Windows 10 Mobile Thoughts...

[roystreet]

*Now, I've seen in the past people getting treating harshly for these thoughts - I hope it isn't the case this time. This is just an honest assessment & a request for you're constructive thoughts or experiences you may have for me & others coming to similar thoughts.

I'm a long time Windows user whether it's for home use, building computers, running servers, & dealing with network infrastructure. I still prefer Windows when it comes to my personal computer. I use a Surface Pro 3 & love it. A well built machine. I have used & enjoyed having a Nokia 920 & 1520. The Windows 8/10 OS's are nice Windows Mobile experiences. I've finally come to a fork in the road, especially since it was time to get a new device.

I find problems though as "I survey the land" so to speak...The ecosystem as a whole includes not only apps or hardware, but everything that is available or will be made available for that particular OS

Accessories:
I go to the store to buy accessories, like may be a nice watch & how many fully work with Windows Mobile? Maybe a fitness device for my wife. Basically none, except for the Band. The fitbit works for the most part, but it's still not fully compatible. I like the band though. I look around the accessories area & find many products that are made for iOS for controlling or monitoring various aspects of your home to even health equipment - I believe even blood pressure monitors. I usually don't even have a doubt in my mind that there will be many made for the iPhone. In fact, I'd be surprised if there wasn't one. If I'm looking for one for our Windows phones, my mind already almost always starts with a doubt I'll find one or there won't be many to chose from. Odds begin to be pretty high there isn't even one. I also know that usually if there's one I'm looking for, iPhone's usually have several competitors for you to choose from.

Apps:
I then see stores that I may frequent & see "check out our app" & I usually always at least see iOS. I have been waiting for things to change. I've had 3rd party apps, some very, very nice. Some you can totally feel like they are clunky & don't work very well. I've been very, very hopeful for things to change. I've even converted a few people to Windows.

Phone Device Hardware:
The 950XL is what I have had my eyes on to get - I was almost sure to get it...I have to say (& I don't think I'm the only one) It still isn't available. I know, I know you can order it at some places now. Most of the time I see Nokia/Microsoft hardware is superior when considering phones themselves...Great camera & being able to throw in a huge SD card is wonderful!! When someone tells me that MS has new Windows phone that has great hardware, I'm not surprised in the slightest! Of course they usually do!! I've gotten excited about it

Although, now I'm seeing other devices are getting better cameras, even Optical Stabilization is on the iPhone 6S+

Multitude of App:
Then I see the multitude of apps available for iOS, many may be junk, but there's this inner feeling that for certain you'll almost always find at least one good one. That inner feeling gives many people a level of comfort. Now tech enthusiast like myself don't have to depend on that feeling, but it still is nice.

MS Office...I love MS Office, there's a nice version on iOS not made by a 3rd party like Data-Viz, but made by MS themselves. Don't get me wrong, I used & liked Data-Viz software, even from the old Palm days. I know apps are a matter of taste & need. So, yes, you may see little to no 'app gap' or you may see this gigantic gulf that's so big the word "gap" doesn't describe it well. Unfortunately, I now see the gap.

Other Users:
I don't necessarily greatly care about what the guy next to me at the store is using or what he thinks about what I'm using... When it comes to friends & family - Usually there are many who have an iOS device. Also, even at work...I was the only Windows user. That didn't stop me from being a Windows user though.

Other Thoughts:
I've previously had 2 iPhone's before Windows. I took the jump to Windows. I feel like over & over it's a waiting game. I've rejoiced with updates, I've enjoyed being an insider most of the time. I like the concept of universal apps, but I don't really want my phone to be used as my computer instead of my Surface. Yea, it'd be nice for some small things. Maybe it's good for some business users on the go.

When getting a device like a phone, I consider not just the hardware, but the whole ecosystem. Yes, iPhone's are spendy, but look at the ecosystem. iOS is fluid & dependable - I do like the eye candy... Just like I like UI aspects of Windows Mobile & it's only getting better!! Although there's a comfort in my mind that I know there's probably an app available for some specific need for a project or even one for the store I like to on iOS. Tiles are a feature that would be great on an iPhone, but the lack of them isn't enough to stop me from moving on. I like the Apple support. I'm not saying MS gave bad support. The MS services I use are right there for iPhone. Battery life is reasonable on a 6s+- It's kinda hard to beat the battery life on my 1520. I'm not all into the arrogance of any companies fans... Every company has fans & then they have fans that go too far into some superiority complex. The iPhone just works.

