Your turn - 8 things that Microsoft needs to fix in Windows Phone 8 right now.

[Mystictrust]

There are some really good ideas in this thread!

Give me a notification center (or at least some place to aggregate my missed toasts when my tiles don't show anything) and the ability to vibrate AND ring at the same time. Vibrate for a second or two and then ringing is pretty much the worst of both worlds and I am appalled that Windows Phone has this... didn't the world switch to vibrate & ring at the same time like 8-10 years ago?

 

[anttimonty]

Hi,
everyone. I have been reading these pages for awhile now, but only now decided to sign up.

I recently bought Lumia 820 and here are a few setbacks I'd like to get addressed. So if anyone knows if there is a solution to my problems allready I'd like you to tune in.

-No low power screen. Many Nokia models had this before and it was very informative screen to display clock, missed calls and sms etc. Now I have to always tap the unlock button to see any information.
-Important incons like battery level is hidden by default and I can't find a way to show them all the time. Stupidity of this is beyond me as they still waste the space to display the clock all the time.
-How do I sync my google contacts to outlook? I'd like to get rid of my google account but all my contacts are there, but I don't seems to find away to sync them up with my microsoft account.
-Any real way to close programs Drive Beta occasionally hangs and only way to fully restart it is to restart the whole phone. Is there a way to enable close by swiping from up to down? They have this feature on desktop seems stupid they left it out. I really do miss a lot of the swiping gestures N9 had Now I have stupid buttons instead which take potential screen space and I sometimes accidentally hit them.
-Remove the stupid limitation of not being able to SMS if the number is listed as home or work. Who the **** had the time to code this limitation anyways?
-Just setup my work calendar and I can't believe how bad it is! The live tile only displays appointments for current date.

Not really fond of this phone yet as the UI and multitasking needs a lot of improvement after N9. Hardware is really nice and I especially like the super sensitive screen and wireless charging. Also integration with MS services are superb. I hope MS will deliver a lot of improvements to the UI in the near future. If it didn't offer me those I would probably have gone with a nexus phone.

 

[toyotast165]

#1 vpn
#2 Bluetooth stack so I can pair a keyboard and get real work done, like I did with wm.
#3 os integrated tazer for fan boys.

 

[claps]

That stupid 'Others' section in phone storage that keeps growing, growing...Should be fixed ASAP!
(Mine is nearly 3GB large with only a dozen of small apps, on a 8GB phone :eck

 

[leviathan18]

volume profiles
light notification of messages, missed calls, emails
programs like whatsapp, gchat, viber, IM, skype using the damn people hub (this is a sort of notification center that is bad implemented)
a way to see which programs are killing my battery
way to group tiles
lock orientation
fix xbox music asap

 

[gabrielrdz]

I wrote this blog post about the (2)8 things I think Microsoft needs to fix for us. Let me know what you think! What Microsoft needs to fix in Windows Phone 8 | Gabriel Rodriguez Plancarte

 

[andraeseus]

file manager
fm transmitter
google now alternative
another desktop screen maybe two
some way to organize apps (they talk about how apple gives u a "sea of apps" sea vs list?) you say potatoe i say.... just fix it
Task Manager
artist album art displayed in background of music player app the regular greyish/blackish is boring
USB tethering

 

[Brian McBride]

I'm sure my points have been covered, but I'll share the things that might cause me to swap over to Android (fyi, I am an ex iOS user with an Android tablet, so I know all three platforms and love the idea of WP and really like my 920).

1. Independent audio volumes. Speaker volume, headphone volume, ringer volume, alert volume, etc..
2. Proper resume of audio playback through headset controls. I've noticed if I don't listen to music for a while, I can't just press to resume. My iPhone could resume after a month of not playing.
3. Speaking of - manufacture requirements to support volume controls in headsets. I really miss that from iOS.
4. Better way to close applications manually - especially with the HUGE issues plaguing many apps.
5. Vastly improved detection of phone numbers and addresses in a webpage so I don't have to try and cut/paste them into the appropriate app. See iOS for an example.
6. Go to your partners and help them fix their apps. For instance, Audible sucks so bad and I am an avid audiobook listener, that alone could drive me off the platform. Yet Microsoft helping Audible address the huge problems in that app would change my experience radically. I imagine the facebook app is a letdown to people used to the iOS Facebook app as well. Where is Hulu? Pandora? Microsoft needs to get into these key popular apps and just code them for the company and create an experience as good, if not better, than the competition.
7. Better app managment. A huge list isn't much better than iOS. It also isn't much worse and it is easy to skip using the alphabet. But too many tiles (which too many stop updating anyway it seems) and too many apps get messy. Even a favorites page might be enough. Or a "last accessed" list.
8. Explorer is ok, but I think they should rethink the interface a little. Closing the app is a problem if needed unless you know the trick to close all tabs before backing out of the IE app. And then, the tab interface isn't great. Too many taps to get to tabs to select them. Tabs should be more forefront.
9. Speaking of closing apps again - I am really tired of pulling up my list of apps to find the text messenger listed 4 times. It seems each time I access a text message from clicking on the notification bar it opens another instance of the texting app. Really? Come on Microsoft. Do you USE your phones?

