If MS cancelled all future phone development, what would you do?

[fatclue_98]

Chase bank pulled app, American Airlines pulled app. If you travel, like I do, those are kind of important

Yes, it sucks that these apps were pulled. Southwest Airlines pulled its app last year, now the Softcard situation. But we have to remember that these companies are not .org. They don't throw money at loss leaders.

 

[DavidinCT]

Simple fact is Microsoft don't currently care much about global market share.

Not sure you how you come up with that, Market share is the largest thing when it comes to smart phones. As others are saying, one of the larges problems right now and as always been on Windows Phone is the Apps. Yea some people have all the apps they need or feel happy with just using the web site.

Edit: Wanted to note here, this is STILL the problem after about 5 years on the market, not released last week.

The fact is, we still have almost No local apps (TV stations, Radio stations, Local stores, etc), Bank apps are fading, and if you are with a smaller bank, guess what ? Then we have odd ball apps that devs still feel it's not worth creating an app because of amount users.

Then we have apps for companies that don't even promote it. For example, for the now pulled, Bank of America app, from Windows Phone 7 we had an APP for BOA but, if you ever watched their commercials on TV and they promoted their mobile apps, never once did a see ANYTHING about Windows Phone, just Android and iOS. Same with Home Depot and about 20 others. No promotion AT ALL.

You can see everyone talking about apps in this thread, if you don't think it's a problem, GOOD FOR YOU, it's not that case for everyone. Talk to anyone on the street who is fairly techy and tried Windows Phone, ask them what they like and dislike about it. 90% of them will say, they like it for the most part (accept for the fanboys, but, open mind people), 99.9% of them will say there is STILL a problem with the apps.

Anyway about this the ONLY way this can be fixed is by Market Share. And yes, this is one of the TOP things on Microsoft's Windows Phone list. It's one of those catch 22 things, You cant get the customers because you don't have the apps but, you cant get the apps because you don't have the customers.

Ask yourself, why is Microsoft only making a crap load of low cost Windows Phone devices but, no high end models, you know on the hardware end, they are not making anything ? It's about market share, plain and simple as they know the largest seller for smart phones is low cost models.

It is about market share and it IS one of the most important things that Microsoft needs to achieve here to be successful.

 

[DJCBS]

Ask yourself, why is Microsoft only making a crap load of low cost Windows Phone devices but, no high end models, you know on the hardware end, they are not making anything ? It's about market share, plain and simple as they know the largest seller for smart phones is low cost models.

It is about market share and it IS one of the most important things that Microsoft needs to achieve here to be successful.

Not really working though as, since Nokia left and Microsoft took over the phone business and started this low-end craze, marketshare fell from around 4% to 2.7%.
It's a vicious cycle Microsoft won't escape. Without marketshare, developers won't waste time and resources making apps for WP. Without apps for Windows Phone, Microsoft' won't increase marketshare. It's a lose, lose. Hence the increased bet on services from Microsoft on Android and iOS.

 

[NBrookus]

I did read the reviews, hence my comment about them being negative mostly because of the high cost. You cannot seriously believe that it's ok that users have to haggle about the cost, I hope.

As I said, it's an indicator of where WP is app-wise. There is ONE credit card processing app (apparently?), it's hideously expensive for someone that just wants to use it every once in a while, and it has 39 reviews. Yes $39/month isn't that much for a business, but for the girl that just wants to sell her Girl Scout cookies, it's a barrier.

I see these types of credit card apps ALL THE TIME at events like craft fairs, kids' sports events, etc. If WP only manages to scrunch together 39 reviews for something like this that is the only app available, it's an indicator of how the app market is doing.

I investigated that app. I even signed a contract because I was told it all worked. $39 a month and high fees was painful, but I needed a solution.

First, there's no hardware swiper. I actually owned two generic swipers compatible with Windows Phone already, and you can't use them with this app. You can carry around an old knuckle-buster and the carbon imprint slips. They will be happy to sell you one for $129 including your first 50 slips. Yep, no CC authorization. Why? Well...

