What's the state of Windows 10 Mobile? Is it worth it right now?

[anon(9895094)]

I have the 950 dual SIM for about four months after being with Apple since 3G. I like it a lot, I really have no problem with stability issues. My problems are two. #1 is that I have to learn a whole new OS and I'm pretty busy to do that, sometimes it drives me INSANE when I need something quickly and can't figure it out. But for people with time on their hands, or people familiar with the OS, this shouldn't be an issue. #2 is the lack of some apps that are essential for me. I am by very far not an app person - had barely 10-20 max on the iPhone that I used more often. However due to the lack of some apps on Win10M (for example Waze), I keep a second active phone/line, an iPhone 6. Never had an Android phone.

 

[rinosaur]

I have the 950 dual SIM for about four months after being with Apple since 3G. I like it a lot, I really have no problem with stability issues. My problems are two. #1 is that I have to learn a whole new OS and I'm pretty busy to do that, sometimes it drives me INSANE when I need something quickly and can't figure it out. But for people with time on their hands, or people familiar with the OS, this shouldn't be an issue. #2 is the lack of some apps that are essential for me. I am by very far not an app person - had barely 10-20 max on the iPhone that I used more often. However due to the lack of some apps on Win10M (for example Waze), I keep a second active phone/line, an iPhone 6. Never had an Android phone.

Would you find WM a viable option if you didn't have the 2nd line/iPhone? I don't imagine many having two lines unless one is work issued.

 

[jeffchapik]

I sometimes get: random restarts, sounds not working, screen freezes, screen unresponsive, screen won't come on unless charger is plugged in, phone won't turn on, phone shuts off when battery isn't low, phone displays wrong battery percentage, and now my microphone doesn't work which results in people saying i sound far away. This list is not exhaustive and I think the last one is hardware. Other issues include apps crashing on launch, and on the latest built, not notifying me that I have messages.

What phone/release? Not that I doubt you - just curious. My 640 runs extremely smoothly on 14393.103.

 

[Raygreen3]

I was thinking that Microsoft may have to do what Blackberry did and have android apps or iOS apps or both run on the platform. Just because right now no one is really porting apps over to Windows phones.

Although Bank of America, Wells Fargo have reintroduced new Windows Mobile apps. I also found a bunch of other apps that suddenly are available that were not 6 months ago. Nest, Honeywell both now have apps that work with my thermostat and Smoke Detectors. I really want to see Myfitnesspal come back with a new app. I can still use the one I have on my phone. But its not available in the Windows Store if I ever uninstall it. I really like using the bar code scanning feature which would not be available on the website.

 

[anon(9895094)]

Would you find WM a viable option if you didn't have the 2nd line/iPhone? I don't imagine many having two lines unless one is work issued.

Tough to say, for me... Ever since I discovered Waze, I can't imagine being on the road without it. So I'd think that if I had to choose, I'd probably choose iphone with Waze over winphone without it... Now i'm paying $20 extra per month just to be able to use Waze - the iphone stays in the car pretty much like a GPS And the bad part is, that it's not only Waze, there are several other apps that are pretty important to me but I can somehow manage without them. And I would imagine that the chances are, that everybody has some essential apps like that, that are not available to Win10M. Moreover, just got the MS Band, MS Health hardly works with anything, there are no normal health apps for Win10M, I actually started taking the iphone out of the car to use it for some health things; then, just decided to check this MS Wallet thing, good thing that I happen to have a BOA credit card, otherwise useless (still pretty useless, cause I have better credit cards that I have to use). I was pretty optimistic when I started to write this post, but actually writing it, I started wondering why am I really doing this to myself? A friend of mine is correct when he calls me a martyr for using the Winphone )) But to your question, is it viable, yes it is )) I am running a business and using the phone a lot... I was in Europe, used the two SIMs feature... I mean, it's fine. But then again, I'm very good at this martyrdom stuff ))

 

[anon(9895094)]

Although Bank of America, Wells Fargo have reintroduced new Windows Mobile apps. I also found a bunch of other apps that suddenly are available that were not 6 months ago. Nest, Honeywell both now have apps that work with my thermostat and Smoke Detectors. I really want to see Myfitnesspal come back with a new app. I can still use the one I have on my phone. But its not available in the Windows Store if I ever uninstall it. I really like using the bar code scanning feature which would not be available on the website.

Yup, I just posted and then saw your post, that's what I'm talking about I mean, I don't care about the bank apps, I prefer going to the web, but in order to add a card to the Wallet, apparently it has to be with a participating bank only, you can't just add any mastercard or visa card. discover or amex, forget it. And, myfitnesspal, exactly. Not only no app, but the syncing between MS Health and their site got broken or something, so I moved to loseit! although I'm into gaining ) And still have to use my iphone for the scanning... By buying the 950 I wanted to eliminate having to have 2 phones with one sim each, now I have 2 phones with 3 sims ))))

 

[707wpfan]

Before buying----- Bing search
"Lumia 950- this device is locked for security reasons. connect to a power source for at least 2 hrs, then restart"

I've been around since winmo 6.5 and this 950/win10 support is HORRIBLE.
Microsoft doesn't care after the sale, they just tell us to do another hard/factory reset.

