WP a lost cause?

[MSFTisMIA]

It's not a lost cause fully yet. I mean the hardcore vets have been waiting since WM 2003, so another fee months and the next version of the OS being sold as the difference maker is something people have gotten used to hearing.

Posting 1+1 Style!

 

[hagjohn]

Flagships will be released after W10 has been announced and MS will need to get it right, because anything short of spectacular could hit them hard.

Which could be very bad for Windows Phone. Microsoft will have to keep a fast pace of updates, in order to stay relevant in the phone market. They will not be able to get a way with one update a year or every 2 years. I just hope they know that. This delay to have any new flagships until windows 10 (if that is accurate) is not going to be very well received.

 

[fdalbor]

I am an WP person though I use Android on one of my phones and I own 2 Android tablets. The long delay until Win 10 comes out is going to be even longer until it actually gets to a phone. This is not going to help. They have to do something to fill in that gap until then. Come out with a great phone using 8.1 and then upgrade it to 10. Even coming out with more low end phones would not hurt. BUT DO SOMETHING. Prospective customers are going to take the lack of something new (phone/os/etc) as a lack of development and not help the situation. We don't need the world; but maybe a little piece of it would not hurt. As far as Nokia comming out with an Android phone, there are already a million of them. What would a few more matter. I don't think they are that stupid.

 

[Tonfun]

People see android with access to a zillion apps and they think android must be better which is unfortunate. My complaint isnt over the lack of apps its how wp is treated like a ******* child due to its low market share. My bank doesnt offer an app for wp. I have geico insurance. No app. I drive a beetle and volkswagon offers an app for android to view my cars stats and unlock the doors. No such app for wp.

I love my lumia 1320 and prefer wp over android and IOS but it does get frustrating sometimes knowing wp is ignored by the market and what that means for us as wp fans.

 

[ven07]

Honestly, you should really decide what exactly you need out of your device and then make a decision. Yes, there is an app gap. But do you REALLY use any of those apps, I know I don't so the "app gap" doesn't bother me much.

People always talk and compare platforms with the assumption everyone uses their devices the same or need the same things. I know several of my friends that have gotten the latest and greatest devices (Note, Galaxy, One Plus One, iPhone 6) just because it can supposedly "do everything." When it comes down to it, I observe how they use their devices and they are not even utilizing a quarter of what their devices can do! For example, the latest Note can do a "picture within a picture" app multitasking thing. The person I know that has it doesn't even know that feature exists! My other friend has an iPhone 6. They STILL don't utilize the cloud sync features to the fullest. Facetime? they don't use that either. Several of my friends have these new flagship devices and all they do is text, check facebook, and surf the internet. They don't game, they barely download any apps, and they don't even explore all the new "features" available on their devices.

Bottom line, don't let others persuade you to switch because of features you know you don't use. If WP is lacking in something you just have to have, switch to another OS. Decide what YOU want/need out of your device, not what other people "brag" about what their devices can do (and probably don't even use). If WP meets those needs, no need to switch. If not, do some research and find what other platforms offer you that meets YOUR needs.

Lol so true!!! Somewhere along the way a lot of people have been convinced that they need the latest and greatest phones, just to keep up. It's becoming more of a "I need the latest gadgets, so I can belong" instead of actually getting a device that does everything you need. I see a lot of people around me shelling out a lot of money to get the latest phones and in the end simply using it for things they could have easily done with a cheaper phone... But if you have the money to spend, then by all means go ahead

 

[vEEP pEEP]

Hello,

I am a Nokia fan as well. I loved Ovi services - mail, storage and mapping! Why they did not come up with their own version of FB, before FB surprises me.

The reason I finally retired my Nokia N8 and went the Lumia 930 - I wanted a flag ship Nokia phone. If Nokia had an Android phone 2 years ago - I would have been using it now.

Nokia hardware is stellar!

However, now that I am with the Lumia - I am starting to use OneDrive over Google Drive. Outlook over Gmail. Skype - I use it quite a bit (used it on my N8).

I actually like the WP OS look and feel better than Android (I have an Android tablet). Nokia can start building phones again in 2016, but there are already a zillion Android devices and manufacturers. And Nokia got out of the mobile business for a reason - they lost a ton of market share. Why get back into it? They did make an Android tablet - not sure how well it's doing. But who knows?

They wanted to get out of hardware (I thought) and focus on mapping and networks. Like an RD company. Then sell services or licenses.

I think Windows phones will pick up especially for business. As most still use Windows as a business OS - integration with Surface 3 and phones should be native. And I hope that has an effect on personal smartphone users. More Xbox integration. Cortana is not sounding so bad either - across all platforms. What can they think of next to innovate though?

