What the Next Gen Windows Phone OS NEEDS and it's Problems (Giant Rant)

[lovenokia]

I don't know how to say this, but windows phone still has problems and lot's of them stem from app's created for earlier versions of the os, not being updated to the later versions. When I was on windows phone 8.0 GDR3 I had lots of apps that were updated for WP8 and all had the instant resuming API and worked rather well. But during that time, I have always had a problem were I would receive the notification and the live tile would not update. There have been a lot of apps that do this, and still do. In the marketplace, there are still WP7 that have not been updated, and are just hampering the experience for anyone that downloads them. The truth is that when a new user goes out to try WP 8.1 right now and see apps when they try to resume then via multitask and see them resuming for a seconds, that does not look very good. The percentage of people when trying windows phone and seeing these problems may be deterred and return the device, which seems to happen a lot. One use scenario would be a teenager trying to snapchat their friend. Being on android, there is an official snapchat app, and push notifications happen instantly, while on windows phone, you would use 6snap, and the push notifications aren't instant, and lots of scenarios you would not get the snap. Things like this deter from the windows phone experience, and is why the marketshare is low, and also for other reasons.

Windows phone 9 will NEED to be able to run store apps (Windows 8 metro apps), as my experience with windows 8 and 8.1 apps are generally far smoother, more responsive and properly working live tiles. After using windows phone since 2010, I can say that going through the app list with a black background can be quite boring, and a background will be needed. When you are in the multitasking screen, the theme color is very boring a background would be very necessary in that situation to help keep the OS fresh. The setting's menu needs to be redone and the entire OS needs to be spruced up. The messaging app needs to have some more color, and allow choice for some themes. The WP store needs lots of apps to get filtered, because there are lots of broken apps that are frustrating with many that do not work the way that they were intended to be made. One example is dictionary.com app, it is obvious that is still is a wp7 app, and I use the word of the day function, and what happens is that I will go a day without receiving a notification than receive 5 the next day. Another problem is that when I click on the word in the notification center, it ends up taking me to another word. As of right now the entire OS seems disjointed, with lot's of problems occurring because of non updated third party apps. I know lots will say this is the problem of the third party apps, as it is, but it does affect all of us, and it affects the image that MS receives to it's mobile platform, they will have to resolve these problems, or their market share will never come at ALL.

What windows phone does NOT have is reliable notifications, reliable live tiles, reliable fast resuming multitasking for ALL apps, proper support from third party apps (Not MS's fault, but a problem nonetheless) and proper flag shapes that ought to become available to all markets, especially in the US where there has yet to be a windows phone flag shape released to all 4 carriers.

Some other more customizations will be needed. The notification center needs to have an option for more than 4 shortcuts (5 on phablets) and have a scrollable label instead of having a limited number. There ought to be a optional brightness slider, and more accessibility shortcuts. They could implore double layer of accessibility shortcuts too. Another problem that is annoying is that when I clear notifications from the Action Center, the live tiles does NOT get cleared. I know that apps need to support this, but I have yet to see ONE app that supports this. I am very infuriated by the rate of development of new apps from third party developers with WP 8.1, as 5 months later, there is very few windows phone 8.1 specific apps in the marketplace. In my opinion, MS ought to restart the WP store with windows phone 9, and only allow updated apps, and or the developers that will resubmit their apps to this "New" store so that all of the old junk gets filtered out. It is a dauntless move, but one I feel that needs to be taken. If or maybe or when WP OS converges with windows RT and is able to all share the same apps, that have PROPER NOTIFICATIONS, and PROPER LIVE TILES all being responsive with an updated metro design (similar to windows 8.1) than MS may be going somewhere considering that developers will have a huge ecosystem of users to feed and make apps for may mean better support for apps, and greater availability of apps. What this could also mean is that Windows will be able to apps normally tailored for the phone and vice versa would be a huge boon for both ecosystems.

Because of these issues with windows phone, I too am having a hard time trying to stay with the platform as I love the interface and style, but the build up of frustrating apps is infuriating and I am very tempted to go to android. Since I have been with windows phone for so long, I am willing to wait for Windows "Threshold" but past that, I may jump the windows phone bandwagon.

Tl;dr
BASICALLY IT IS A HUGE RANT OF WINDOWS PHONE'S SHORTCOMINGS, AND SOME TIPS OF MINE SPLATTERED ALONG, AND I NEEDED TO GET THIS OUT OF MY SYSTEM.

