Lumia 950/950XL flagships design - like it or not?

RaRa85

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Honestly I think I like them for what they offer but I can't think of too many if any flagship models(not budget or midrange) that they look better than. Good but definitely something worth the wait in terms of design. No one can convince me that the Nokia team had these designs in mind for the new flagships. What happened was Microsoft was trying to figure out still where things were going to go and at the last minute ran out of time and said "hey we'll just use these designs and throw in some killer specs". Microsoft would have been better off using the cancelled McLaren body without the 3d touch display and boom, gorgeous flagship worthy device. Or just update the Lumia 925. Seriously I don't know why they didn't go that route. But whatever, I'm excited to see these two devices in action next week.
 
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aXross

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For some reason, the new flagships design reminds me a lot of these Android phones. Which are sharing virtually similar design theme and this is where I find it uninspiring, since now it lost its identity and new Lumia looks close with these. It can be good and bad. For me its kind of a bad thing, Lumia design-wise starting to loose its identity and became a reactionary. Specs are respectable and features, no doubt. Especially the Continuum and Iris-Scanner. In terms of looks, well I think they fell short right now. 950 and 950 XL supposed to compete with Galaxy S6, Note, iPhone 6S, Xperia, LG, HTC and some others.

AndroidGuruz-Phones.jpgGionee-M2.jpgKarbonn-A9+.jpgMicromax-Bolt-Smartphones-Lowest-price-list.jpgMicromax-Unite-2-A1061.jpgMyPhone-Rio-Craze-Orange.jpg

Now the upcoming Lumia:
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lumia-9501.jpg
Screenshot (5).png
 
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HeyCori

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I do and I don't. I like them because they're a slight variation on the 640 XL and 1520, two designs that I clearly like. I don't like them because (IMO) they're not the new, fresh design that MS needs to impress casual smartphone users.
 

mariusmuntean

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You ask for constructive criticism but you don't really practice it yourself. What's the wow factor of the iPhone? Oh it's just an iPhone. Yeah it looks nice and runs nice but it doesn't have anything out of this world. In fact it's specs are paltry compared to the 950 XL. The Galaxy series? Yes, new fancy design but they don't feel great in hand and they're still running TouchWiz, and neither one of those series have microSD card support of removable batteries. Neither one have Continuum. Neither one have iris scanners (although the 950 XL doesn't have a fingerprint scanner) and all three phones have comparable performance.
And the operating system? Windows Phone is beautiful and slick and feels great to use. Yes, lack of apps, but I have everything I need so I'm happy. I use Android as well and I've customized the ever-living farts out of it and it's great but I still use my Lumia 830 before all else.

First I never said iphone has all the wow factors. Also I've never said either that Galaxy series are perfect. You are telling me windows phone is slick and a joy to use...yes, 8.1 was like this, but for sure not windows 10 which is almost at the launch date and still works like a mediocre toy. Continuum? I do not want to start talking about this again, it's not a wow factor, and many have said this. Iris scanner, again nothing special like also unlocking the phone with touchid, good to have but nothing so special. Apps? well sorry but having the apps updated once every 4-5 months is not something I want for a phone I've paid good money on. Banks apps missing, local apps missing, events apps missing, most of all the good games are on ios and android, operator support is almost missing for wp. Shall I go on? Everyone has the right to use what fits best for him/her, but to praise something that is becoming a total fail, seems to much out of anything...I am not defending either platform, every one of them has it's flaws, but the direction WP is going is a total nonsense; a 3rd reboot of the OS, all the good stuff from 8 and 8.1 seem more and more to be taken out. Everyone is talking about universal apps...how many have risen up till now? how many? the first ipad was not even launched and the store already had hundreds of them optimized for it at the launch day...apple watch, barely launched and at that time there were many apps updated to support it..sorry for the comparison but it's the true facts that devs care for others but not for MS's platform, sad but true! how many good apps are updated to universal, and launched for both PC and phone in preparation for the big windows 10 mobile release? This is a clear message that devs do not care at all about it.
Another guy here says I do not know what I am talking about when speaking for continuum...please spare me, go ahead spend that enormous over 700$ on a new 950 and tell everyone that you have continuum on it...wow it's the thing that matters, continuum will save WP and many android and ios users will rush and switch...:)) It's nice to dream but it's also more productive to be realistic.
 

CosmicPoweR

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From just the design. No, I don't like it. Uninspiring at all. From the leak it seems like a 2D glass panel, but Lumia1520 already using a 2.5D glass. Looks more like a step back design. The volume rocker and power button are a confusing design. If the back material still using poly carbonate, at least the paint need to be a metallic to make it feels premium flagship phone. IMO flagship using this kind of design is too low profile.
 

pepsicocom

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Full disclosure: I use a 1520 now, a 920 before, and a 900 and N900 before those.