The Lumia 930 is a pretty solid flagship phone - check out the specs. Same with the 1520. Where MS lacks - effective marketing!

What apps are you missing? Are there alternative apps?

Either way, the way this market changes - it will be an interesting ride, no matter what device!

Mr. V

 

[JamesDax]

Which could be very bad for Windows Phone. Microsoft will have to keep a fast pace of updates, in order to stay relevant in the phone market. They will not be able to get a way with one update a year or every 2 years. I just hope they know that. This delay to have any new flagships until windows 10 (if that is accurate) is not going to be very well received.

And once again the HTC One M8 says hi. Really kills me how people keep ignoring this phone. It's just as much a flag ship as any other flag ship on the market now.

 

[DavidinCT]

Still no question, there is a App gap, for every 1 app you find missing there is about 25 apps that others would want.

I look over my wife's iPhone (her friends have one, so she wont leave and I made her try WP8 once, she returned it), and I know this for sure, there is so much missing from Windows phone.

No matter what anyone says, yea, it might be getting better but, it has a LONG way to go to catch up with iOS or Android...

 

[paulxxwall]

And once again the HTC One M8 says hi. Really kills me how people keep ignoring this phone. It's just as much a flag ship as any other flag ship on the market now.

seems like an android hand me down nothing exclusive to WP even though it's a decent phone . What many mean is nothing new from Nokia this year not high end at least

 

[realwarder]

Still no question, there is a App gap, for every 1 app you find missing there is about 25 apps that others would want.

I look over my wife's iPhone (her friends have one, so she wont leave and I made her try WP8 once, she returned it), and I know this for sure, there is so much missing from Windows phone.

No matter what anyone says, yea, it might be getting better but, it has a LONG way to go to catch up with iOS or Android...

I miss very few apps. Those I missed a year ago I chased on twitter and emailed them and many now exist as more companies realize that there is a third platform.

It's easy to make a list of apps that still don't exist, but for the average person it most likely won't be many that hit them in particular.

 

[JamesDax]

seems like an android hand me down nothing exclusive to WP even though it's a decent phone . What many mean is nothing new from Nokia this year not high end at least

And there isn't going to be anything new from Nokia either. Be in denial all you want. The HTC One M8 is a flag ship device for Windows Phone is even still considered one of the top flag ships on Android. The Lumia brand isn't the only brand allowed to have flag ships devices for Windows Phone. Get over it.

 

[mjrtoo]

And there isn't going to be anything new from Nokia either. Be in denial all you want. The HTC One M8 is a flag ship device for Windows Phone is even still considered one of the top flag ships on Android. The Lumia brand isn't the only brand allowed to have flag ships devices for Windows Phone. Get over it.

Wow, relax, I'm not sure that you're reading that the right way. You're right, Nokia won't be needing phones, but their technologies will continue to exist in the Microsoft phones. The general consensus is that the more there merrier, not only Microsoft devices.

 

[MSFTisMIA]

People see android with access to a zillion apps and they think android must be better which is unfortunate. My complaint isnt over the lack of apps its how wp is treated like a ******* child due to its low market share. My bank doesnt offer an app for wp. I have geico insurance. No app. I drive a beetle and volkswagon offers an app for android to view my cars stats and unlock the doors. No such app for wp.

I love my lumia 1320 and prefer wp over android and IOS but it does get frustrating sometimes knowing wp is ignored by the market and what that means for us as wp fans.

You hit the nail on the head. It isn't about the number of apps, it is the number of quality apps like the no app for the things that matter to you (GEICO, your bank). I certainly think Android isn't perfect - as I prefer the old school AOSP style and not the Google enforced fork or Android - but currently WP doesn't have access to those type of apps and some of the ones that are here aren't updated with regularity. That's the real issue, as some folks would rather deal with the access to the apps that matter to them and the slightly more consistent support than the better looking and maybe better functioning core phone experience.

Plus some people don't want the alternative apps. They want the first date, popular cross platform ones - and want a similar style experience across the board, especially for paid content. Cannot blame them there.

Posting 1+1 Style!

 

[MSFTisMIA]

And once again the HTC One M8 says hi. Really kills me how people keep ignoring this phone. It's just as much a flag ship as any other flag ship on the market now.

Phone gets ignored primarily because there is no international model available. The GSM versions on AT&T and in particular T-Mobile are as such left to the carriers to update and are in the hands of the US carriers (we know how that goes).

Posting 1+1 Style!