Frustrated MS ****** :eck:

 

[N_LaRUE]

Nice rant. Can I offer you some tea and cookie?

The two years (yes only two) that I've been on WP I've not been overly impressed with it so I see all your points clearly. Defenders of WP will call it teething problems. Others will say they've been lucky and have no issues. Still others will tell you that WP is the best for low end hardware and Android is terrible though that has nothing to do with this conversation.

Apps are the main issue for WP as you've stated. The notification center was implemented to get around the shortfall of live tiles which to this day do not impress. Customization though important for some for me is inconsequential. I don't feel a need to make my phone cluttered looking. I'm a bit of a minimalist in that way. Though I agree options are always a good thing.

There is little doubt that W9 is the turning point for WP or Windows as it's about to be called. We have to wait and see how this pans out.

To me though I like the idea of threshold but this doesn't solve the app issue. Regardless how people feel about supporting 3rd party developers we need to have the 'real' app on WP to help it progress in the market. Until then 2.5% will probably stay. I won't discuss the hardware situation.

 

[Loco5150]

That is so freaking annoying that clearing the notification does not clear the tile. To me it's amazing to think, that Microsoft can have their own head so far up their ***, that even facebook app does not support this. I mean seriously, the facebook app is developed by them, and how much earlier they knew internally that the notification center is coming to WP and they can't include it in the app?

I think they have some serious problems in management level and not enough coordination internally. There are more hints about this IMO.

 

[vishj05]

I am not sure if this is only apps issue. For me my whole user experience has degraded after moving to 8.1.
There are more of Loading and resuming screens(even for MS apps).
Now even Start screen has started showing Resuming screen. and at times images on live tiles take time to load.
All hubs are more or less gone.
Boring experience on opening Photos hub.
Forever wait on opening games hub.
People hub and me tile has more or less gone.
Dont get me started on MUsic app now..

SO its not just the app situation but the whole WP experience that has gone for a toss for me atleast
Sometimes I wonder why MS had to screw all things that were WOW about WP.

 

[lovenokia]

Nice rant. Can I offer you some tea and cookie?

The two years (yes only two) that I've been on WP I've not been overly impressed with it so I see all your points clearly. Defenders of WP will call it teething problems. Others will say they've been lucky and have no issues. Still others will tell you that WP is the best for low end hardware and Android is terrible though that has nothing to do with this conversation.

Apps are the main issue for WP as you've stated. The notification center was implemented to get around the shortfall of live tiles which to this day do not impress. Customization though important for some for me is inconsequential. I don't feel a need to make my phone cluttered looking. I'm a bit of a minimalist in that way. Though I agree options are always a good thing.

There is little doubt that W9 is the turning point for WP or Windows as it's about to be called. We have to wait and see how this pans out.

To me though I like the idea of threshold but this doesn't solve the app issue. Regardless how people feel about supporting 3rd party developers we need to have the 'real' app on WP to help it progress in the market. Until then 2.5% will probably stay. I won't discuss the hardware situation.

I remember when I would go hunting for an app that would have a working live tile during the WP7 days. That is ridiculous, but somehow I put up with it. I feel that if threshold will be what it will be (and properly done I mean not half baked MS style) we might start getting official apps two years after the release. Developers need a huge user base, and that might be what windows phone would need to move up. The combined sales of phones, tablets, desktops and laptops may be able to entice developers. I would like still to keep hope, but there are many on this forum that are blind to the UX (the user experience is disjointed) even if the UI is good on paper. I do hope the idea of having on app scale up to my tablet, than having it work on my desktop in a window is very enticing, but my patience is running thin.

 

[N_LaRUE]

I remember when I would go hunting for an app that would have a working live tile during the WP7 days. That is ridiculous, but somehow I put up with it. I feel that if threshold will be what it will be (and properly done I mean not half baked MS style) we might start getting official apps two years after the release. Developers need a huge user base, and that might be what windows phone would need to move up. The combined sales of phones, tablets, desktops and laptops may be able to entice developers. I would like still to keep hope, but there are many on this forum that are blind to the UX (the user experience is disjointed) even if the UI is good on paper. I do hope the idea of having on app scale up to my tablet, than having it work on my desktop in a window is very enticing, but my patience is running thin.

What solved my impatience is getting an Android tablet. I get the best of both worlds that way. MS solutions work well with Android and I get more and better apps to work with. So that's why I'm happy to wait for W9 to see what comes out.

