Android, iOS and then Windows Mobile. Microsoft's app development priority...

[seb_r]

Sorry, no. It may seem like I keep harping about OneNote, but it is the app I use all the time, about 100 times more than Word or Excel, and the fact that the W10M version has nothing but the most basic functions is the reason

Totally agree with you. I don't know what most people do with Office that they not already ran into some of the limitation of the WP version. Also, why should it be different with Office than any other App: the Windows Apps always lacks features or functionality compared to their Android or iOS counterparts.
Do you really think Aul would tell if MSFT has given up on W10M internally already and is only driving things with handbrake on? Some people are really painfully naive here I have to say.
Everybody can answer the question if you simply summarize the events of the past few months. Mobile insiders builds still crawl out not frequent enough and the OS ist still having more bugs than Amazonas jungle. Now, another delay took place that a few "selected" 8.1 phones will receive the upgrade to W10M in "early 2016". And I am confident it won't be the last. Expensive flagship phones being shipped out to customers with a flaky beta-OS. The first update for these phones has been withdrawn already. The continuum display dock, unless you pick it up for free whithin the promo, has to be bought separately - a shame if you see the proce for 950 and 950XL which should have this device in the box already. Also don't forget to add the Office365 subscription from April next year if you wanna use the Office apps with continuum - which is most likely the only use for continuum.
The mess with Onedrive storage limit just adds to the mess. So not surprising we not see any ads for W10M oder 950/950XL.
I don't think W10M is dead but it is some experimental software showing what is technically possible. But not at all with the intention to become a daily driver for the majority of people on their phones.

 

[arwars]

Actually, the Office Apps were first released in a much more complete way on Windows Mobile, and were released with very few features, with many features missing or crippled, on Android and iOS. It has taken years of development to get Android and iOS where they are today. .

Office apps were NOT released in a more complete way on WM. What release did you have? The initial release on 8x didn't support anything but simple manual entries in excel, basic support in One Note... not 'more complete' functions. Yes, It may have taken more time to get Office supported on iOS and droid.. and look where they are now, way ahead of WM. Spend the time on your own platform. Work out the details on your own platform. Make your own platform better than the competition. How much brainwashing does it take to not see these very simple and very real needs for WM?

The Office Mobile apps, or touch apps for Office, have been re-written from scratch in order to fully optimize them with the new Windows 10 core.

No, they were rewritten to support iOS and Droid ... with most but not all features supported or making their way back to WM.

Yes, most apps can be ported over easily, but Microsoft made a mistake in the way the Office app was developed for WP8.1, so they ditched it.
.

You kinda contradict yourself.

And we are only talking about Office here. Let's look at other half-baked apps like Facebook (how many people use this daily? why, since MS makes it for WM, can't they see the importance of providing a very rich user experience that supports all functions of the site? WHY? or should I say "Why not provide a rich, full featured user experience?"

Cause the cook has the oven stuck on 'HALF-BAKE'.... leave it in the oven longer and stop giving it to us raw!

 

[arwars]

Anyway, I didn't come here to argue points and try to counter the brainwashing of 'coming soon'. I woke up to the fact that WM user voices are not being heard. I switched and now I have everything I want and need from the competing platform.

I come here to see if there is progress, waiting for the time that WM matures (years) and for the day that app quality meets or exceeds the competitors(more years). With my love of WM8, I didn't think I would be able to handle the switch... but I am handling it just fine. I thought I would drastically miss the live tiles.. but there weren't really many left in WM10 that aren't broken and that doesn't make me miss them anyway (disconnection of the hubs), I thought I would miss cortana..but, wait, she is still on my phone True, I can't say "Hey cortana"... but she is still proficient in her abilities. I have ALL the features of Facebook available to me in a way I never had on WM and it's beautifully done, very capable and the realization of how far WM has to go.

