Folks who make up the 1% - why are you holding on?

[Krystianpants]

I was always using android/ios. I only decided to give windows phone a try when I saw the lumia 520 was dirt cheap. I was merely curious and went for it. At first I didn't like it that much, then when windows 8.1 came out I started liking it a lot more. I especially liked the start screen more than anything. I ended up getting a lumia 830 to test out a more powerful phone as a daily driver using a prepaid card. Part of it was I didn't want to keep paying the carrier fees for something I barely used outside of texting/chatting. I never really used the phone much for calls. So I was pretty pleased with it. It wasn't till I started testing out windows 10 preview builds that I really started liking windows mobile. The Start screen enhancements and customization were great. The settings enhancements, action center, everything was really appealing to me. I would say though that 90% of my like for windows mobile is the start screen. And it's not really the live tiles. I find them useful for some things like weather or just knowing the number of unseen items. It's about being able to customize the look to my needs, make it more efficient/organized and differentiate myself with the look I find most appealing. Android did allow for it to some extent with a lot of hacks. But this was straight out of the box. And it just looked better in my opinion. And to this day I have my android/ios phones and I still prefer windows 10 mobile. The start screen is a big part of windows 10 mobile and it's the least understood part too. No one really knows much about the Start screen because MS doesn't educate people. They don't make any ads that show off how unique start screens can be made. People just know it as the boring default. That's how I knew it till I started playing around. That's how my friends knew it till they saw my start screen. That's how people all over the world know it. MS ignores its best feature go figure.

Anyways, I'm not loyal to any ecosystem. Even if I purchase stuff the purchases made me happy for the time I used them and I'm ok moving over and making purchases elsewhere. I think UWP will make it easier to move over because you will still be able to take advantage of your purchases on the desktop.

Twitt the same to Dona, and let's see the answer, considering she is working twice than Gabe....

Gabe was split between working with engineering group and insiders. The only reason you see more builds now because Gabe can now work with engineering properly and deliver builds/fixes faster and Dona is able to get the testing started and finished quicker as a result. Both are still doing a great job. Don't discredit Gabe.

 

[patcherd]

Sometimes age can be a blessing in that I couldn't care less about Pok?mon or whatever the latest gotta have app is. You poor millennial hipsters, it must be tough having to keep up with the crowd. ;P

Lord willing I am staying with windows whether the platform sinks or swims. Android and iOS just "don't get it" for me. Would rather go back to a flip phone.

 

[nedarata]

*device still works
*can't install other os on that phone
*camera

 

[iampwd]

Continuum and universal apps are the 2 main points right now. I actually use apps even on my desktop now esp for youtube, netflix, reddit, twitter, news and anything facebook. Never used Apple stuff, did like Android for a while but after the worst phone ever HTC One X I had enough. Really happy with 950 XL right now, hopefully devs will continue to develop great apps for this universal platform.

Sent from mTalk

 

[triageatdawn]

Two reasons: the camera and the user-friendly style of UI.
I'm not an app person so the app gap doesn't really bother me. If I ever make the switch that'll only happen in case there's no relevant Windows Mobile handsets to choose from. :smile:

 

[Tiiger88]

What if pokemon go developed only and i mean only a windows phone? I want to say, that windows platform need unique apps to perform better. Hope there will be day, when all apps are universal.

But yes, i bought windows phone because of good memories about my N9. After N9 i had Huawei P6, i loved that phone because of it's design. Next smartphone was Samsung S5 Mini. This phone was awesome too. Battery lasted 2 days after heavy usage. And fingerprint scanner and pulse measurement as well. But the only problem was the android update. I waited and i waited until i sell it after a year of waiting. Yes, i didn't received android 5.1.1. This was like meh situation. So what i want to say, is that i love windows update system. I love to be the part of the little community...

 

[v535]

The camera won me in the 1020, the tile interface with picture background is just great, the stability, the speed, the predictability now with windows 10 across devices, the ease of typing, great backup services, etc

I can say, WP/WM is like Mac OS in mobile ecosystem that helps us perform day to day work w/o any hiccups even with encryption turned on, no slow down or lags. You always feel a premium touch to the OS even if you've Low end device.

 

[Greywolf1967]

I can say and be truthful, I have only used 1 other cell phone before my first Windows Powered Device, that being a Nokia brick.
I used my first 2 PDA's ( Casio BE 300, Casio E125), as Windows Powered Phones, as Pocket PC Phone Edition was in development ( Compaq Ipaq ).
Thanks to an Audiovox CF GPRS/GSM insert. Then Audiovox SMT5600 ( 2003 SE/WinMo5/WinMo6 ), HTC HD2 ( WinMo 6.5/ WinPhone 7), HTC Radar, Nokia 1020, Lumia 640XL

Windows is all I have used 99% of the time, so it just feels right to me. I have tinkered with friends phones both iOS/Android but just don't like either of them.