Finally, a voice of reason with a factual perspective. Check the history, EVERY single new WP handset release is met with a chorus of malcontents. My theory is, like most of us here, they are not interested in Android chaos or iOS swarming around Apple stores like lemmings. The difference is the "glass half empty" crowd is lashing out against MS over frustrations we all share about slow pace of ecosystem development. I prefer celebrating the good and giving honest and reasonable feedback about the bad. If I were as unhappy as some appear on here, I would suck it up and get a S6 or iphone 6 and get on with my life. I don't do that because I believe it would make me yet unhappier.
 

pepsicocom

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I personally don't consider what friends or family think about the mobile I decide to buy. Basing a decision on those factors, the choice is clear and easy: iOS or Android. The ecosystem/app quantity questions seems more meaningful to me. I am of the opinion that a large form factor display, a full featured browser, and a robust processor eliminates the need for so-called apps. After all, what are mobile apps other than dumbed down versions of web pages that mobile developers adapt to fit on 4-inch displays? To be fair, iOS and Android are way ahead of WP for games - I'm told. Tap to pay and other banking apps are often cited as examples of WP inadequacy. I don't see it. In the end, there are many use cases. Mine is fulfilled enough by WP that I don't feel the need to line up outside an Apple store or get one of those flimsy Samsung phones.
 

pallentx

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These are not game changer phones, but I think they look great and are solid premium devices. The ONLY game-changer for WP will be getting apps. If WP had all the apps iOS has, we probably wouldn't even be having this discussion.

I do think Here authentication will be a moderately big deal (assuming its fast). Continuum will be important to some users, but not everyone. My biggest disappointment is no tap and pay wireless payments. This is basically a software thing that can come later, but its frustrating to me as a WP user that we still don't have this. Its been promised since WP8.0 at least - maybe even 7. The technology is there, but MS cant work out the business end. There's really no excuse for this. Hopefully they have a surprise for us on launch day.
 

Krystianpants

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They definitely look better than the new nexus phones that Google just announced.

I do like that they partnered with major banks so that their apps support logging in with the fingerprint imprint. My guess is that Microsoft will just throw the iris scanner in there for unlocking and do nothing else with it.
 

mrdeeds_72

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Design is nothing spectacular, but solid. I think it will really come down to pricing for the general public. It needs to be a step below Samsung and Iphone in order to get the average joe to consider.
 

pepsicocom

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Walmart and several other major retailers have turned their back on tap to pay. Is there something more than a "keeping up with the Jonses" attraction? I think I might have read that credit cards will soon be adaptable to tap to pay. I don't plan to use it unless I'm forced because I don't like being an early adopter of things that are linked to my cash accounts.
 

pepsicocom

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WPs have been a step below Samsung and iPhone for years now. There is no reason to think that will change with this device, especially now that we see the iOS/Android flagships north of US$700 in the Americas.
 

Krystianpants

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These are not game changer phones, but I think they look great and are solid premium devices. The ONLY game-changer for WP will be getting apps. If WP had all the apps iOS has, we probably wouldn't even be having this discussion.

I do think Here authentication will be a moderately big deal (assuming its fast). Continuum will be important to some users, but not everyone. My biggest disappointment is no tap and pay wireless payments. This is basically a software thing that can come later, but its frustrating to me as a WP user that we still don't have this. Its been promised since WP8.0 at least - maybe even 7. The technology is there, but MS cant work out the business end. There's really no excuse for this. Hopefully they have a surprise for us on launch day.

I use PayPal app as it's supported in a lot of places here.
 

MeiSquawk

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They looked nice to me. I am not super crazy about the polycarbonate but if that is the only way we can get to the battery and Micro SD card then I will deal with it. If they feel like the 640 XL then I am totally fine with it.
 

Shon Torcher

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well said bro, my thoughts are similar to you, at one stage there was a king in terms of mobile design called Nokia, after that microsoft making some nonsense design, all lumia phones looks similar, there are nothing new, its terrible , just look samsung s6 edge, huawei p7 and p8, iphones and many other, they are offering better design, but our favorite brand lumia is offering rubbish design , after leaked images of lumia 950 and 950 xl , my heart is weeping , so sad lumia its so sad, you are not thinking about your hardcore customers
 