 

[vader42]

Thought I'd chime in. I am an ex symbian/bb10/android user who decided to give w10m a go. I dont have any social media accounts, so don't really care about those sort of apps. I use my phone more as one device fits all mini pc type thing. Email, web, games every now and then, editing docs etc, take lots of pics/videos. I have the Ms dock and have thrown away my (granted old) laptop. I only use my 950xl at home. It is rock solid, great battery life, works surprisingly well as a low power pc and can, when required, run some impressive games. I run some old games emulators with an Xbox controller on my 24 inch HDMI monitor. Works really well. Of all the phone os out there, w10m is the only one which behaves like a pc. By this I mean it looks like a pc (outlook, edge etc). I never thought I would buy a windows mobile, but I am so glad I did.

 

[ananve]

@icht, have you tried gMap app. I think it's a good alternative to Waze. I have an app called active fitness and it has option to sync with Band. The app is reliable.
@vader that's a wonderful experience.

 

[Raygreen3]

WAZE actually works better since I upgraded to Windows 10 Mobile, I now have Voice guidance without road names. With Windows 8.1 mobile I had lost all Voice Guidance.

 

[Wietse-0803]

I don't understand why they continue to develop Windows 10 Mobile if there are no devices obtainable anymore within some months?
Very sad for me as an UWP developer ...

 

[Maurizio Troso]

I don't understand why they continue to develop Windows 10 Mobile if there are no devices obtainable anymore within some months?
Very sad for me as an UWP developer ...

Maybe because a new devive needs a full developed Redstone 2

 

[Raygreen3]

It seems that I keep hearing that Microsoft is killing off the Windows Phone and not even offering it in their stores and not giving it warranty coverage like it does its laptops. I hate to see the end of the Windows Phone. It could mean the end of Windows altogether. I just hope they are planning a Windows Surface phone. I dread going back to an iPhone or a Android phone. I have used both and have a Galaxy S5 that I hate using in the car. It just is not car friendly like the Windows Phone. Where else can you get a solid running feature backed nice looking durable phone for $40 but a Windows 640.

 

[Maurizio Troso]

It seems that I keep hearing that Microsoft is killing off the Windows Phone and not even offering it in their stores and not giving it warranty coverage like it does its laptops. I hate to see the end of the Windows Phone. It could mean the end of Windows altogether. I just hope they are planning a Windows Surface phone. I dread going back to an iPhone or a Android phone. I have used both and have a Galaxy S5 that I hate using in the car. It just is not car friendly like the Windows Phone. Where else can you get a solid running feature backed nice looking durable phone for $40 but a Windows 640.

Warranty coverage is due by law in the most of countries, in Europe lasts 2 years since buying e.g.

 

[anon(9895094)]

@icht, have you tried gMap app. I think it's a good alternative to Waze. I have an app called active fitness and it has option to sync with Band. The app is reliable.
@vader that's a wonderful experience.

I don't use Waze as much for navigation, but against coppers That's where it's value is for me I'll try the Active Fitness app, thanks.

@@ vader - Ditto!

 

[anon(9895094)]

WAZE actually works better since I upgraded to Windows 10 Mobile, I now have Voice guidance without road names. With Windows 8.1 mobile I had lost all Voice Guidance.

Better is not good enough for me. I need it 100%, this particular app at least... I was kinda neutral towards Google, maybe even slightly positive, but them withdrawing support for Waze for W10M right after acquiring it made me HATE them )

 

[Nokia_Lumia]

I don't use Waze as much for navigation, but against coppers That's where it's value is for me I'll try the Active Fitness app, thanks.

@@ vader - Ditto!

In the 3-some years of Windows Phone 8.x existence, there has not been a solution for traffic-based navigation. HERE announced it in the "next" updates in 2013 (I remember reading some Pino Bonetti guy, I think on their forums). Obviously, all development for HERE on Windows Phone was halted since 2013 after it was not included in the deal. Have you tried the "Maps" on Windows 10 Mobile with traffic? Does it provide voice turn-by-turn guidance, and LIVE traffic avoidance/rerouting?

 

[Tarequl Islam]

Well native maps is perfect in every sphere but name of places. Other features are useless because of lack of naming of places as well as name of restaurant, businesses, service points, buildings etc. Cause you can't use it if you can't fine all the places you search.

 

[Piyush Sharma1]

If you can wait, wait for Surface phone.

 

[phelme]

Sygic offers live traffic display during navigation (for a fee). It's disappointing that MS has apparently jettisoned live traffic display during navigation in the Preview builds for the WM10 Maps app; they'll show it before you start routing. Can't get a straight answer out of them as to what happened to it.