I stole a saying, but I use for my phone....If you want my Windows Phone, you'll have to pry it from my cold dead hand !!!!!!

 

[cmattau90]

I like the Windows UI for starters. Customized start screen , lives tiles, etc. I use a phone for convenience and don't do social media or play games so there is no app gap for me. My bank and credit cards have apps.

I dislike Google as a company and will not use anything Android. I have an iPad, but the UI is ugly and simplistic. Native email on the iPad pales in comparison to Outlook on iOS to me. I use MS apps on it wherever I can. If I had to use a different OS, I'd go with an iPhone begrudgingly.

 

[Paul1266]

For me its primarily the UI. I have an iPhone SE and a Huawei P9. I like a bit of variation but I spend more time on my 950 than the other 2. There is no app gap for me as I'm not into games and I use pretty much the same 20 odd apps on all 3 platforms - even my bank is here. I use my devices for media consumption, social networking, as a camera and unbelievably to make phone calls too! If I'm honest I also like the fact that its not just another Sammy or iPhone which 99% of my friends and colleagues use. But underneath it all is the UI look and feel...i just love it. The last few red stone builds have made me love it even more....

 

[speccy]

Interface - IOS and Android are still 25 years behind the times with their dead icons. I love the live tiles and and the customisation options for both the start-screen, and lock-screen (LockMix is great for customising the lock-screen).

Camera - had 925, 930 and now 950, camera on all of those was very good, though it's not right reliability-wise with the latest RS build, (for me at least).

 

[fatclue_98]

I must belong to the underdog-loving group since I like Windows (all versions), webOS, BlackBerry (legacy and OS10) and PalmOS. To me, it's not about apps so much as it is about features. As phones and PCs have shifted to more of a consumer-centric base, I find myself searching for that "perfect" combo. Continuum is the one feature I'm really digging as it allows me to be more productive with fewer hardware bits. Now that the HP EliteX3 is right around the corner and the Jade Primo is out, I'm just waiting for the Idol 4 Pro to be released to make a decision. I know Rubino will be giving us a review on the Acer soon and I've always found Daniel's reviews to be fair and he always touches on what's important to me.

 

[antnauman]

Things I like:
* It just feels personal.
* Everything is there on the start screen.
* There's almost nothing to do on the phone when I'm bored, so I spend less and less time on phone.
* It feels secure.
* It has very basic set of apps (with good features) and nothing fancy.
* It's personalization options are good.
* It has the best Settings.
* No one I've ever seen uses it. Makes me feel unique.
* I like the direction it's taking.

Things I don't like:
* OS still feels unpolished and buggy.
* Native apps still disappoint sometimes.
* Windows 10 swipe keyboard!

Posted via the Windows Central App for Android

 

[mggm100]

The thing I do most with a phone is look at it. WM is far more pleasing to my eye than iOS and Android. And then there's bonus of how my 950 XL integrates with my other Microsoft devices. I'm not one to go for things like Snapchat or Pok?mon Go, so that particular gap doesn't concern me. I occasionally wish my small credit union had a WM app, but I only use it 3 or 4 times a year, and my old Android still runs the app for me.

 

[Thazal]

My aunt lost her android phone and my cousin had a 920 laying around, I gave her my SII and took the Nokia. This was right before PAX and also the last time I would use Android. I immediately grew accustomed to the phone as my laptop had Windows 8 and the camera was taking great photos that I didn't care about missing out on apps that I had lost in the trade. The SII was my first smartphone and I actually almost bought the 920. At the time I didn't want to spend the little extra for it, but now I wish I had. I may have a 950xl now but I'm holding on because of how much I enjoyed using the 920 and how much I enjoy using Windows 10 desktop/mobile. I convinced my fiance to make the switch to WP after her iphone dropped and became worthless, now she has a Band 2 which she loves. The integration between our phones and computers is great, knowing I can just throw my dock and wireless keyboard/mouse into a bag when we leave on a trip is a convenience I have that I wouldn't with a competitors phone. I can handle bugs and not having the latest apps but I'm fond of things that take on the moniker "Jack of all trades, master of none".

 

[Joe920]

I want a first party phone (Google, Apple, or MS) with easy drag and drop of media (that kills iOS) and with microSD storage or 128GB. That leaves the 950 series, or the Nexus 6P with 128GB ($650). I don't like the look of the 6P much, but if the next Nexus phones offer 128GB I'll give them a good look.