Zachary Boddy

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First I never said iphone has all the wow factors. Also I've never said either that Galaxy series are perfect. You are telling me windows phone is slick and a joy to use...yes, 8.1 was like this, but for sure not windows 10 which is almost at the launch date and still works like a mediocre toy. Continuum? I do not want to start talking about this again, it's not a wow factor, and many have said this. Iris scanner, again nothing special like also unlocking the phone with touchid, good to have but nothing so special. Apps? well sorry but having the apps updated once every 4-5 months is not something I want for a phone I've paid good money on. Banks apps missing, local apps missing, events apps missing, most of all the good games are on ios and android, operator support is almost missing for wp. Shall I go on? Everyone has the right to use what fits best for him/her, but to praise something that is becoming a total fail, seems to much out of anything...I am not defending either platform, every one of them has it's flaws, but the direction WP is going is a total nonsense; a 3rd reboot of the OS, all the good stuff from 8 and 8.1 seem more and more to be taken out. Everyone is talking about universal apps...how many have risen up till now? how many? the first ipad was not even launched and the store already had hundreds of them optimized for it at the launch day...apple watch, barely launched and at that time there were many apps updated to support it..sorry for the comparison but it's the true facts that devs care for others but not for MS's platform, sad but true! how many good apps are updated to universal, and launched for both PC and phone in preparation for the big windows 10 mobile release? This is a clear message that devs do not care at all about it.
Another guy here says I do not know what I am talking about when speaking for continuum...please spare me, go ahead spend that enormous over 700$ on a new 950 and tell everyone that you have continuum on it...wow it's the thing that matters, continuum will save WP and many android and ios users will rush and switch...:)) It's nice to dream but it's also more productive to be realistic.
You're welcome to your opinions but I have three operating systems running on three devices that I use regularly and I've used all the major operating systems in-depth over the years. I'm running Android, Windows Phone 8.1, and Windows 10 Mobile. From where I stand, and from what I've learned and seen, Windows 10 Mobile has a lot of potential. It can be an amazing operating system, and it's well on its way. In many ways it's far superior to Windows Phone 8.1. It just needs time. It's not easy building an operating system from scratch. It's not easy for a huge software corporation that is known and is important practically anywhere in the world to fail so miserably with an operating system and to say "Okay let's give it one more shot anyways." And they're getting there. Windows 10 is already arguably the best iteration of Windows ever and Microsoft is truly making an effort to listen more to the Insiders. No, not everything the Insiders want is there, that only happens in software-flavored fairy tales. But we have seen major improvements, and we continue to see those improvements. No, Windows 10 Mobile isn't perfect but it's a joy to use and it's quickly surpassing Windows Phone 8.1 and in some of the important ways it already has.
And THAT is the wow factor of Windows 10 Mobile. Because no one has ever built an operating system like Microsoft is. No company has ever thrown away their insufferable pride and said "Right, we seriously screwed this up. Time to start over, except we'll see what our loyal customers want instead." We, the Windows Insiders, watched Windows 10 Mobile get built nearly from scratch, and we're still watching it get built. It is the first time an operating system has been developed like this, the first time a feedback system has been integrated into the operating system like this, the first time updates have been handled like this, the first time an operating system has been looked at like this. Windows 10 Mobile ISN'T Android because Android does not work like Windows 10 Mobile does. Google can't, their operating system is too fragmented, too broad. Apple can't, they're too prideful, they're too strict. Want to know the wow factor? Windows 10 Mobile is the wow factor.
And yeah, Continuum is pretty darn cool. It's nothing super amazing and innovative but come on, wake up. Neither Android or iOS have a wow factor either besides support. iOS has 3D Touch, but what's so special about that? More hidden menus? Constantly accidentally doing the wrong thing because what was once one tap has become three different taps?
With fingerprint scanners you have to touch your phone. I don't even have to do that with an iris scanner. You know what? That's pretty cool. Tons of Android and Apple devices have fingerprint scanners. Well how many phones have an iris scanner? I'm pretty sure there's one or two, but neither one of them are widely available. Well, that's pretty cool.
Oh, I also have the legendary Nokia camera credentials. That's pretty awesome.
Oh, I have a removable battery and microSD card support. That's unique nowadays!
Oh, I have Live Tiles. And those make Android look like tacking pictures to a cardboard wall. What would I do without my Live Tiles?

Oh and apps. Well, what do I want that I don't have? Nothing. I have everything I want, and I've seen evidence of universal applications being added every day. No one can deny that the store is growing. Support is growing, albeit slowly. And that's pretty impressive, considering Apple sells millions and millions and millions of devices and Microsoft has 3% market share. No, it's not thousands of applications upon release, but hey, it's good enough for me.
So, maybe you don't have a wow factor. But I have plenty. Yes, I love Android (can't stand iOS) but I'm not going to abandon Windows 10 Mobile because it's not perfect. A person who's unwilling to compromise is a fool.
 

Zachary Boddy

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From just the design. No, I don't like it. Uninspiring at all. From the leak it seems like a 2D glass panel, but Lumia1520 already using a 2.5D glass. Looks more like a step back design. The volume rocker and power button are a confusing design. If the back material still using poly carbonate, at least the paint need to be a metallic to make it feels premium flagship phone. IMO flagship using this kind of design is too low profile.

We're all entitled to our opinions but in my experience a glossy or metallic finish on polycarbonate is a negative. It makes it slippery and cheap feeling. I've always preferred matte.
 

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