Bad reviews... Bad reviews everywhere!

[ShreyansShah]

the reason behind bad reviews is the users are still comparing it with apps in other OSs. they are not keeping in mind the limitation of WP OS, and the security it provides.
i think, these comparison is wrong, and in a way, we r too demanding.

 

[EC Translating Services]

Are the apps and games we have in the WP Store really THAT bad? I've been checking the reviews of some of the official apps that we have in the Store and most of them don't look good. There are lots of one/two/three star/s ratings... Lots of frustrated users...

Maybe us, WP users, are just too demanding... Or maybe not?

Oh and before I forget, I also noticed that most of the apps and games in the Store only get high ratings when they are 'new'. As they go old, their high ratings diminish... Bugs and issues are popping up from nowhere... Is this normal?

BTW, sorry for my English ��

You speak as everyone was relying on competitor-paid reviews to take decisions on whether WP is good or bad. In part you are right, for the users that never used WP. But what about those who bought one and were or are unhappy and are leaving or need to carry two devices because WP is not able to cope with the needs of power users globally?
A variety of users don't care much about reviews. They simply come from other platforms, spoiled by advanced features, and once they fall into the WP platform they find themselves deprived of a lot of functions, apps, usability so they start ranting. Other users hear and think "why is he complaining? he also owns one device...then the device sucks". Remember, for marketing there isn't better advertisement than USERS VOICE. That is why lots of companies pay rats to write fake reviews. They know those count more than 1 million TV ads.

The truth about WP is that it's an incomplete OS with limited functionalities and chronic lack of proper apps + lack of global support in many areas + plenty subpar functionalities. The OS itself is potentially a killer. Microsoft doesn't seem able to manage it.

 

[EC Translating Services]

the reason behind bad reviews is the users are still comparing it with apps in other OSs. they are not keeping in mind the limitation of WP OS, and the security it provides.
i think, these comparison is wrong, and in a way, we r too demanding.

Count me among those. I pay 700 euros for a 6" inches slab. I need it to work and NEVER managed to use it for work. From mail to browsing to lacking keyboard input, bad translating software (bing), bad maps (bing), bad news services (bing...now on NextReader), no encryption, no security (device goes lost, SIMcard removed, SD card taken and you're screwed). I take pictures with a Lumia 1520 and work with a 2 years old Galaxy Note II. In october i'll still use the Lumia for pictures (and monitor how WP evolves) and will HAVE TO buy a Note 4.
If Microsoft wants less demanding users then it needs to admit the OS and the ecosystem is not made for A) Global users (When you lack even keyboard inputs you can't be considered a global player) and B) not suitable for power users but just some enterprise user and for low end middle end users with generic needs. Android is fragmented due to OEMs.....Microsoft OS is fragmented due to Microsoft internal issues (doesn't offer proper integration between the whole ecosystem). It's not only a matter of fake bad reviews. The OS does have too many weaknesses. Users get irritated and leave and bash it. And they are right. They feel ripped off.

 

[Shobin Drogan]

i remember the glance screen update clearly says it doesnt work for 520 because of hardware limitations, but i saw countless reviews of 1 star from 520 owners complaining about how their phones dont have glance screen, like wtf.

 

[misfitpierce]

I disagree that windows phone isn't for power users. I use mine for everything and find all the apps I need for work and gaming. The translator works fine for me aka Bing and as for maps... I prefer Bing maps over google any day. Google actually has obsolete numbers for some places around me that Bing had the correct ones for. So that's all opinion.

 

[EC Translating Services]

In truth, we sometimes get less quality. I mean you have Xbox Music, an official Microsoft app, that is still subpar after months of being released, Instagram which has been in beta and lacking important features since its release, same with Vine (not beta mind you but still).

The sad thing is that it's the "important" apps (as in getting users to adopt the platform) that lacks quality. Because you have Rudy Huyn's apps for example that are top quality. But if you tell people coming from another ecosystem to adopt third party apps for these services, they'll look elsewhere because they don't know if they can trust them or because they'd rather have the official app (rightfully so I might add). Even Rudy says that companies should all have their own app on Twitter.

Do you trust an app that is supposed to send encrypted end-to-end messages to someone else based on a non-official developer? Who is the developer? Why is the app free? What do ads do to my end-to-end connection?
Apart from that, MetroTube aside (for me), most of other copies of official apps i have are really terrible. I am not doubting there are also good around as i obviously didn't try them all. However in my experience too many are trash Microsoft shouldn't even allow in the market for quality sake. And even many official ones are subpar. When you think Microsoft Office can't open Office files with password protection and that Skype for Android works flawlessly also on videocalls while the one on WP is terrible despite the updates..you have said it all. File managers (i mean real ones..i bought one defined as the best "Pro" app and instead of it searching for SD and my directories i realized i had to tell it where they are.....). These experiences are adding frustration day after day. If you check my complaints since January you'll see that the list is not getting smaller, it's increasing with endless new issues. Issues a happy user shouldn't see. If i see them it means that i really find these issues limiting.