 

[jayblazer]

Because I love the interface and Cortana and the phone can understand me when I dictate text.. the iPhone comes up with the craziest things.
Also I have just always loved Microsoft. I was one of the crazy people who waited outside of a CompUSA to get my copy of windows 95.. lol

 

[Allen Rhodes]

Here is the single solitary reason why I'm still here... I could give two deuces about Pok?mon Go. Any issue any of us have had with our phones, just google that issue and iPhone or android. Guys, we aren't the only ones having OS issues. This "grass is greener" garbage is rampant on this site and in society in general. No one wants to research, they just want buy and use with no issues. I'm sorry, but the vast majority of issues posted here are user error. I'm not going to cry about a 1020 running 10, since it shouldn't, and the user having issues. I like the direction of 10, its more for business user(or ADULTS as I call them). The app gap is trivial, who cares about SnapChat, really. Someone making close to or over 6 figures, tell me why that and Pok?mon matter in a phone. Its an Adults OS.

 

[Maaz Mansori]

I'm a long-time regular Windows user, since Windows 3.0 was released in 1990. I've always had enough technical knowledge to keep my Windows computers running smoothly and the same goes for Windows phones. If I recall correctly, the iPhone did not support copy & paste nor even MMS when it was first released. In fact, it took a couple of years to get some of the regular features that other phones had. As a technical person, I never understood the coolness factor in the iPhone with limited functionality and lack of flexibility. Even today, it just seems like all they have is a bigger faster iPhone with the same boring icons and few extra features.

Back 8 or 9 years ago, I was having fun testing different ROMs on my Windows Mobile devices. I've never had an iPhone, Android phone, or Blackberry. Then in 2010 when Windows Phone 7 was released, I was initially a bit disappointed with losing so much functionality. However, at least it had MMS and copy/paste was enabled fairly quickly in the first update. Also the live tiles grew on me and I liked that I could just look at the start screen and get a glance of everything that is going on.

In addition, I was never much of a Google fan and rarely used their services and the ongoing problems with Microsoft and Google had made me feel as if I need to take a side on the matter. I still use Exchange e-mail and most of Microsoft's services like Office, OneDrive, etc. Yes, they are available on the other platforms but I don't see any reason to switch just because 99% of the other people are using the other device mostly because all of their family and friends do too. I'd rather be part of a community and platform that is feedback driven such as Windows Mobile. I haven't noticed a random reboot in months and my phone has been in the fast ring.

I have other devices including an old iPad and a Nexus 7, which I purchased at a discount. They are running the latest releases of iOS and Android and as a regular Windows user, I hate the UI of both iOS and Android. The tablets get limited use and I tend to use them only for specific purposes such as an app to control a specific device I might have in my house. I prefer to keep it that way as I'm not one of those people who wants to use my phone for anything and everything. There is no need to for me personally although I would definitely welcome Windows support for these devices. The majority of the time I'm on my Windows PC or Lumia 950. I don't care about apps like Snapchat or Pok?mon Go. They are mostly enjoyed by people half my age or younger.

 

[libra89]

Here is the single solitary reason why I'm still here... I could give two deuces about Pok?mon Go. Any issue any of us have had with our phones, just google that issue and iPhone or android. Guys, we aren't the only ones having OS issues. This "grass is greener" garbage is rampant on this site and in society in general. No one wants to research, they just want buy and use with no issues. I'm sorry, but the vast majority of issues posted here are user error. I'm not going to cry about a 1020 running 10, since it shouldn't, and the user having issues. I like the direction of 10, its more for business user(or ADULTS as I call them). The app gap is trivial, who cares about SnapChat, really. Someone making close to or over 6 figures, tell me why that and Pok?mon matter in a phone. Its an Adults OS.

So you're saying that adults shouldn't be allowed to have fun? Why don't we have Periscope? Banking apps are improving, but we have holes. I follow many adults who use Snapchat actually. It's not fair to put things as adult and kid stuff.

As for your iPhone and Android point, fair point but at the same time, the basic things of a smartphone should work well. In the months I have used both Android and iOS, I have never had this issue with either one. The email app has never just crashed on me. These things used to work mostly fine in 8.1. I miss having a solid experience with the stuff that MS built in.

Anyway, my answer to this thread is that I don't want to let go. Even though I turn on my Windows Phone maybe once a week, that doesn't mean that I'm ready to give it away or sell it. Heck, I'm at the point that if I had to sell one of my phones (iPhone SE, Nextbit Robin and Lumia 640, btw), I would probably sell the Robin. For me, Windows makes the perfect medium of customization, and simplicity in an OS.

iOS is very minimal, simplistic but no customization, Android has a LOT of customization, and "simplicity" will depend on the phone's UI/OS. I would like for it to come from behind and be as stable as 8.1. Then I would be on board, rather than one foot in and one out as I have had for months now.