Second, the app doesn't even work on Windows Phone 8 and 8.1. It's total vaporware. Those screen shots? Fake. You can't there from here, peeps. It doesn't even work on Android tablets, just Android phones... a few of them.

Frankly, it's a scam. They just want you to contact them so they can try to sell you on their overpriced services. I even signed the contract before I found out the app flat out didn't work other than the static "trial version" screens. Then I had to fight to not pay a huge early termination fee for the service that didn't do anything it said it did.

If you have a business checking account, regular merchant accounts are cheaper, and they'll take the knuckle-busters, too, without the bait & switch tactics.

 

[TLRtheory]

Talk to anyone on the street who is fairly techy and tried Windows Phone, ask them what they like and dislike about it. 90% of them will say...

The people "on the street" we encounter typically don't even know the platform they're judging... and often this exists in places that sell Windows Phones. People far and wide that don't have even a lick of knowledge under their belt before they ask how Windows Phone users live without having apps that we actually do have.

I've done my last two upgrades at AT&T stores in which the guy offering opinions (which I didn't even ask for) tried to talk me out of WP... and the comedic trademark for every instance is that they start naming off apps "that WP doesn't have," that I'm finding and showing them as they're talking. There's negativity in the grapevine... but the judges are far from being educated sources of info for the WP platform

As I said, it's an indicator of where WP is app-wise. There is ONE credit card processing app (apparently?), it's hideously expensive for someone that just wants to use it every once in a while, and it has 39 reviews.

That still isn't an indicator of where WP is 'app-wise'... and furthermore that's a pretty severe straw man logical fallacy.

The only way this would logically represent the state of windows store apps is if nothing else had more success/activity than this app with 39 reviews.. but that's not the case; we have many apps with hundreds, thousands, tens of thousands and hundreds of thousands of reviews. The logic simply isn't sound or cogent. It would indicate low interest from a particular set of individuals from a niche at best.

There are far less apps on WP as opposed to iOS... and a metric ton of problems Microsoft needs to resolve. No rational person's here to deny that the platform has some serious foundation issues, but I do still stick to the notion that vocal oblivious people form too much of the negativity towards the platform... and that spreads to the public. And people who own and use WP everyday deal with it every single time we have someone tell us about something we can't do that we actually can... and act as if the thousands of apps we get every month aren't building towards a better future.

The "doom and gloomers" here view the situation seeing only what they want to see, so they can't even see that - through the short duration of this very thread - we've had fresh new bank support and the desktop/tablet release of the same PayPal Here app that will be universal on the Windows Store. That just scratches the surface of how miniscule the apps we've lost are compared to just how much we get.

 

[ACynicalLamp]

iPhone has Swype and wordflow keyboards now.

It's an application from the store. I'd like to see it built in like on Windows Phone.

Looking at videos of it they have cool looking themes but it still glares 'third party solution' as it appears to be a bit laggy in the videos I saw. I'd want it to be built in so it fits better with design and functionality.

 

[steve_w_7]

It's an application from the store. I'd like to see it built in like on Windows Phone.

Looking at videos of it they have cool looking themes but it still glares 'third party solution' as it appears to be a bit laggy in the videos I saw. I'd want it to be built in so it fits better with design and functionality.

That's true. Being an app, there is definitely a bit of a lag before the keyboard pops up.

 

[MikeSo]

The only way this would logically represent the state of windows store apps is if nothing else had more success/activity than this app with 39 reviews..

I have no idea what that is, but that's not logic at all.

we have many apps with hundreds, thousands, tens of thousands and hundreds of thousands of reviews.

Do we now? Please, show me all these apps with more than 100,000 reviews (not to mention hundreds of thousands). I've seen exactly 1.

I said that it was an indicator of where we are app-wise when the apparently only app still currently in development in the popular area of mobile payments only has 39 reviews. The fact that it's one of the few apps that even exists is indicator enough.

That's not a strawman (do you even know what that means?), and it's perfectly logical.