 

[Karthik Naik]

I disagree that windows phone isn't for power users. I use mine for everything and find all the apps I need for work and gaming. The translator works fine for me aka Bing and as for maps... I prefer Bing maps over google any day. Google actually has obsolete numbers for some places around me that Bing had the correct ones for. So that's all opinion.

totally agreed,people act like google is a saintly company and like apple and microsoft are the devils
i prefer apple and microsoft and even blackberry any day over google
AOSP android is the reason android has market share(chinese and indian oems) which dont use google services etc but provide cheap phones running AOSP

 

[Chregu]

totally agreed,people act like google is a saintly company and like apple and microsoft are the devils
i prefer apple and microsoft and even blackberry any day over google
AOSP android is the reason android has market share(chinese and indian oems) which dont use google services etc but provide cheap phones running AOSP

No they don't, at least in Europe Google has a pretty bad reputation. The EU is even discussing taking the company apart because it's too big and too powerful.

However, as their services are amazing and they have no competition (Bing services are a bad joke here) people are still using it and they are happy with what they get while doing so.

 

[LumiaWorld]

You speak as everyone was relying on competitor-paid reviews to take decisions on whether WP is good or bad. In part you are right, for the users that never used WP. But what about those who bought one and were or are unhappy and are leaving or need to carry two devices because WP is not able to cope with the needs of power users globally?
A variety of users don't care much about reviews. They simply come from other platforms, spoiled by advanced features, and once they fall into the WP platform they find themselves deprived of a lot of functions, apps, usability so they start ranting. Other users hear and think "why is he complaining? he also owns one device...then the device sucks". Remember, for marketing there isn't better advertisement than USERS VOICE. That is why lots of companies pay rats to write fake reviews. They know those count more than 1 million TV ads.

The truth about WP is that it's an incomplete OS with limited functionalities and chronic lack of proper apps + lack of global support in many areas + plenty subpar functionalities. The OS itself is potentially a killer. Microsoft doesn't seem able to manage it.

For me a lot of users are checking the reviews first before they start downloading an app...

Only those so called "impulsive" users are the ones who just click the install or purchase button without even checking the reviews or ratings of it.

The same (impulsive) can also be called to people who constantly rant because they chose WP... IMO before buying a product you must do a lot of research first so that you're money will not go to waste.

 

[EC Translating Services]

For me a lot of users are checking the reviews first before they start downloading an app...

Only those so called "impulsive" users are the ones who just click the install or purchase button without even checking the reviews or ratings of it.

The same (impulsive) can also be called to people who constantly rant because they chose WP... IMO before buying a product you must do a lot of research first so that you're money will not go to waste.

To be honest. A lot of reviews said WP was ready for prime time. I went to try it in Nokia shop in Taipei and roughly seemed to be OK. What i realized later (which can only be realized with long usage and experience) is that it didn't even have (still hasn't) a proper keyboard input (Traditional chinese with qwerty input to be precise); only later i realized Office couldn't open its own files when protected by password (in WP 8 didn't even "see" files in the SD to be honest); only later i realized Skype for Android was better than the version for WP.
All those reviews i read were "enthusiastic". So i think the mechanism works both ways. I am absolutely not impulsive. I reasearched and checked. To say...had Nokia launched an initiative allowing users to use a device for one week all of these issues would have popped up. How can one imagine that after 4 years, in 2014 a device still lacks a keyboard input? I mean it's idiotic to say the least. Which company does that? What is the logic in coming up with a device without a file manager? You know, many users gave these things for granted when they bought the device. No normal user thinks these things can be missing on a device in 2014. It's not a matter of impulsive raptus (not always). It's rather that nobody would think a company would dare selling an incomplete OS with so many issues. Especially when not long ago it was the leading company for mobile, too.
Do you know Microsoft is trying to put a patch on its Asian market because nobody wants its devices? Maps, bing, etc. I have already said...the difference with the US is "HUGE". The OS is not only subpar, but the whole ecosystem looks shaky. Can be better for sure. Also, blaming people for buying a device that turns into an incomplete OS is not the best way to help the OS develop. It's not a user issue. It's a Microsoft issue. I have already explained it in other threads. When your OS is so incomplete for so long you're only bound to create unhappy users. Market share talks clear. That's my 2 cents.