 

[runamuck83]

What's the count of:
"WP is dead"
"WP is a lost cause"
"I'm leaving WP"
"Microsoft blew it with WP"

Posts up to today? Have we hit the daily max yet? Can we create a new sub-forum for all these kinds of posts so all the worry warts of the world can congregate in one place and post their doom in gloom there? Perhaps title it: "Doom and Gloom Threads" :evil:

 

[BobLobIaw]

Or they're waiting for Windows 10 which I think would be a disappointment just like WP8! What do you think?

Why would you think that Windows 10 would be a disappointment? It seems a bit early to make that determination.

 

[Scienceguy Labs]

What's the count of:
"WP is dead"
"WP is a lost cause"
"I'm leaving WP"
"Microsoft blew it with WP"

Posts up to today? Have we hit the daily max yet? Can we create a new sub-forum for all these kinds of posts so all the worry warts of the world can congregate in one place and post their doom in gloom there? Perhaps title it: "Doom and Gloom Threads" :evil:

Excellent idea!

 

[DJCBS]

My understanding is that because of the acquisition of Nokia's hardware division, by Microsoft, they won't be able to put out any new phones till 2017.

Actually no. According to the deal with Microsoft, the non-compete clause expires 31st December 2015. Meaning Nokia can release phones again as of 1st of January 2016. Will they have one released on the 1st January? Highly doubt it. Will they have one out by the end of 2016? Yes.
And yes, it will run Google's version Android.

In 2015 Nokia will be developing stuff for Android and probably putting out a couple more tablets. The N1 is out in China on 7th January and should reach Europe by Summer 2015.

So I'm a Nokia huge fan, I have a WP now because Nokia made a WP. after two years using the OS I started to think that it's really a lost cause! I really like the OS but I am really disappointed with the market share, the app gap and popularity of the OS. And now Nokia is gone, no manufactures seem to have plans for releasing a WP! And Microsoft isn't doing very well! Where is the 925 successor? The 1020 successor? Are they even planing to release any High-end flagship soon? Or they're waiting for Windows 10 which I think would be a disappointment just like WP8! What do you think?

I may not be the most unbiased person here since I've jumped the WP ship the moment Nokia left the phone market and Sony placed the Z3C for sale. And I have absolutely no intention of re-boarding the WP ship (unless Microsoft does a miracle with W10, which is doubtful). However, I understand what you feel as I felt the same for a long time, seeing as me too only got any WP device because it was what ran on Nokia phones.
I don't think WP has a lot of future. Microsoft itself seems to be placing it in the background and Windows 10 will most likely kick it back even further. As I see it, and from what I've gathered from conversations with friends at Microsoft (yes, contrary to popular belief I actually have a lot of friends at Microsoft =P), Windows (Phone) 10 is being seen as an extension of Windows 10 in the meaning that Microsoft's focus is on Windows 10 and not really on a special mobile version of it. They're designing Windows 10 in a way that allows the OS to automatically adapt itself to various screens. That way, they won't spend any more resources into Windows Phone as an OS. They'll focus on Windows 10 and whatever they do on W10, it will have a reflection on WP10. Of course, you won't have full Windows on your phone, but the OS will adapt itself without Microsoft needing a WP-dedicated team on it. Only the firmware will keep coming from a separate team.

So, in a way, WP has no future. When Windows 10 launches, and if Microsoft gets W10 right, then *maybe* you'll see some other OEMs putting out more WP devices. However I expect those OEMs to be mainly PC OEMs like Acer, Asus etc which can offer combos of PC/laptop+phone to make sales more attractive to consumers. Samsung *maybe* join in again. And Lenovo *maybe* release some Motorola phones with WP (depending on how close the relationship with Google will remain). But I don't expect any major mobile OEM to join the WP bandwagon (Sony, LG, etc to join in). HTC may keep re-purposing Android hardware as WP devices if Microsoft keeps lining they hands with silver.

As for the app gap...it's closing. Unfortunately, it's being replaced by what I like to call the "(cr)app gate". Meaning, while WP is getting the official apps, they are either poor ports of their Android versions, web-wrappers, or Betas that are abandoned shortly after release (like, say, Instagram Beta).

You won't be seeing any WP flagship from Microsoft until W10 is released. But HTC is expected to unveil their HTC One M9 in March and perhaps this time they'll present the WP-variant at the same time of the Android one. Last year they said that the Nokia/Microsoft deal was the reason the W8 (or M8 for Windows) was delayed.

 

[JamesDax]

Windows Phone won't be going away. Some of you folk need to get a grip or move on.

 

[tangledW]

What a whiny, misguided, short-sighted, irrational group of "fans" Windows Phone has.