 

[Yazen]

Yes, both the ZX1 and ZX2 support microSD cards up to 128GB (and most likely the upcoming ones with double that storage). Then again, they cost 550€ and 1200€. It would be scandalous if they didn't lol

Check this out:
Sony NWZ-ZX1 - 35th Walkman Anniversary model - Page 418

Seems like ZX1 lacks sdcard after all loool. My Walkman is lagging because of Google Calendar.... Sony wonders why they are struggling to stay relevant..



Music quality is better on pretty much every other service. Xbox music is the most expensive too :S

 

[Tcat Houser]

Hands down, Windows 10 either X64 or even X86 on some decent storage with Atom (ish) CPU and jury rig some DLNA or such to 7-8" display. Heavy focus on good microphone as most of the day would be using Dragon Naturally Speaking Pro V.12.5 for lack of real KB. Give DNS 1-2 GB of RAM for itself, run BestMatch IV or V. Cell data via tethered 3G value phone. Use X86 exe s for 'faxing', OneDrive/Gdrive, etc. No big deal with the footprint of Win 10 X86 and a BayTrail ATOM...

 

[DJCBS]

Check this out:
Sony NWZ-ZX1 - 35th Walkman Anniversary model - Page 418

Seems like ZX1 lacks sdcard after all loool. My Walkman is lagging because of Google Calendar.... Sony wonders why they are struggling to stay relevant..

View attachment 100076

Music quality is better on pretty much every other service. Xbox music is the most expensive too :S

You're right. They both sport 128GB of internal memory, but only the ZX2 has the microSD card up to 128GB.

You can force Google Calendar to stop and disable it Or you can just root the player and uninstall it altogether.
But that's not why Sony is struggling. Actually the Walkman isn't even part of Sony Mobile

(My Z3C still runs butter-smooth and I put a lot of crap in it).

 

[Yazen]

You're right. They both sport 128GB of internal memory, but only the ZX2 has the microSD card up to 128GB.

You can force Google Calendar to stop and disable it Or you can just root the player and uninstall it altogether.
But that's not why Sony is struggling. Actually the Walkman isn't even part of Sony Mobile

(My Z3C still runs butter-smooth and I put a lot of crap in it).

I tried, no option. I'd have to root it, remember seeing a tool somewhere for ICS. Kind of ridiculous that nonAudio appe ship with an MP3 player. More so when they lag the device beyond operation. Even more so when they continue to provide low level updates to modules like Bluetooth and ignore major OS software updates.

Z3C is a nice phone. Was tempted to buy it, load Accompli, OneDrive, and Here... Lmao I seriously hope W10 drops the round buttons and icons.

Interesting because Walkman Z reeks Xperia 10 lol.

 

[Syeef]

Ubuntu edge?

 

[Kebero]

Given that Microsoft is working to preload their services on some Android devices, I think that would be my next step.
Sent from my Lumia 830

 

[Evronian]

I would probably go for an iPhone.. Already had Android and don't feel like going back to that.. Even though it has improved a lot over time and the last phones from HTC look great..

 

[xandros9]

if everything goes sideways and Windows Phone ends up saying hi to webOS, as unlikely as it is, it makes my super tough decision a bit easier.

BLACKBERRY HO

 

[DJCBS]

if everything goes sideways and Windows Phone ends up saying hi to webOS, as unlikely as it is, it makes my super tough decision a bit easier.

Well, webOS has having a nice second life on my LG TV and it's found its way to the pretty awesome LG watch Urbane LTE. If WP meets a similar fate, it wouldn't be the worse thing. =P

 

[xandros9]

Well, webOS has having a nice second life on my LG TV and it's found its way to the pretty awesome LG watch Urbane LTE. If WP meets a similar fate, it wouldn't be the worse thing. =P

Ah you got a point.
Windows Phone. for TV.

 

[fatclue_98]

Well, webOS has having a nice second life on my LG TV and it's found its way to the pretty awesome LG watch Urbane LTE. If WP meets a similar fate, it wouldn't be the worse thing. =P

Just stab me in the eye while you're at it. Give the knife a twist too. RIP webOS.

 

[Coreldan]

I would probably look at the Sony Xperia-line of phones.