Common Theme:
I don't believe in purely getting what is the most popular device. As I've been a part of this site, there is something very common in the Windows Mobile world. Common concerns/complaints, if you will. After a time of hearing the common words & seeing many things that validate them, you start to see the big picture. We have reminded ourselves individually or at least you've read it's spoken by others about fears of whether MS will continue or no longer support their own OS or devices...Why is this common? Why has MS had to reassure us as users that they will continue to support Windows Mobile? I know low market share can cause that concern, but also MS own actions cause those thoughts to arise. I know it also goes down to hardware and developers also. From what I see - Generally speaking - I don't see a lot of promoting of their own platform. I see a general ignorance AT&T of how Windows Mobile works - I was just there the other day helping out a friend & AT&T didn't really know what they were doing. And very few Windows phones available & there are several models.

Why has MS released their Office apps on Andriod or iOS, but not their own OS? Although we know they are coming, thankfully. Why is it now not surprising at all that they release some app for one of their services first on the iPhone or release a better version first? Even Cortana - Which is way better than Siri, they're developing an iOS version now.

Sure, making their apps & services on other platforms is very wise for business. But as a user, how does that support my "internal case" of why I should stick with MS Mobile? What it does is build a case of, you can still have those nice apps & services MS has on a device that is in an ecosystem that is more robust & broad. Even if wereI go to sell my 1520's that I have, how much resell value do they have - I know I can't expect much - Even though it's good hardware. I know generally iPhone's have a very good resell value (Surprisingly at times)

When it comes to my desktop/tablet experience I want full Windows 10 over OSX anytime. There are tons of apps that run on it, the ecosystem is very robust & broad - Very well established. I'll be sure they'll be accessories & competing devices. I'll be sure good support from MS (Most of the time at least for my Surface). I don't see iPad is as good for power/productivity like Windows 10, but it's surprisingly getting closer, esp since MS is helping make software for it. You can see Apple trying to make the iPad Pro be like the Surface Pro - Surface just blows it away.

Even if Apple were to lose all their popularity & dissolve away as a company, you'd be sure that would take years for that to completely happen. I'm thinking long-term here. I like the idea of a common interface between the phone & my Windows computers, but it isn't a must.

 

[Ed Boland]

And I though I was in a typing mood today!

If you're looking for someone to tell you it's ok to use a Windows PC, a Surface, and have an iPhone for your phone, then go for it! There's nothing wrong with having devices from multiple ecosystems. The iPhone is a solid phone. I'm actually thinking about picking up a 6S Plus myself, and revisit the Windows 10 phones later, after the Intel "Surface phones" have been out for a while and ironed out their kinks.

Right now, I use a Windows desktop PC, a Windows laptop, and a Lumia 1520 for my phone. But I also use (and very much enjoy using!) an iPad Air 2 for my iOS fix, and to be able to get all the apps... many of which I wish I could get on my phone. Hence why I'm considering an iPhone as my next phone. (I've had 4 generations of iPhones before my journey with WP8, 8.1 and Win10 mobile on a 920, 1020, and now the 1520)

The beauty of being a consumer is that we have choices! Nobody has ever held a gun to anyone's head and said "you're going to be a brand loyalist... or else!" Buy what you want and what works for you...

 

[roystreet]

Hi Ed,
Thanks for your thoughts. I obviously was in a typing mood - Which I rarely type that much on a forum. I now enjoy using 6s Plus. I believe the 6s Plus is a better size than the 1520. Although, the 950XL would be nicer also, size wise. MS Office is amazing on iOS devices now & I don't subscribe to Office 365 though. I don't like subscription services for the most part. I had to use a 3rd party app years ago & it was never as good. Although, right now I think the native mail app is better than Outlook. I can tell MS has put a lot of work in it. If an iPad had 3D touch & the ability to use a stylus, it would be a strong contender. I don't like the price though.

 

[rhapdog]

Hi Roystreet.

If you were concerned about people blasting you for what you have written, I think everything will be just fine. The thing is, people who would do such a thing aren't going to spend their time reading the entirety of what you wrote. They'll skim a paragraph or a couple of sentences, and if they can't guess it from the opening sentence, they give up and move on to another topic. I probably should have buried that sentence in the middle of a 500 word paragraph.

I'm with Ed, except I don't plan on buying anything else myself. I'm actually happy with my Lumia 640 running Windows 10 on the tech preview right now. I don't have to have the highest end hardware, and I don't do very many apps on the phone. A few are convenient, but those that I want for convenience sake, I have. I don't need a banking app, because I do that with my laptop. I can't stand not being able to see the "details" in my account, and it would take too much scrolling around on a phone to get to it all. I guess I'm a "big spreadsheet" person as opposed to, "just need a balance and last 3 debits cleared" or "did my deposit hit the bank" kind of guy.

