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

[Shamshi-Adad]

1 - KEY: It is the single most secure mobile operating system. Should search up some Black Hat Defcon commentary on just how hard it is to crack. The most poignant comment was "without physical access to the device [Windows phone] I wouldn't even bother trying"
2 - System gets regular updates from the OS maker - rules out 99% of the Android market
3 - I can customize my homescreen and see upcoming meetings and their locations quickly. Customization and the ability to pin almost anything, any setting or link to the homescreen is big. But this has to come with updates from the OS maker, so only Nexus or Apple.
4 - I can pin individual mailboxes to the home screen so that counters for important things are dealt with quickly but also so that less important mail that streams in all the time doesn't cause me to "look" all the time. Apple can do part of this with two mail programs but you still can't individually track two mail boxes inside the same mail account separately from a glance at the home screen.
5 - I can connect with any Miracast device. I don't "need" Apple TV. Only need that if it's the right tool for the job and I think it is not.
6 - Wireless charging and fast charging are game changing even with big batteries.
7 - A real file system, that with a plug of a USB cable I can access, rearrange or drop files into my phone at need.
8 - A very good camera (for its kind). Despite having a plethora of SLR gear to choose from, it is the camera that is on you that trumps all the stuff in the closet. And I almost never, ever use a flash so OIS is very highly appreciated.
9 - A dark background OS. Sorry but the fruit crew literally haven't given up on the day glo colors from the 1980's. I think it's a cute tribute to Jobs' history, but they need to notice the number of phones that come in black today. I don't need white backgrounds and bright screens. The Windows OS is much more refined. Oh and the consistency of the interface compared to Nexus, even if they did break that a bit to add features in Mobile 10, is much smarter. Dev's comment this same consistency helps in making apps too.
10 - Big and little. I can alter the importance of an icon on my home screen. Calendar and phone are big, hit it fast icons, where I could care very little about others but still need them on the homescreen for that once in a while moment.
11 - A browser that works. Safari is not bad, but not good either. Chrome is ok, not great but ok. Since I don't use Chrome at all on the desktop (ever), Win 10 mobile gains me synching favorites as well. Handy. And why oh why can't Apple figure out or at least offer the option to put the browser tools at the bottom? Win 10 Mobile manages this. 25% bonus score for just being intelligent.
12 - Back and search. I can't tell you how many times the back button has saved me and the long back to sift through apps is again, crazy useful as I open a lot of stuff and leave it hanging. A search button? Again, Apple couldn't figure out how to make it look good so they didn't use it. Priority for Apple is looking good. Usefulness comes somewhere 3rd or 4th I think. 2nd is can they sell you an accessory to go with the feature.
13 - OLED. Not on all devices but it's on most of them. Apple = zero Nexus 2016 = zero
14 - apps has what I want, Office, Skype and Skype for Business, BoA, Fidelity, Etrade, Runtastic, Pandora, GoToMeeting/Webex, even Cnet and Bloomberg and AnyConnect. The browser (because it is a good one) connects to all else I need and that's about it.

Apple competes but it's less useful to me. I don't need unsecure home security apps, that's what professionals are for. Sure having some things like FIOS apps would be nice, but honestly would I use that on my phone? No not really. I think we go into a phone store with glittery eyes, looking at all the "look what you can do" and in the end, day after day, the things you actually do don't involve 1% of all those could do things. If I was truly missing something from another platform (feel free to suggest below but I've not found a thing yet) I could switch. I have to use all the OS's to stay versed in what others use and help them with their devices. But Windows is faster, more time efficient and less wasteful of resources and time for me. Apple would be my 2nd just because of updates and better security. Due to security issues that just never end, Android would be my bottom last choice, pretty much only if there was no other kind of phone.

There you are

BRAVO!!!! Well said. :smile:

Peace. Alan
ICON 929 [Win10 M, Insider Preview, Redstone 2, 14926.1000.]

 

[Grimwar]

Well said! I like this post.
When I 1'st bought a Windows phone, a few years back, the 1'st thing I did was connect it to a Windows Vista PC via USB. Probably not the best experience, but it was usable.
It is Windows 10 that really solves and shines like a bright light with the UWP apps.
Bing search is very good, I love the way Bing puts video searches in a single web link!
Interaction with Maps and the Cortana commands are now so user friendly. And they Sync across all Windows devices.
Remind me to..., When I get home remind me to...., When i to a Store (name) buy ....

 

[fatclue_98]

A dark background OS.

As superficial as this sounds, it is a must for me because of my sensitivity to light. Android Lollipop removed it and getting it on Marshmallow requires rooting and editing build.props on most phones. One of the many features I took for granted on Palm OS (and webOS too) was the multitude of shades available. BlackBerry OS10 is the only other choice in this respect.

Oh, by the way, excellent post.

 

[Dan Harris]

UWP Ecosystem across PC, Mobile and Xbox One is worth investing in.

Also, it does everything I want in the way I want and I'm not (personally) missing any apps.

It does all this in a way that is cosmetically attractive to my taste and surfaces information through tiles and notifications well.

It feels more alive than an iPhone UI for example.

Overall I use it because it still works best for my needs - I won't ****** up to a certain company when it comes to tech, when I come to buy a new phone I always weigh up whether I'd be better with an iPhone or some sort of Android device and so far I don't believe I would be.

 

[mehtanilay10]

What are you missing in copy and paste. It is better in W10M

Yaah better then WP 8.1 but some times still it does not copy text! Specially in Edge. Hope MS will solve this.

