, Instagram and Flipboard).

The Flipboard specifically is a joke. Does not have the effect that naming the app (the flip).

So it's hard.

 

[mohit9206]

Marketing aside, Microsoft also needs to improve their image when it comes to Windows Phones.
Advertising business features like One Drive, One Note, etc isn't helping. Currently Android is a very free OS with lot of customization options and iPhone is least customizable and closed but refined OS. Microsoft is stuck in the middle when it comes to Windows Phone.
Recent news that 4gb Windows Phones will not be upgraded to Windows 10 doesn't instill much confidence. Its a 180 again.
Don't forget that hundreds of thousands of people who did buy phones like Lumia 530 will not buy another Windows Phone after Microsoft has shafted them.
Let me tell you the real challenge that Microsoft has with Windows Phone. Its not trying to get Android and iOS users to switch but to retain its current user base because from what I've been seeing, people are getting fed up of Microsoft's unfulfilled promises and can't wait to switch to Android or iPhone.

 

[Shelley Jeltema]

People who really have to use their phones as a hand-held computer will switch in a New York Second. There is no comparison in performance or functionality between Windows Phones and Android or Apple. All I have to do is connect up to the projector in the meeting room and run slide shows and edit documents right there on my phone and everyone in the room wants a Windows Phone. The app store seems to be the biggest sticking point for Apple and Android users, but really do you need 100 crapps that find your GPS location? What really is a Windows Phone killer is Microsoft not making the Lumia Collection from Windows Phone 8 available for Windows 10. The Here+ apps were fantastic as were the other apps put out by Nokia. Three colleagues switched to WP 8 just because of these apps. So do what you need to do Microsoft and bring these apps to WP 10.

One of the last things people like about my Windows Phone is being able to easily remote desktop into their PCs and the ability to "share" your settings over many devices. I do not use social media, so I could not care less if these apps ever make it to Windows Phone.

 

[Laura Knotek]

The Here+ apps were fantastic as were the other apps put out by Nokia. Three colleagues switched to WP 8 just because of these apps. So do what you need to do Microsoft and bring these apps to WP 10.

Nokia sold HERE Maps to a consortium of German automakers. Nokia sells HERE to Audi, BMW and Daimler for $3 billion | Windows Central

 

[luxnws]

1) Right now, unless a person works for an all-Microsoft shop, there really is no need for an Apple or Android user to buy a Windows Phone device.

2) For a person who doesn't own a cell phone, a low-end Windows Phone is better than a feature phone. Unfortunately, who knows how long the current inventory of low-end Windows Phones will last if the latest news that Microsoft is not supplying T-Mobile with any more Lumia 640s is a sign of what's to come over the next few quarters.

I was wondering if T-Mobile would be selling the 640 under $50 during the holiday season. AT&T would have been forced to match that price and maybe even go even lower. That would have brought back memories of the 520/521 in 2013/2014. Looks that kind of intra-WP price competition won't be happening this Christmas season.

3) For existing users on both Windows Phone and Android/iOS devices, it depends how long and to what extent Microsoft supports Windows 10 Mobile after launch. We've seen recently how Microsoft corporate has been cutting losses by discontinuing unprofitable products and services.

It is in the realm of the possible that Windows Phones market share will drop over the next few quarters, even with the launch of the flagship phones. It's hard to imagine the Lumia 950 selling as well as the Lumia 520 did back in 2013 when Windows Phone reached 4%+ market share. To me, the 640 was the best hope for the last part of the year but if fewer carriers and retailers are selling the 640 (and other low-end WP phones?), a falling market share for WP looks very possible.

So if the Windows Phones market share drops below 2%, will Microsoft be as committed to the phone-specific os version? What about at 1.5% market share? Microsoft will have to absorb the losses supporting the phone-specific version of Windows 10 but maybe being hidden within the overall Windows 10 segment might shield it from the bean counters.

 

[Johnny Tremaine]

1)

So if the Windows Phones market share drops below 2%, will Microsoft be as committed to the phone-specific os version? What about at 1.5% market share? Microsoft will have to absorb the losses supporting the phone-specific version of Windows 10 but maybe being hidden within the overall Windows 10 segment might shield it from the bean counters.

Microsoft may end up throwing the towel in, in a face-saving roundabout way: if the 950/950XL devices tank, barely shifting any units, they can announce that, going forward, they'll get out of the way of their partner OEMs and completely get out of the phone hardware business, and offer W10 Mobile for free, as they currently do, to any interested OEM.
But since Lumia devices make up 97% of the Windows phone market share, they'd be essentially shutting that division down.

 

[tgp]

Microsoft may end up throwing the towel in, in a face-saving roundabout way: if the 950/950XL devices tank, barely shifting any units, they can announce that, going forward, they'll get out of the way of their partner OEMs and completely get out of the phone hardware business, and offer W10 Mobile for free, as they currently do, to any interested OEM.

IF something like this is on the table, I think it might be a bit different. The following is all theoretical, my fabrication (more than likely precisely that!):

Maybe by the time Microsoft decided to shut the phone division down, development for Cityman and Talkman was far enough along that they decided it was worth it to release them anyway. For one thing, they already canceled McLaren, and doing the same thing a year later might have a ripple effect. Although the mobile division is insignificant in size, it could harm their image, negatively affecting sales of other products with customers not trusting them anymore. Also, releasing Cityman and Talkman would give OEMs a chance to see W10M in action at someone else's expense. The OEMs do not have to risk producing devices with a yet unseen W10M that may or may not sell. Maybe, by having Cityman and Talkman on the market, OEMs would like what they see and decide to produce W10M phones, even if Microsoft gets out of the phone hardware business.