 

[LumiaWorld]

To be honest. A lot of reviews said WP was ready for prime time. I went to try it in Nokia shop in Taipei and roughly seemed to be OK. What i realized later (which can only be realized with long usage and experience) is that it didn't even have (still hasn't) a proper keyboard input (Traditional chinese with qwerty input to be precise); only later i realized Office couldn't open its own files when protected by password (in WP 8 didn't even "see" files in the SD to be honest); only later i realized Skype for Android was better than the version for WP.
All those reviews i read were "enthusiastic". So i think the mechanism works both ways. I am absolutely not impulsive. I reasearched and checked. To say...had Nokia launched an initiative allowing users to use a device for one week all of these issues would have popped up. How can one imagine that after 4 years, in 2014 a device still lacks a keyboard input? I mean it's idiotic to say the least. Which company does that? What is the logic in coming up with a device without a file manager? You know, many users gave these things for granted when they bought the device. No normal user thinks these things can be missing on a device in 2014. It's not a matter of impulsive raptus (not always). It's rather that nobody would think a company would dare selling an incomplete OS with so many issues. Especially when not long ago it was the leading company for mobile, too.
Do you know Microsoft is trying to put a patch on its Asian market because nobody wants its devices? Maps, bing, etc. I have already said...the difference with the US is "HUGE". The OS is not only subpar, but the whole ecosystem looks shaky. Can be better for sure. Also, blaming people for buying a device that turns into an incomplete OS is not the best way to help the OS develop. It's not a user issue. It's a Microsoft issue. I have already explained it in other threads. When your OS is so incomplete for so long you're only bound to create unhappy users. Market share talks clear. That's my 2 cents.

Okay I got your point. So sorry to hear that. Well at least you had a chance to try a Windows Phone

 

[EC Translating Services]

Okay I got your point. So sorry to hear that. Well at least you had a chance to try a Windows Phone ��

I tried and I am convinced it's an excellent platform if Microsoft decides to develop it properly. I'll buy a galaxy note 4, because I need a device that can at least allow me to type Chinese with my input of choice and I need a reliable Chinese tool like Pleco or Hanping both nowhere to be seen on WP. However I am not leaving the platform. I'll keep two devices and when (or if) WP improves, I'll be the first one to jump on it as my only platform of choice. That has to be clear.

 

[Karthik Naik]

No they don't, at least in Europe Google has a pretty bad reputation. The EU is even discussing taking the company apart because it's too big and too powerful.

However, as their services are amazing and they have no competition (Bing services are a bad joke here) people are still using it and they are happy with what they get while doing so.

i partly agree with you, while this may be true in europe,the rest of the world treats it like a god especially in india
in india its either iphone or some cheap android,most of my friends etc will keep teasing us windows phone and BB users as if we dont have features etc and call WP and BB10 "complicated"without even using it
while Bing search is a joke,all other microsoft services such as outlook,onedrive etc beat google easily
i use both though
in google i only prefer the search engine and youtube everything else is inferior to microsoft
this is my opinion,i understand people may not agree with me ,everyones opinion is respected (just saying incase anyone got offended)

 

[Karthik Naik]

To be honest. A lot of reviews said WP was ready for prime time. I went to try it in Nokia shop in Taipei and roughly seemed to be OK. What i realized later (which can only be realized with long usage and experience) is that it didn't even have (still hasn't) a proper keyboard input (Traditional chinese with qwerty input to be precise); only later i realized Office couldn't open its own files when protected by password (in WP 8 didn't even "see" files in the SD to be honest); only later i realized Skype for Android was better than the version for WP.
All those reviews i read were "enthusiastic". So i think the mechanism works both ways. I am absolutely not impulsive. I reasearched and checked. To say...had Nokia launched an initiative allowing users to use a device for one week all of these issues would have popped up. How can one imagine that after 4 years, in 2014 a device still lacks a keyboard input? I mean it's idiotic to say the least. Which company does that? What is the logic in coming up with a device without a file manager? You know, many users gave these things for granted when they bought the device. No normal user thinks these things can be missing on a device in 2014. It's not a matter of impulsive raptus (not always). It's rather that nobody would think a company would dare selling an incomplete OS with so many issues. Especially when not long ago it was the leading company for mobile, too.
Do you know Microsoft is trying to put a patch on its Asian market because nobody wants its devices? Maps, bing, etc. I have already said...the difference with the US is "HUGE". The OS is not only subpar, but the whole ecosystem looks shaky. Can be better for sure. Also, blaming people for buying a device that turns into an incomplete OS is not the best way to help the OS develop. It's not a user issue. It's a Microsoft issue. I have already explained it in other threads. When your OS is so incomplete for so long you're only bound to create unhappy users. Market share talks clear. That's my 2 cents.

living in india etc, i somewhat agree and get your point, we indian users dont get alot of services like bing rewards or even the surface and other microsoft products officially and have to rely on the "grey" market dealers or buy it from abroad etc
i also find their skype,office and a few more apps to be subpar compared to ios and android versions
i mean why would you make a bad app for your own platform,you can surely perfect the WP apps and make a subpar app for the competitors and no one will judge you much