What's your optimistic version of W10M future ?

[damonator98]

Lately I've seen many sad threads around sounding like the world's about to end and "WM IS DEAD!". I've read about flaws of ms strategy, dissapointed users, problems, system failures, apps leaving, marketshare plummeting and etc. I love to see people being positive even at the worst moments, so now I'm seeking for some optimistic/positive view in all this gloom. What do you guys/girls think ? What would the optimistic scenario ? What gives you hope and faith in WM ?

 

[Pete]

I still prefer using the OS over iOS and Android. I've got used to it over the years, it does what I need from it in a manner that I understand, and see no point in moving away.

Windows 10 Mobile is far superior to my mind that Windows Phone 8, and whatever has been removed or changed doesn't bother me enough to complain about it.

 

[winboy]

Bright as sunshine! I refuse to use boring buggy android and that other boring one that charges you an arm and a leg for a closed platform.

 

[Cruachan 11]

Not going to use iOS, because I have always hated iTunes and Apple's walled garden.
I have a Nexus 7 tablet, Android is fine for an entertainment focused device but I'd never use anything other than stock Android due to the security issues of the unpatched OEM versions.

I like W10M much better than 8/8.1. For me it's smoother and better looking with a more consistent UI and has corrected some of the poor earlier issues such as the settings menu. The App Gap doesn't really exist for me the way I use my phone, the only small issues I have are battery life (getting better all the time for me) and a couple of minor bugs (Dedicated alerts per mailbox, MSN Weather on the lock screen).

Windows Phone/Mobile is in much better health here in the UK, in Europe and lots of other markets. It seems to me that much of the doom and gloom is US-centric, particularly in regards to the lack of some apps (Banks mostly)

 

[EspHack]

same as surface RT > surface 3

maybe ms stops being retarded and lets the build roms free for anyone to install on any phone?

 

[Jeff Erson]

On a brighter side, WM will be smoother, faster and fully featured OS. Apps would come through bridges (Islandwood, Centennial, etc). And when that day comes, they could bring me back.

 

[SnailUK]

If Microsoft can get their act together, make porting iOS apps simple, and persuade some developers to both port their apps, and then put a badge on their website to say Windows app store, together with the usual iOS/Android, then we might be on a promise.

Universal apps, and their ability to work on console/pc/tablet/phone should give some leverage.

Doesn't matter how awesome the OS is, until the app gap starts closing, it'll never matter.

 

[PepperdotNet]

The smartphone era is about over. The market is saturated. Pretty much everybody that wants one has one, and it's just a matter of incremental upgrades and replacements of worn out and broken phones now. Rather than compete with the likes of Apple and Android over such crumbs, Microsoft is big and smart enough to wait it out while coming up with new ideas that will redefine the category.

Whatever the next mobile thing is after smartphones, Microsoft is positioning itself to be there ahead of everyone else. If I knew what that was I'd be working at Microsoft.

 

[phlamethrowre]

So Microsoft is sucking on purpose because eventually smartphones will be replaced by something else? That's your theory?

 

[R3mis]

For me, WP is million times better than its competition. In short, I find iOS boring to death and overpriced. Android, while having many apps, seems to me like it was made by some crazy clowns in a circus. Too many colors everywhere and no sense for decent design. Not to mention the lags.

WP, with its minimalistic, easy-to-use design, black backgrounds and now good integration with W10 on Pc just wins it for me.

I'm not afraid Microsoft will ditch it as its CEO said that mobile is crucial to complete the multiplatform experience.

The only thing that concerns me a little is that if it continues to lose it's customer base, developers will stop making apps for the platform, thus making it feel dead and empty.

I still really hope and believe that it is only a matter of time until the general public opens their eyes and realize that WP is far superior to Android. The only thing needed is for Microsoft to start actually trying. Fix the many issues of W10M, do some marketing and just stop frustrating their own fans and driving them away with their seemingly half-assed effort. Do some marketing for god's sake.

Everyone I know thinks that WP sucks because "Microsoft sucks, because Windows Vista sucked and why the hell would I put Windows on my phone when it sucks on my Pc?" Everyone was amazed when they actually saw the system and some of them even ditched their shty Android phones for a WP.

 

[PepperdotNet]

So Microsoft is sucking on purpose because eventually smartphones will be replaced by something else? That's your theory?

Not the sucking on purpose part but yes. You need to look at the bigger picture. People grow up and have rich, full lives outside of their smartphones.