Saying that, I'd still like to see official apps show up and the ones we have updated. I don't know if this messing about with the OS is part of the reason why devs haven't bothered either updating or developing a WP app yet. Just look at Instagram as an example. Where's the major update that's needed? Why is it taking so long?

 

[aximtreo]

I normally don't rant on MS or Nokia. I just reflashed to 8.0 having had 8.1 for a few months. I got use to apps for 8.1; guess what, most won't run on 8.0. Now we are talking WP 9; again a change in programs and being a Verizon customer and hot having gotten cyan and 8.1 official releases, I feel screwed. Sorry for the disjointed sentences but you get my drift.

 

[lovenokia]

What solved my impatience is getting an Android tablet. I get the best of both worlds that way. MS solutions work well with Android and I get more and better apps to work with. So that's why I'm happy to wait for W9 to see what comes out.

Saying that, I'd still like to see official apps show up and the ones we have updated. I don't know if this messing about with the OS is part of the reason why devs haven't bothered either updating or developing a WP app yet. Just look at Instagram as an example. Where's the major update that's needed? Why is it taking so long?

I used to own a nexus 7, but I did not like it as I had lots of problem with the hardware. I remember playing with android having ART enabled, and that seemed to help the OS quite a bit. It is very frustrating how many of the apps are not updating. For me, I have enough apps on windows phone, but I need apps to improve over time. For example 6snap needs to allow for instant push notifications as that detracts greatly from the experience. Instagram needs a major update, and yet it does not get it. I do not know why this is taking so long, but at this rate, I will regrettably (bittersweet really) be upgrading to a galaxy note 4 in november.

 

[lovenokia]

I normally don't rant on MS or Nokia. I just reflashed to 8.0 having had 8.1 for a few months. I got use to apps for 8.1; guess what, most won't run on 8.0. Now we are talking WP 9; again a change in programs and being a Verizon customer and hot having gotten cyan and 8.1 official releases, I feel screwed. Sorry for the disjointed sentences but you get my drift.

I definitely feel your pain, I have cyan, but there are greater issues that we have, and they are not getting resolved. I feel WP9 will mess up the app compatibility again, and it will probably take two years to have proper apps updating after WP9. When that will happen I will probably return to windows phone after an android hiatus. It is ridiculous how you still haven't gotten cyan, and is unacceptable on MS's part here.

 

[link68759]

That is so freaking annoying that clearing the notification does not clear the tile. To me it's amazing to think, that Microsoft can have their own head so far up their ***, that even facebook app does not support this. I mean seriously, the facebook app is developed by them, and how much earlier they knew internally that the notification center is coming to WP and they can't include it in the app?

I think they have some serious problems in management level and not enough coordination internally. There are more hints about this IMO.

One of the reasons I opposed the idea of a notification center for WP. It's redundant. Though I thought it wasn't a problem- I thought they implemented it specifically so that one clears the other.

I wouldn't know for sure, though as we were given the tools to configure it properly. If you're so frustrated with one not syncing with the other why not just... Eliminate one of them? Unpin the tile, or remove facebook from the action center.

If an app has a live tile, I take it out of the action center. Never been happier with my phone.

 

[Loco5150]

That does not work Im afraid. I like them both, I need them both!

From the Notification Center you are able to see preview of the event. Pinning all tiles as wide tiles is not possible. Also some apps, like viber I get a random message in a month, I don't want to pin it at all.

Also unpinning an app would make launching often used app a major pita.

After the center came, my start screen changed. All the communication etc tiles are small, as I don't need them,to be wide anymore. Weather, calendar, tasks etc tiles I have wide as they have information to display. Works great!

No workarounds please, notification center and the tiles are great and both needed, just make them work as they are supposed to work! (talking to MS here)

 

[lovenokia]

One of the reasons I opposed the idea of a notification center for WP. It's redundant. Though I thought it wasn't a problem- I thought they implemented it specifically so that one clears the other.

I wouldn't know for sure, though as we were given the tools to configure it properly. If you're so frustrated with one not syncing with the other why not just... Eliminate one of them? Unpin the tile, or remove facebook from the action center.

If an app has a live tile, I take it out of the action center. Never been happier with my phone.

I too am very annoyed by the way the action center works. All of these little kinks are very frustrating, but the action center needs to have more action to third party developers like having music controls in the action center.

 

[dr_aquafresh]

TL;DR great summary in the end though

 

[lovenokia]

TL;DR great summary in the end though

It is definitely worth the read. Sadly I will be going on an Android hiatus for about a year and possibly return if windows phone 9 will resolve all of MS's problem.