Windows Phone 10 vs Windows Phone 8.1 Marketplace

[TrophyNostalgia]

Due to a manufacturing issue I recently ended up swapping back from my Android LG G4 to an older Nokia Lumia Icon (929) running Windows 8.1. I had sorely missed some of the simple feature of Windows Phone (calendar, messaging, and minimalistic design). However, I also noticed that in my two year hiatus from the OS next to nothing has changed within the app marketplace. In fact if anything additional apps have even disappeared. My question being: is the application store for Windows 10 any different than that of the apps that are available for my current temp Nokia Lumia Icon Windows 8.1 device? Or is what I'm seeing on the Icon the same as what I would see on a Nokia Lumia 950 XL/HP Elite X3?

I'm disappointed to see that many mainstream apps are sorely outdated in comparison with their iOS or Android counterparts. I have yet the opportunity to play with Windows 10 on a mobile device and am hoping that the lacking marketplace is isolated to the Windows Phone 8 OS? Any thoughts from fellow Android/Windows Phone users and your experiences?

 

[abhishek singh21]

Due to a manufacturing issue I recently ended up swapping back from my Android LG G4 to an older Nokia Lumia Icon (929) running Windows 8.1. I had sorely missed some of the simple feature of Windows Phone (calendar, messaging, and minimalistic design). However, I also noticed that in my two year hiatus from the OS next to nothing has changed within the app marketplace. In fact if anything additional apps have even disappeared. My question being: is the application store for Windows 10 any different than that of the apps that are available for my current temp Nokia Lumia Icon Windows 8.1 device? Or is what I'm seeing on the Icon the same as what I would see on a Nokia Lumia 950 XL/HP Elite X3?

I'm disappointed to see that many mainstream apps are sorely outdated in comparison with their iOS or Android counterparts. I have yet the opportunity to play with Windows 10 on a mobile device and am hoping that the lacking marketplace is isolated to the Windows Phone 8 OS? Any thoughts from fellow Android/Windows Phone users and your experiences?

most of the apps are the same, infact a lot of apps which were abandoned by developers and were unsupported for windows 10 are still there but you will fell the emptiness once you start going deeper into app categories . It is sad, but that is the truth.

I have recently jumped the ship from my old lumia 730 to samsung j5 as my primary phone and i am very happy with the number of apps and services on android play store. I do have my 730 , meant only for insiders but its very easily evident that on windows mobile apps are only in numbers.

 

[Aamir Mustafa]

Yes missing apps is a big problem in this platform.

 

[greedo_greedy]

Yep the store is in need of some more apps.

But I think it is recommended that you upgrade already to Windows 10 Mobile.
There are plenty of UWP (Universal Windows Platform) apps already in Windows 10 that you cannot have in WP8.1

Also Windows 10 OS itself adds a lot of new functionality that is not present in WP8.1

You need the "Upgrade Advisor" app to upgrade your phone from 8.1 to 10
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/store/p/upgrade-advisor/9nblggh0f5g4

 

[Leonel Funes]

As a Lumia Icon owner myself, Windows 10 Mobile is highly recommended over Windows Phone 8.1. The app store isn't the same since you aren't seeing some Windows 10-only apps until you're updated to the latest OS. If you're on Win8.1, the app gap is worse, but with Win10, you'll see some new apps. In the long run, we all hope it pays off to have One Windows

 

[libra89]

Additionally, some apps have actually improved a lot in their Windows 10 version.