In November, I was WP8 guy. I was showing off my phone to all my friends and was quickly turning into a WP ******. I love the hub ideas. I like the tiles a lot. Now I just keep getting more and more annoyed by the usability holes in key areas. Independent volume control may seem like a simple thing and not worth abandoning the platform, but I've missed business calls because I turned my headphones down while listening to music and just forgot to turn the volume back up so I can hear the ring. The fact is, my smartphone should be smart enough to "know" that I need a ring volume of at least 20 - because I set it there. Heck, why isn't my phone sampling ambient noise and increasing the ring based on increased noise as well?

I really hope MS steps up. I want WP8 to succeed, but I'd be lying if I wasn't looking at the new Android handsets and wondering if it wouldn't just be better. I think WP8 has a better core ideal behind it, but it needs MS to really revisit some key usability places and get their partner's apps in shape.

 

[hinterland]

Move the back arrow button slight to the right, so I can easily navigate the phone with one hand...maybe a technique issue

1. 
   Allow formatting of emails from outlook mail client
   Allow formatting of email signature in outlook mail client
   ...and 5 other things

 

[sstockss]

Give us the ability to attach pictures in texts just like the way you can when you are composing an email.

Allow us to change the color of individual conversations, and force them to read single texts in a certain color. Say you're angry and your send your fellow windows phone user a text in red, while their theme is cyan.

Figure out a better way to implement the back button in internet explorer. It is so frustrating when you go back into the app and try to go to the previous page, only to be directed back to the home screen.

When selecting the bar at the top when you receive a text message, and you already have the conversation pulled up, you have to go back through both pages of those texts.

I'm not even going to say anything about the Facebook and Twitter apps, because everyone knows how horrible they are.

INSTAGRAM!

Change the size of the send button in texts. I'm lazy and don't want to pull my thumb back to send a text.

Task manager

these were all copied from notes on my phone, as i find things that irk me.

 

[LoorD]

I just got my WP8 device yesterday (Lumia 820). And was quite shocked! They have lost some of the normal mobile settings!! Here we go:

1) Snooze length setting
2) Ringer profiles (and make them schedulable)
3) IE exit button (noticed that one has to come back quite a long trail before shutting it down)
4) Nokia Specific: Way to restore old Nokia (symbian) backup (I guess this is not actually for MS), I just got to know all myt photos, emails and contact data are gone because I acan't get them back!
5) Own volume settings for different apps
6) Build some kind of customizable shortcut system (etc. with one gesture you get the list of customiized, most needed settings/stuff, like WLAN on/off, Bluetooth on/off and so on --> see f.ex. Nokia E7 "curtain" but with customization)
7) The option for asking permission to allow data connection to each app needing it. Now I haven't got any way to control my data connections, apps just use it without informing. (I have a company phone and the data package is quite limited)
8) (If I believe correctly >une sw is not working with WP8? OVI Suite didn't work ,I had to try it, I just had... ) Some software for managing, backuping and restoring backups to/from a destop/laptop.

There you go.

 

[Nilesh Gupta]

Dear Microsoft team and Nokia ..
Please understand that following are most most important features which needs to be immediately taken care of:

1: India is the biggest market so allow almost all Indian Languages to be used on Lumia Phones. Specially Hindi, Marathi, Tamil, Telugu, Gujarati
2: Simple attachment features in Emails of all Documents including PDF. At present we can just share link which is not good at all.
3: Free application for Uploading Videos to You Tube and other similar portals.
4: SMS search and Save to Draft
5: Typing Keyboard should be able to save recent already typed emails or already used " _ " or " ? " ... etc..
6: Free Video edit Application for inserting Name, Color, Crop, merging two videos etc.
7: It should not get locked if locked timing is set to " NEVER ", but Timer for Screen Dimming should be there.
8: Get Applications like Instagram, Tamplerun, WhatsApp updated, Camera Click Sound should be removed.

