Why I don't like WP Mango

[apRPhle]

I think you've hit the nail on the head, which leaves the question: so what is the solution? Do MS up the system requirements for WP, whilst increasing the price dramatically of an OS that needs to attract more of the marketshare?

In my opinion, the only way for WP to gain market share in the mobile industry is to update their phone specs. For example, if I have 2 phones with the same hardware specs (i.e. dual core vs dual core, 4.3 inch vs 4.3 inch, FFC vs FFC, 1GB RAM vs 1GB RAM, LTE vs LTE and etc) then what else are you going to look at next...the OS right? Once consumers are able to look past hardware specs and truly EXPERIENCE with each of the OS's (iOS, android, mango) are they then able to make a wise consumer choice. Nowadays, consumers (the ones that aren't tech savvy) are all about name brand and physical features, especially so in the U.S. (Im from the U.S. by the way). As I mentioned before in my previous post, Im intrigued to see how the Nokia Lumia 900 does bc not only do specs sell, looks sell as well. The Nokia Lumia 800 and 900 are great looking phones and I think that'll help out a lot when it comes to increasing WP sales.

Does the price in windows phone need to go up in order to compensate for the higher specs...yup, they sure do. The thing is, I dont think price matters anymore. When I see kids and teenagers with iphones, it just clearly shows me that price doesn't matter. It tells me their parents are willing to pay for it OR the kids are willing to save up enough money to buy a $100-$300 phone. Plus, if WP hardware is comparable with other competing hardware then prices will all be the same anyway b/c in order for Apple, Samsung, LG, Nokia & HTC to continue to compete in the market, they'll all price their high end phones around the same (i.e. iphone 4S 32 GB is $299 vs. Samsung Galaxy Nexus 32GB $299).

Since joining this forum and lurking on various others, something I've noticed is this bizarre hatred for MS, which seems to be focused in the US. Don't get me wrong, I've been well aware of their negative press for a long time, but up until now, I've realised that a lot of it seems to be a US thing. I can honestly say that, not once has a phone rep attempted to steer me away from WP, here in the UK... and I routinely walk into mobile phone stores when I'm out and about. Actually, it was an Orange phone rep that steered my away from BB and hooked me up with a WP. The only negative thing I can say is their lack of product knowledge.

Windows just has a bad rep in the U.S. period. To be honest, when I was switching from webOS, the only reason I looked at WP was bc of the hardware. When I saw the Nokia Lumia 800, I was like WOW, I WANT THAT NOW; but when I found out that it was running windows, I was like, UGH! However, I liked the phone so much (once again going back to my point about HARDWARE SELLS...buuut take that with a grain of salt, I have a palm pre now so all us webOS users have been longing for some new hardware hahaha) that I walked into a AT&T store to try out a HTC titan running mango and needless to say, I was impressed; and once again that goes back to my "Looking pass the hardware and having a user EXPERIENCE" point. Personally, I feel that MS should've named their phone OS differently, the fact that it's called windows phone will immediately turn people away, ESPECIALLY in the U.S. where Apple reigns supreme.

For those that don't believe me when I say Apple reigns supreme, well, here you go....

 

[mkr10001]

For those that don't believe me when I say Apple reigns supreme, well, here you go....
Click to view quoted image

OK a room of apple nerds....I'm sure you could find a room full of windows geeks

 

[Big Supes]

In my opinion, the only way for WP to gain market share in the mobile industry is to update their phone specs. For example, if I have 2 phones with the same hardware specs (i.e. dual core vs dual core, 4.3 inch vs 4.3 inch, FFC vs FFC, 1GB RAM vs 1GB RAM, LTE vs LTE and etc) then what else are you going to look at next...the OS right?

But, surely... wouldn't you be comparing the OS's, anyway. Responsiveness, speeds, smoothness, etc. Further more, you can do that now (on a single core processor) and Windows Phone will still shine. I get what you're saying, but I have a hard time dismissing logic in order to appease the tech-numpties.

Once consumers are able to look past hardware specs and truly EXPERIENCE with each of the OS's (iOS, android, mango) are they then able to make a wise consumer choice. Nowadays, consumers (the ones that aren't tech savvy) are all about name brand and physical features, especially so in the U.S. (Im from the U.S. by the way). As I mentioned before in my previous post, Im intrigued to see how the Nokia Lumia 900 does bc not only do specs sell, looks sell as well. The Nokia Lumia 800 and 900 are great looking phones and I think that'll help out a lot when it comes to increasing WP sales.

Does the price in windows phone need to go up in order to compensate for the higher specs...yup, they sure do. The thing is, I dont think price matters anymore. When I see kids and teenagers with iphones, it just clearly shows me that price doesn't matter. It tells me their parents are willing to pay for it OR the kids are willing to save up enough money to buy a $100-$300 phone. Plus, if WP hardware is comparable with other competing hardware then prices will all be the same anyway b/c in order for Apple, Samsung, LG, Nokia & HTC to continue to compete in the market, they'll all price their high end phones around the same (i.e. iphone 4S 32 GB is $299 vs. Samsung Galaxy Nexus 32GB $299).