What do I not have? Miracast, "Hey Cortana", Broken Live Tiles, inconsistent design .... and that's about it. Oh.. I don't have a WM as a daily driver either. I have my 1520 on the nightstand collecting dust with the exception of and occasional use like: "Hey cortana, what's the weather" or to have her sing "Happy Birthday" to the beautiful woman lying next to me. Siri doesn't sing

 

[rhapdog]

Office apps were NOT released in a more complete way on WM. What release did you have? The initial release on 8x didn't support anything but a simple functions...

I said Windows Mobile, not Phone. I'm about Windows Mobile 5, or pocket PC 2003, NOT Windows Phone 8.1. Something I started using back in 2005, before Android existed, and had WAY more features than what came out on WP8.1.

And, yes, the early Android version was way more crippled than what we have on Windows 10 Mobile or WP8.1.

The Android and iOS versions in use now have been around and improved upon for many years. The mobile version for Windows 10 is relatively new.

The biggest reason for the apps being behind in functionality are the repeated reboots of the OS, which meant starting over on the apps.

The apps from Microsoft for Windows 10 and Windows 10 Mobile are being updated at a rate that is unprecedented. I get updates several times per week now. Usually once a week or more just on Office apps. I can guarantee that the Android and iOS versions aren't getting that much love.

No, they don't have all the features we want yet, but seeing the updates happening, I finally have confidence that it will happen.

 

[arwars]

I just threw out my Windows CE device a few weeks ago. Ahhh...memories.

Well aware of the many reboots. Ce, Wm 6.5,7, 7.5, 8, 8.1, 10

Don't bet your phone on the lack of love for iOS, I just downloaded the updates for ALL the Office apps again last night and it's not the first time in the 2 months that I've had an iPhone that I have done so. iOS is getting plenty of love from MSFT.

I don't, they destroyed my confidence. I will wait for SEVERAL years to see if MSFT on mobile every becomes a feature packed mature OS. Because it took several years to make mature apps for iOS/Droid... right?

I love driving on long roads...but I've learned to drive them with the Windows down. (?Me)

 

[tgp]

Don't bet your phone on the lack of love for iOS, I just downloaded the updates for ALL the Office apps again last night and it's not the first time in the 2 months that I've had an iPhone that I have done so. iOS is getting plenty of love from MSFT.

Office apps on Android get updated regularly as well. I checked a few of them, and OneNote currently has gone the longest with its last update on December 7. Obvious neglect! :wink:

Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook have all been updated on December 10 or later.

 

[rhapdog]

Office apps on Android get updated regularly as well. I checked a few of them, and OneNote currently has gone the longest with its last update on December 7. Obvious neglect! :wink:

Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook have all been updated on December 10 or later.

Nice to know Microsoft is doing their job as a software company, then. I never meant that Microsoft was trying to slight the other OSes, only that at long last Microsoft is finally giving some love to its own platform.

I never got Office updates on WM5, I never got updates on WP 8 or 8.1. I'm getting quite regular and frequent updates for WM10. I'd say it is promising, as finally Microsoft is treating their own platform with some love.

 

[Lord Method Man]

I think the person in question here either misspoke or was misunderstood. We would not just accept, nor settle for, 3rd place in Mobile for Windows. We?ve released great new devices, a new converged OS, and a new Universal Windows Apps platform just this year. All of these are clear investments and show our commitment to a great Windows experience across a broad range of devices.

Sorry, but actions speak louder than PR.

 

[tgp]

Sorry, but actions speak louder than PR.

I guess that depends on how you interpret Microsoft's actions. Gabe Aul's words in this thread, while reassuring and nice to hear, are also typical of rhetoric you would hear from anyone in his position, no matter what the reality is. That's probably why some have questions.

That said, I firmly believe that he firmly believes what he said. But at the same time, it's what anyone would say, whether or not it's valid.

 

[BlueEchoes]

I swear that everyone at MSFT uses iOS or Droid as their personal phones otherwise there may be some incentive to make WM10 a top-notch platform and WM10 apps the apps everyone talks about.

I make you a bet you are right. I am working for a company that is a MSFT partner and every employee has an iPhone except for 1 android user, and 3 Windows Phone users. I just switched because I hated that we are trying to sell MSFT and sitting in front of me was an iPhone.

