Hello,
I been using Lumia 800 for a year, then I bought Lumia 920 as soon as it came out. While using WP8, I found that some something that bother me and perhaps fruistrating.
Prior to Lumia 800, I had Iphone 3Gs, I also own an Ipad2 and use it everyday, so you imagine I have quite a library of apps.
There are some of the features which I kind of miss from iOS and also why Im thinking of buying iphone, until major WP update at least.
Windows Phone 8
Software shot comings vs iOS
1.Background applications
In WP, background multitasking only allows 8 tasks to be opened. These tasks then close automatically close if user opens a new app. There is no way to close task manually. If user opens a new app with saved task on background, OS opens apps not to the moment where user left it off, but rather new instance.
2.Notifications
There is no notification centre, so if you didn?t hear or see the notification, you then have to check individual app or look at the tiles. Now, some apps support icon on the lock screen, but for example, Whatsapp doesn?t, so in order for me to check for messages, I have to go through lock screen and look at the tile.
Battery
Have to pull down or touch top of the screen to see the battery level, what?s up with that?
3.Compass
Nokia maps are great, downloadable maps is a unique feature. The only problems I have with Maps on WP8 is that there is no native compass feature. Even though phone does have a compass, default maps still can?t display in what direction I?m facing.
4.Other small missing features
Keyboard shortcuts. In iOS, I can set by typing certain letters, it pastes a shortcut text. Example: I can set it so when I need to type in my email, I press @@ and my full email comes up as a suggestion and after pressing space bar it pastes in.
No multi touch support in software navigation.
Hardware Lumia 920
1.For me personally, phone seems too wide to use with one hand, even though I can manage, it doesn?t sits comfortably when I try to use it one handed.
I wanted to share this to hear your thoughts about my dilema.
1. If I understand this correctly, you can manually close background apps. Hold the back arrow button and the open apps will appear (similar to Safari windows on iOS) and close them by selecting the app and backing out. I would like a better way to actually close them than hitting the back arrow repeatedly.
2. Agreed, it needs a better notification center. You can place 1 app on the lock screen, if you could place multiple apps there it might work. I also have said elsewhere that I do not like the way WP8 displays the status icons.
3. I haven't noticed this, but if you need a compass, there's an app for that. This would be what Apple calls a "third party opportunity."
4. Can't argue this point. It is a limitation of a new OS. Apple has the advantage here; iOS was much the same when first released and has matured over time.
As for the physical attrributes of the phone, absolutely. I have a tough time manipulating the device with one hand - the iPhone is king here. That said, if you want the larger screen that is going to be the trade off.
A lot of people will say "it is just different." True. But different is only a good thing if different is better. I admit, I moved to the Nokia out of boredom as much as anything. It turns out it actually has a few features that are an improvement on the iOS (in my opinion of ocurse

)
1. Nokia drive is a far better application even in Beta than Apple's offereing if you are using your phone for driving. It beats Google's offereing too.
2. The live tiles are an improvement over iOS's static rows of icons. I am not sure if it is a revolutionary leap, but I find it better.
3. The integration of social media like Facebook and Twitter is far suprior to the iOS way.
Overall, I find WP to be a viable, although less mature, alternative to iOS. Depending on what you need it for, it may work as well, better, or not as well as your current choice.
In broad terms, I find WP8 to be in between iOS and Android in practice. It has the tight control on app and specs that iOS has but is open enough to work on multiple devices like Android.
Pickup an Android device and there is going to be a learning curve, Pick up any Apple device and the OS works the same, but it has to come from Apple. Pick up any current WP8 device and the OS funtions the same, but you have options on whose device to purchase, Nokia, HTC etc.