As far as family ecosystem, it's not a very big ecosystem. My wife and I are both on Windows Phones, as she buys what I recommend. She didn't even want a smart phone. The girl is 34 years old, and she wanted to keep her old feature flip-phone. I talked her into a Lumia 635 when she went on a business trip for a conference on the coast. I told her, "It's for the maps." Made her spend a week with it learning about it so she wouldn't be lost on how to use it while away and alone on the trip, and by the time we returned from the trip, she was hooked.

Her parents got new Windows Phones a year earlier than she got hers. They came to me to ask about what phone they could get, because they needed something that didn't constantly give them problems or break so easily. I talked to them about what they needed out of a phone. He needed to be able to take pictures and send them on a text for his job, and she wanted to be able to have something handy to take quick pics of her grandchildren, with a screen that was big enough to be readable. I asked about "price", and they had never spent more than $35 on a phone, off contract, and wasn't going to start spending more now. He's got a Lumia 520 and she's got a Lumia 635 now. They are both very happy. No apps. Just the stock phone. They check the weather, use the GPS, music player, FM Radio (He was insistent on getting a phone that had an FM Radio. Can't get that on iOS or Android.) and take pictures and text. Oh, and call too. That's it.

The OS is fine for people like that, and actually more than a lot of people like that need. His 520, which he's had for 2 years now, is the first phone where he hasn't broken the screen, power button, or something on it during the first 3 months. 3 months is all phones would last him before, which is why he was buying off contract and wanted it cheap. We got the 520 on a one day Amazon sale for $19.99, and he's had it for 2 years.

My sister-in-laws both use Android phones. Both tried iPhones and hated not being able to Bluetooth to their Android friends. They both get the high end ones, so they aren't as disappointed with Android as the parents were. Yeah, I tried using their $30 Android handsets. It hurt me.

Bottom line is this... A person has to use what is right for them. For my Father-in-law, its the Lumia 520. For my Sister-in-Law, she believes it's whatever the latest, greatest Samsung device is. For me, the Lumia 640 is great, but if someone gifted me a Lumia 950XL (hint hint to any rich people reading), then I would certainly find a way to put it to excellent use. If you need the apps that are available on iPhone, there is no shame in that. Use the tool that is right for you.

I only use the back-end of a screw driver to hammer in a nail if I can't find the hammer. It's a painful experience, and I don't recommend it. Use the right tool for the job, or in your case, the right device for your needs.

I think I ALMOST kept up with you on the post length.

 

[Ed Boland]

Wow Daniel, that's a pretty amazing track record with you FIL's 520! Glad to hear it's served him so well.


- Roystreet

Wouldn't it be awesome if we could somehow tack the Windows 10 Mobile GUI (Start screen/Tile interface) onto the iPhone's screen? Would make the ultimate phone IMO.. the best of both worlds! The best user interface along with the best app ecosystem. They could call it the "Win-i-Phone" or something...

Either that, or maybe we just need to get some iOS devs interested in developing a similar, customizable, "live tile interface" for the iPhone... Of course it would need to be jailbroken though, as Apple would definitely never allow it, but...

Hi Ed,
Thanks for your thoughts. I obviously was in a typing mood - Which I rarely type that much on a forum. I now enjoy using 6s Plus. I believe the 6s Plus is a better size than the 1520. Although, the 950XL would be nicer also, size wise. MS Office is amazing on iOS devices now & I don't subscribe to Office 365 though. I don't like subscription services for the most part. I had to use a 3rd party app years ago & it was never as good. Although, right now I think the native mail app is better than Outlook. I can tell MS has put a lot of work in it. If an iPad had 3D touch & the ability to use a stylus, it would be a strong contender. I don't like the price though.

Glad to hear you're enjoying the 6S Plus. I'm pretty sure I'll be getting one soon myself.

You know the upcoming iPad Pro coming out next month has the "Pencil" Stylus capability right?

 

[roystreet]

Ed — yea, I knew about the iPad Pro, it just is too expensive now that I have the Surface. The iPad Pro doesn't have the 3d touch does it?
I'm actually starting to find that feature pretty handy on the iPhone now & not just something interesting, but useless. Developers are already starting to develop more for it.
I'm so glad Apple invented the pencil, just think if the world never had a pencil :grin: Haha! They couldn't use a mere stylus, they had to invent this thing called a pencil.