 

[DenniSundaY]

Whatsapp Just got updated to 2.9.2 and has lock screen support, better live tile and many more!

 

[PincheKeith]

The lack of a decent maps option is glaring. Today I had to go between Nokia Drive and GMaps and neither could get the job done. They are just not as intuitive, up to date and functional. They need Google Maps. And Google voice too. And GMail. Google and Microsoft are both dicks for not getting this done.

Also, Toggles would be nice. Ones that work on the home screen instead of having to go into the actual settings. Just toggle Wifi, Location etc from the home screen. Or maybe from a swipe down notification screen.

 

[glimited]

Things I want, in no particular order :

1. Notification Center (Swipe left please)
2. Volume Profiles (Need alarm to always be at max setting)
3. Rotation Lock (PITA when using the phone in bed)
4. Fix the "Other" storage issue (mine is up to 7GB. If I had a lower model WP8 phone I would be pissed.)
5. Jump to Top in IE (although I found a way to do it via a bookmark)
6. Customizable sounds for all types of notifications.
7. "X" to kill apps
8. Quick toggles for Bluetooth, Brightness, etc.

 

[DenniSundaY]

Things I want, in no particular order :

1. Notification Center (Swipe left please)
2. Volume Profiles (Need alarm to always be at max setting)
3. Rotation Lock (PITA when using the phone in bed)
4. Fix the "Other" storage issue (mine is up to 7GB. If I had a lower model WP8 phone I would be pissed.)
5. Jump to Top in IE (although I found a way to do it via a bookmark)
6. Customizable sounds for all types of notifications.
7. "X" to kill apps
8. Quick toggles for Bluetooth, Brightness, etc.

precisely what im also waiting for (and almost every other wp8 owner)!

 

[karaelci]

Agree most of all, here what i am expecting asap.

- Search button for local search, or specialized search for the current application like Windows 8.
- Better panorama quality. I also can't see the route and ring where i have to aim my phone at in bright sky.
- Have an option for shooting panorama in vertical mode.
- A gesture for closing backgrounded apps.
- Sorting option for only new apps or release date in market place. Not new+popular. Can' t find anything new
- A stop button for music.
- Folders...

 

[DenniSundaY]

Agree most of all, here what i am expecting asap.

- Search button for local search, or specialized search for the current application like Windows 8.
- Better panorama quality. I also can't see the route and ring where i have to aim my phone at in bright sky.
- Have an option for shooting panorama in vertical mode.
- A gesture for closing backgrounded apps.
- Sorting option for only new apps or release date in market place. Not new+popular. Can' t find anything new
- A stop button for music.
- Folders...

I even can't take panorama's with my htc 8x. I assume you have a lumia phone so the update for panorama's depends on Nokia. If wp8 supports panoramas standardly i would be happy.

 

[ahashan21]

1. File manager...
Where is the file manager ? How can I open a PDF file saved on my SD card ?! Pdf reader cant open all files...
2. App close button...
There is no app close button, which is very painful. In browser, if I want to close it, I have to go all through backwards to close it, until I go to the first page.
3. Multi tasking ...
Symbian is better than windows phone in terms of multi tasking. Its ok, we can use back button as opening all running tasks , but we really want true multi tasking. What's the use of this processor then ?
4. Notification light...
Where is the blinking light for missed call or SMS alerts ?
Windows icon should blink...
5. Battery...
Battery drains very quickly. You suppose people will use this phone only for browsing and calling ?!!
Then what's the use to buy a phone with this price ?
6. Quick notes...
I always have to open OneNote for this. Should have a notepad like app, for txt support. I've always been using the notes app in Symbian.
7. Poor camera...
Lumia 820 has very poor front camera, main camera is not so good either. I expected it to be better than N8 at least.
8. Accessories...
The accessories are not available, even the spare battery. I wanted the ruggedized case very much, but I don?t know, when will it be available in Dubai
I have been using Nokia phone from my second phone. The first one was NEC e313. Probably Nokia Lumia 820 is my 13th in 7 years.

 

[roaspiras]

I think they need to fix the multi-tasking. I IE when you open another tab and enter another URL its fine but when you go back to that previous page it tries to reload again. This happens to every tabbed sites. This is really annoying. It does not happen in iOS nor Android. Also the Youtube player in IE is good but when you paused it and go to another app it is stopped automatically, even supertube could not pause and resume when you switch to another app. The People Hub is also buggy often times displaying "cannot get picture please try later..."