 

[mehtanilay10]

Same bro! I am watching tutorials of UWP for this. Hope more & more developer give interest in this OS.

 

[ULTRA_NUUB]

IPhone doesn't show much info in screen, still have ip5 at work to have Spotify connected to speakers. Carry a 950xl for all my needs and a oneplus one for banking coz **** bank doesn't wanna make an app.

I play a ton of games on my oneplus but the full screen ads every 2 seconds annoys me to no end, hence me not taking the jump to full android.

The reason im sticking with windows is I like how all info necessary to me is presented in a personalized way, apart from banking all the apps i need are there, what's app, messenger, skype and so on.

 

[Ruined]

I always held on because I liked the concept of an open hardware ecosystem with a secure/closed store. I also found the UX much more engaging and less boring. But the hardware ecosystem dwindled and Microsoft pretty much gave up on consumer focused initiatives while consumer apps shut down. So i gave up, too, this year.

I will come back when Microsoft proves they have a strong grip on the consumer market which may be further away than ever under leadership of the new ceo.

 

[DennisvdG]

Why am I still here? because my 1520 is serving me very well. I have no compelling reason to switch platforms. I don't care that iphones and androids are faster and I don't care about the apps that we are missing. And on top of that, I just like W10M's look, feel and simplicity.

 

[DavidTheGiant]

I'm staying with Windows 10 mobile because the first time i used it I can see there is lot of potential in this OS. i love how the Windows OS grows. We can see how it changed from time to time, how it became unusable to stable, how it became mature and satisfies our needs.. I just cant let go in this OS even tho it's dying.. I feel in loved with Windows Phones and Windows 10 mobile. I'll keep using this OS until the day it will come to rest. I just can't imagine myself using android or iOS. even tho they have more apps it doesn't matter to me. The simplicity and functionality of Windows 10 mobile is the one that kept me to hold on to it. And that will never change. I'm not turning back and I'm not gonna let go~ :'(

 

[feorwine]

Even with W10M bumps and bruises (& dying battery, apparently), I still love my 1520 after two and a half. Secure, fast, gorgeous screen, dark background, quite resilient hardware. The improved contrast mode for outdoor use is second to none.
The integration with W10 is astounding, even in its current form.
For a while I considered selling it and getting another platform, but Price/performance ratio for current phones is abysmal. Ultimately, I dug out my trusty Nokia 808 as second phone. Go Nokia!!

 

[Joe920]

One less temptation: Google Pixel starts at $649 for the 5" / 32GB version. What the hell are they thinking?!

 

[Maurizio Troso]

One less temptation: Google Pixel starts at $649 for the 5" / 32GB version. What the hell are they thinking?!

All major tech portals says specs are worst than expected.
SO I guess they are thinking "Let's try chicken hunting, why only Apple can do that???"

 

[apoc527]

I'm still hanging on with my 1520 because nothing else really looks better. I love W10M's UI and UX. I do not like Android. I do not like iOS (but the iPhone 7 Plus is nice looking). I am going to hold out as long as I can, assuming I get decent reliability out of this aging 1520. My wife is done though. She is ditching her 850 for an iPhone 7+ and that's fine with me.

 

[sinime]

I keep throwing up in my mouth when I consider the alternatives. :shocked:

 

[abhishek singh21]

live tile is great, quick info on start screen. Storage sense, kids corner ?(was)

 

[holzlondon]

Sorry to say that I'm now no longer part of the 1%. After quite a few years with Windows Phone/Mobile, I've finally jumped ship to Apple.

There are a number of things I am missing: Live Tiles, dark theme, file system, wide-angle camera. But on a whole, iOS just works well, it's polished.

To me Windows Phone/Mobile has always been this thing you own, which is precious, but needs a lot of care and attention - needing workarounds for things which aren't covered by apps because they are missing.

In a few years, when my new contract is up, I'll revisit the situation again. If a Surface phone really comes out and finds that sweet spot of transcendence between phone/tablet/PC in one device, I may be convinced to come back.

One friend mentioned to me he thinks it's good to switch OS and ecosystem every few years to not become to dependant on it. The good thing is that if you're in Microsoft's ecosystem, it will work with iOS and Android pretty damn well.

Finally, after having an Android phone for work in recent years, I can 100% be sure that I'm either in the Microsoft or in the Apple camp - there is no way I'll ever get an Android phone for my private use.

To all those still holding out: Congratulations - you're more resilient, determined and stubborn than me. I'll revisit this space in a few years

 

[unmorphed]

I still prefer my 950 over the iPhone 6 that I also carry everyday.

Camera. Not even close.
Live tiles. Can't beat the convenience of info AR a glance.
Outlook. Works better for my accounts, I can't even add some on iOS because it doesn't support POP.
Cortana. It's not a integrated in iOS and Siri still sucks.
Office Lens. Works better & faster on W10.
Maps. I really like how Windows Maps has turned out.
OneDrive integration. All of my cloud storage is on OneDrive and it's not that great on iOS.
I could go on and on...

 

[Alain_A]

I did not hold out iphone 7 here cause of one needed app. So far so good

 

[christos michalopoulos]

I 've jumped ship to Apple. I wanted a small device which i can handle with one hand and i bought iphone se. I am really amazed with that small rocket!!! Ios is great and all works perfectly! I am staying with my surface 3 but i think in the future to get a macbook and an ipad. I have started to use more my gmail and google services after 5 years i was all in MS services. I am a consumer and i dont care about enterprise whistles and bells. I regret cause i like w10 mobile but i am tired waiting.