Mark my words. There will come a time when the sleek black glass rectangles we all carry around will be looked at with disdain just as if somebody today were carrying around a bag phone (remember those?)

 

[phlamethrowre]

Not the sucking on purpose part but yes. You need to look at the bigger picture. People grow up and have rich, full lives outside of their smartphones.

Mark my words. There will come a time when the sleek black glass rectangles we all carry around will be looked at with disdain just as if somebody today were carrying around a bag phone (remember those?)

I'm well aware that the smartphones days are numbered, as were the bag phones and flip phones. But claiming that Microsofts mobile woes are somehow related to that is a tough sell. It's like saying Yugos were crappy because someday we'll all be riding around on hoverboards.

 

[Guytronic]

The last paragraph of this article on WinBeta I found interesting:
Microsoft isn?t sweating the death of Windows Phone and here?s why ? WinBeta

 

[gwinegarden]

Some think that W10M can survive with only 3rd party hardware but I cannot see MS putting a lot of effort into future improvements if they don't have a 'hat in the ring'. Unfortunately, I think the future is still up in the air until Nadella makes up his mind and goes in 100%.

 

[Krystianpants]

The whole market share was for last quarter. And MS released their lumia phones almost at end of last quarter.

December market share plummeted, but apparently recovered in January. This could be due to the lumia 950/xl. And may have been even better if it supported Verizon.

So I think we will start seeing better numbers once the 650 is released. This may draw in a larger audience. And the question is whether it will support Verizon. Plus by then maybe the OS will be more optimized.

 

[mkKozak]

Windows Mobile will grow very high and it's not because MS is putting a lot of effort into it. They don't. It will be side effect of their other projects and well designed ecosystem that MS have created. They're planning things 15 years ahead. Yes, 15 or even more.
So no worries. Apple is far behind. Google is at least doing a lot, trying strange uncommon things and approches.
If there is something dead. It's Apple. Not yet. But they didn't planned it so far ahead. They will cease... or "borrow" ideas

 

[Euell Gibbons]

One factor that not many have mentioned, but one I think is HUGE, is the carrier involvement. I think AT&T, Verizon, et. al don't WANT there to be a 3rd viable option. Especially Verizon. That 3rd OS choice adds to there cost, without any real benefit for them.

What I think MS at least understands is that the future of smartphones is for people to get their phone from the mfg, NOT the carrier. Similar to the way things work in Europe right now. To the phone mfg and the consumer there are big advantages to NOT getting the phone from the carrier:
Can take the phone to another carrier if your current one sucks.
Phones get updated much more quickly, without need for the carrier to pre-test.
Phones can be installed without the crap installed by the carrier.
Features the carrier wants disabled can be enabled. (Visual Voice Mail, Tethering)

Carriers want you to be forced to get the phones thru them because they make money off of the bloat, and by charging you monthly for features that would be free if just enabled on your phone. Plus they want you to feel trapped into the carrier, so you won't be inclined to switch to a competitor.

 

[mjperry51]

Not the sucking on purpose part but yes. You need to look at the bigger picture. People grow up and have rich, full lives outside of their smartphones.

Mark my words. There will come a time when the sleek black glass rectangles we all carry around will be looked at with disdain just as if somebody today were carrying around a bag phone (remember those?)

Hey -- I had a bag phone!!!

 

[etphoto]

I still believe universal apps will change Win 10 mobile. Windows 10 recently over took XP and should overtake 8.0 (8.1) in the next few months. And Surface sales are up 29% over this time last year (1.3 billion in revenue). And despite all the "the world is coming to an end because the Surface Book sucks" post we see here on WPCentral both the SB and SP4 have had incredible successful launches. I think the SB is going to be going to other markets in 2016 and with the bug fixing updates coming from Microsoft to correct known issues coupled with the expanded markets I have no reason to believe sales will be increasing. Surface 4 should be coming this summer as well (hopefully to get the back to school sales). I know its a sore subject to some but the Microsoft apps on both IOS and Android and doing fairly well, which only help getting more people's toes wet in the Microsoft eco system. It think all that positive news can only help Windows mobile. It won't happen over night and it won't be great gains, but gains never the less.

So, to answer the OP's question, I'm somewhat optimistic.

Sent from my Surface 3

 

[donkiluminate]

My optimistic(hope) for WM10 is MS will not blindside WM fans and shutter the platform and instead continue to work on it and slowly bring it up to feature parity with iOS and Android as well as bringing their own apps up to feature parity with the other platforms. They will keep putting out new phones every year.