Again, the above is all theoretical, and I do not actually think that is what's happening. I am just adding to the post I quoted as to how a (very unlikely) mobile division closure might be played out.

I do have another question that has to do with the Nokia writedown: doesn't Microsoft have to do something with the division besides saying, "Hey, this business isn't so profitable after all, so we're going to write it off so we can pay less in income taxes.", and then continue with business as usual? It seems to me that there is more to it than that. Couldn't any business simply write off any purchase they make?

What if Microsoft's phone division later becomes profitable? I know that Microsoft did basically lose that money since the division showed no profit, but no big purchase like that has a 1 year ROI. There's no way they were going to recoup the purchase price after 1 year even if it had been profitable. They wrote of $7.6 billion. If they had made a profit of $1 billion (not counting the purchase price), they would not have written off $6.6 billion. I just don't see how they can write it off and keep going normally.

 

[manders500]

I am actually thinking of jumping back to Android with the Note 5 or Edge 6+. I have the ICON while my wife and the M8 Android and there are apps or features in apps that I just cannot get with windows mobile. I love how my phone never gets slow but there are just things that are missing that I am starting to need.

I want to try porting some apps but I am having a hard time finding how to download Android apps without a droid. My wife lives on hers so using hers is not really an option.

 

[faith3935]

Banks apps along with the more popular apps found on iOS and Android devices. Better Microsoft services, unique and well inspired designs, innovative features and competitive flagships.

 

[MikeSo]

Apps. Apps. Apps.

THAT is what matters. NOTHING ELSE.

How Microsoft gets there is their business - make it easy to convert Android apps, whatever. I don't know, but they need to have the apps there. It's the ONLY thing that will convince people. And lack of apps is the ONLY thing that has kept me from recommending WP. I honestly can't, with the way things are.

Here's a conversation I just saw from two FB contacts, both of whom have been WP users before:

Name1: I ended up moving to a Android phone myself. I just couldn't handle the Windows os as nice as it was.
Name2: I loved the Nokia phone. The camera was amazing, but you're right, Windows is a complete disaster.
Name1: I loved the camera too. I also do actually really like the OS itself, the lack of updates on the apps that are available were difficult to overcome. And the facebook app just left a lot to be desired.
Name2: I completely and totally agree, every word.

Microsoft can do whatever they want with the OS. They can put unicorns in it, but if the apps are not plentiful AND UPDATED, nothing else matters.

 

[MikeSo]

Oh not this again, what's so bad about them. The Facebook app looks like the Android app, which looks like the iOS app. So if you're still using the WP7 app purely for nostalgia purposes then it's time you upgraded from that POS. Microsoft don't have a say in the design as that is determined by Facebook. The Twitter app, just like the Facebook app, does exactly what it's intended to do so what exactly is bad about that.

If you think the WP Facebook app is like the iOS and Android versions, that just shows that you never really use them. The WP app is MUCH much worse than the competitors. It's not even close. I can guarantee that the terrible FB app is one of the reasons people leave or don't come to WP.

 

[MikeSo]

It's the sluggishness of Android and poor design of OS that will force them to move to Windows. It's just a matter of time when people will get BORED with black and white and poorly designed interface of Android.

My Moto G with Lollipop is faster than the comparably spec'd Lumia 635. Maybe Android used to be slow, but Lollipop is frankly a pretty fantastic OS. With W10M on it, the Lumia 635 is MUCH slower than the Moto G, hoping that the final version of W10M will be as fast as Android.

 

[dby2011]

I switched from a Lumia 822 to a Galaxy S5 and was amazed what I was missing all these years. With Cortana now available, there really isn't a Microsoft service I am missing from Lumia 822. The ability to bank on my phone, pay for my Startbucks and have an actual working and functional music player is so refreshing on my Android phone. It is about apps. I don't think the high end phones are going to help the situation- Microsoft is too far behind to catch up. Here is my prediction of what will happen. Next Spring Microsoft will base Windows mobile off of Android, include it's own custom tile launcher, and join forces with Amazon for their app store. Amazon needs something since their own phone flopped and Microsoft needs apps, win/win situation to me.

 

[michail71]

Does android have anything like the people tiles did in windows 8.1? It allowed for history and combined notifications (email, text, calls, etc.) for individual contacts.

Windows 10 removed all that to make round profile pictures. All the functionality scrapped from 8.1 along with a harder to use UI is making me want to jump.

 

[Tien-Lin Chang]

There is no comparison in performance or functionality between Windows Phones and Android or Apple. All I have to do is connect up to the projector in the meeting room and run slide shows and edit documents right there on my phone and everyone in the room wants a Windows Phone.

Dude is really funny how you describe it as that's a privilege only belongs to Windows phone. With airplay/miracast and office app, that current smart phone on no matter what platform can do that.

I think this stereotype thing are stucking in too deep in many WP fans' mind. WP more business-oriented, WP is always fast, Android slow and lags, app is not important.....blah blah blah.

With only two devices equipped QCom S800 level processing power. The rest are just slow after updated to 8.1. My ATIV S is like had a stroke and just resuming everywhere.....

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Does windows phone create a crack in time during operation and stuck who ever use it in 2012 forever?