Windows just has a bad rep in the U.S. period. To be honest, when I was switching from webOS, the only reason I looked at WP was bc of the hardware. When I saw the Nokia Lumia 800, I was like WOW, I WANT THAT NOW; but when I found out that it was running windows, I was like, UGH! However, I liked the phone so much (once again going back to my point about HARDWARE SELLS...buuut take that with a grain of salt, I have a palm pre now so all us webOS users have been longing for some new hardware hahaha) that I walked into a AT&T store to try out a HTC titan running mango and needless to say, I was impressed; and once again that goes back to my "Looking pass the hardware and having a user EXPERIENCE" point. Personally, I feel that MS should've named their phone OS differently, the fact that it's called windows phone will immediately turn people away, ESPECIALLY in the U.S. where Apple reigns supreme.

For those that don't believe me when I say Apple reigns supreme, well, here you go....
Click to view quoted image

I agree regarding price, but only when we're talking about Apple and the iSheep. Ha! Sounds like a children's book. Anyhow, the reason I say this is because, to generalise, I find Apple and they're customers quite pretentious. They all kinda dress the same, carry the same little carry-cases and genuinely think they're 'the cool kids'. Apple are constantly telling us we're worthless without iProducts and it seems to work on a lot of people. Android substantiate their prices through 'specs', but fail to tell you that their crappy OS demands it. Windows has always, IMO, more sensible on price. I'd like them to continue this approach by taking logical steps forward and gearing WP with the hardware it requires. If you want to appeal to the cool gang, surely this professional approach will eventually prevail. For the love I logic, I hope it does. I can't live in a world for glitchy Android and iSheep.

As for the picture, correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't Apple still only have around 9% of the PC marketshare? Not really reigning supreme...

 

[N8ter]

I find it disturbing how willing people are to dismiss hardware specs.

I think when people start looking past the base OS they'll understand why it matters more than they let on.

Cause a smooth OS on old hardware that runs laggy apps and games is worse than an OS with some UI latency on uber hardware that can run every high end app or game for the next two years flawlessly...

Apple has low marketshare because they insist on pricing themselves out of a large segment of the market. If Apple had Macs in Walmart for $349 like those cheap emachines and laptops for $348-448 like those cheap HP and Acer bricks (which still have specs comparable to MacBooks and iMacs, mind you, in many cases) there they'd have a lot more marketshare.

Citing Apple's marketshare is like saying Ferrari sucks cause their marketshare is low. Seriously now...

 

[theefman]

I find it disturbing how willing people are to dismiss hardware specs.

I think when people start looking past the base OS they'll understand why it matters more than they let on.

Cause a smooth OS on old hardware that runs laggy apps and games is worse than an OS with some UI latency on uber hardware that can run every high end app or game for the next two years flawlessly...

The performance factor of apps and games is more to do with the limitation of using managed code rather than any hardware deficiency, as demonstrated by the difference in performance between the builtin and 3rd party applications.

 

[N8ter]

The performance factor of apps and games is more to do with the limitation of using managed code rather than any hardware deficiency, as demonstrated by the difference in performance between the builtin and 3rd party applications.

That is exactly my point. Thanks for agreeing.

With better hardware the managed code can potentially perform much better assuming the runtime is optimized for that hardware.

Also, an SoC with a crappy GPU will still have a crappy GPU regardless of whether or not you're using managed or native code. The hardware has hard limitations built-in, regardless of what other factors you bring up (which only compound the issue and lend more validity to people's dismissal of the platform based on the hardware on which it is being installed).

 

[shubhashish]

There is a reason why WP7 doesn't have built in notifications (which is a standard on other platforms). This is the single most sore point in the phone.

There isn't a single Twitter client which has push notifications option. Even the Facebook app on WP7 looks like a hush-hush job. I have tried comparing push notifications on an iPhone4, Samsung Galaxy SII and Lumia 800. The Lumia is really slow when it comes to Facebook notifications. Let alone Twitter, because there is no app that has the feature as of now.

So, the question is, something as standard as push notifications, is absent on this platform and even app developers are struggling/not providing the feature. This says a lot about the OS and its development.

 

[KingCrimson]

There is a reason why WP7 doesn't have built in notifications (which is a standard on other platforms). This is the single most sore point in the phone.

There isn't a single Twitter client which has push notifications option. Even the Facebook app on WP7 looks like a hush-hush job. I have tried comparing push notifications on an iPhone4, Samsung Galaxy SII and Lumia 800. The Lumia is really slow when it comes to Facebook notifications. Let alone Twitter, because there is no app that has the feature as of now.

So, the question is, something as standard as push notifications, is absent on this platform and even app developers are struggling/not providing the feature. This says a lot about the OS and its development.

Wait a minute, who needs a notifications center anyways?