I don't use a ton of apps, so I have been okay with the switch so far, but I am missing 2 key apps that I need to use that will never get to Windows phone. So I carry an old iPhone with just WiFi so I can do my job. My job as a MSFT partner.

 

[tgp]

I am working for a company that is a MSFT partner and every employee has an iPhone except for 1 android user, and 3 Windows Phone users.

I work for a Microsoft partner as well. The phone lineup among our full time employees is similar to yours, except switching Android and iPhone. I think we have 2 Windows Phones, 1 iPhone, and the rest use Android.

Basically it comes down to missing functionality. We had a number of WP users who switched to Android recently because of that. That is why you see mostly iPhones and high end Androids in the professional realm.

 

[DBrandUSA]

I ended up just returning my Lumia 950 XL. The $800+ with Microsoft's warranty I could no longer justify for such a crappy user experience. I ended up replacing my cracked screen for my Lumia 1520. I'll use this phone until it stops working. $75.00 for a new screen was such a bargain to continue subjecting myself to such a crappy user experience anyways. The thing is, I still love Windows OS (I don't know why). Spending nearly a $1,000 dollars on a flagship phone that is just "okay" in terms of software just seemed insane to me. The more I used it the more annoyed I become with my purchase and had nothing but regrets. I've had Windows OS installed phones since 6.1 days, this is the very first phone I've ever returned. My wife who calls me a ****** all the time was in absolute shock that I returned the phone and continued to use one that is coming up on two years old.

 

[dev_sec]

My experience with Windows 10 Mobile on my 1520.3 and 950 has been excellent. I'm a pro-.net solutions developer for a large national bank and a long time fan of Microsoft devices since the Windows smartphone platform in 2002, have owned every Surface since inception (even the original RT and original pro), but I also develop with Xamarin, because if you want to be successful these days, you have to listen to what people want.

I think this is where mobile division blue-badges could improve. I'm a deep techie and a strong proponent of what the x86 platform delivers on cisc; low-power x86 Windows phones with continuum gives me wet dreams. The thing is that as soon as I strike up a moderately techie conversation with my mostly non-techie family, female companions , and academic affiliates, the trend I read from them is that everyone is willing to give the 950/Windows Mobile a shot, but no one wants a work in progress - meaning, they're not willing to abandon their household applications, regardless of how good Windows Mobile alternatives get. They won't use Microsoft Maps, our Facebook app, our Instagram, and Edge - even though these apps are excellent, they don't want any change to their core productivity apps.

Just my opinion (I know I'm just a faint voice among the millions), but piracy aside, Astoria (in it's current form) really could be the catalyst that Microsoft needs to jumpstart it's competitive positioning among the majority crowd. Work through the implementation challenges - perhaps market a superior user experience with Windows native apps over Astoria emulated apps while app devs catch up, but for the time being, I think that if these majority users see the Amazon app store (or even the Play store, as unlikely as that is) pinned front and center of their spectacular Lumia 950, they'll feel at ease.

 

[tgp]

The apps from Microsoft for Windows 10 and Windows 10 Mobile are being updated at a rate that is unprecedented. I get updates several times per week now. Usually once a week or more just on Office apps. I can guarantee that the Android and iOS versions aren't getting that much love.

Office apps on Android get updated regularly as well. I checked a few of them, and OneNote currently has gone the longest with its last update on December 7. Obvious neglect! :wink:

Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook have all been updated on December 10 or later.

Nice to know Microsoft is doing their job as a software company, then. I never meant that Microsoft was trying to slight the other OSes, only that at long last Microsoft is finally giving some love to its own platform.

Just FYI, since this "conversation" on December 18, 2015, Excel and Word on Android have received 2 updates! I don't know about the other Office apps; I only use these two.

 

[locodice]

You said in your post that microsoft is not selling out its productes or advantages it just puts them in more markets.I ask you does google or even worst apple do that?Simple question how many apps do you have at the store from google or apple?