Anyone doubtful about WP8 progression?

[fardream]

I've noticed that every time you ask about the oft-mentioned but never listed "missing features," it comes down to UI that doesn't look and work like iOS or Android. Which, incidentally, is the entire POINT of WP.

The best path to failure is make a "me too" product with decades-old UI that is pretty much identical to the better-established competition, IMO.

So we should continue to accept the fact that we cannot even watch Xbox video on our phone for the solo sake of being "not me-too".

 

[TaliZorah]

Good lord people!

This is the T-Mobile G1 all over again. "Android will never compete with iPhone"... yadda yadda yadda. Been there, done that.

I think WP7 was a test, yes those of us who had WP7 were testers. MS learned A LOT from that and I think they are seriously on the right track. Being an early adopter you will go through the growing pains. And if you don't realize that then you never should have bought a WP8. I think the majority of us knew this coming in. There's plenty of info out there for you do to your research so there really is no excuse to complain after the fact.

 

[robinleck]

I never doubted WP8 progression at all. Not now, not even 2 years ago when WP7 was launched when I bought my first WP7 phone (Trophy).
All these intrusive trolls, in their futile effort to plant the seeds of doubt in our forum, has ironically reinforced my faith & belief in Windows Phone.
Joining WPCentral Forum has made me feel like I belong to a Band of Brothers.

PS. I never use an iPhone or Android before & never will. These 2 OS are too mediocre & abysmal to be mentioned in my main post.

 

[Isror]

I never doubted WP8 progression at all. Not now, not even 2 years ago when WP7 was launched when I bought my first WP7 phone (Trophy).
All these intrusive trolls, in their futile effort to plant the seeds of doubt in our forum, has ironically reinforced my faith & belief in Windows Phone.
Joining WPCentral Forum has made me feel like I belong to a Band of Brothers.

PS. I never use an iPhone or Android before & never will. These 2 OS are too mediocre & abysmal to be mentioned in my main post.

And to be honest, using an iPhone tends to carry certain social implications, and nobody wants that kind of Page 6 heat.

 

[PG2G]

Is 6 months a reasonable time frame for us to see something new? Am i being too demanding as a WP8 supporter?

With Windows Phone we have always seen a minor update around the Spring. Typically adding some minor features and support for additional hardware. I expect an update that includes the following...

1. Support for additional hardware (quad core, maybe non Qualcomm SoCs)
2. Minor Enhancements to core apps. Xbox Music has seen numerous updates on Windows 8 already, the service is supposed to grow in social aspects. There is no current support for Xbox Music, which seems silly.
3. Minor user-centric features. Maybe system wide search, which had been rumored forever.

I don't really get the feeling that Microsoft is moving slow and won't catch up, Apple and Google haven't really advanced much. Once we get the Notification Center, will there really be any major features that are missing from the other platforms?

 

[mlm1950]

This was why I couldn't wait for WP8, Android has become some immersed in TRYING to be iOS that it now carries certain social implications just as iOS does.

And to be honest, using an iPhone tends to carry certain social implications, and nobody wants that kind of Page 6 heat.

What are the supposed "social implications" you keep hinting at?

 

[bigdjunk]

I am seriously bummed with where WP8 is ATM. I have been backing and supporting Windows since forever and even now, I have a Nokia 822, but I can't help but feel very deflated right now. Let me tell you my story.

We just put a new Cisco phone system in place at work and everyone gets their voice mail sent to them in an email as a wav file. Everyone in the company can play these wav files on their phone, but can I with my brand new Win8 phone? Nope. Really?!? I thought Windows was supposed to be the ultimate business phone? I have a hard time believing the MS missed this one in their tests. There are many businesses that use Cisco..

So last night, I was looking at my 822 connectivity to my Windows Home Server 2011. Everyone else in my family has apps for their androids and I-products that allow them to stream DLNA from the WHS to their devices. Cool, right? They can stream music, photos and my many movies, right to their devices. Can I? Nope. For a matter of fact, the phone does all kinds of cool things with the Xbox, but not with WHS2011. The only option that I found, was the app they made for WP7, but that app is crap, total crap. It hasn't been updated in about a year and it doesn't stream the videos. It's almost like it wants to download the whole video first before it try's to play it. DLNA streams as it is downloading so it plays right away.

So here I am, with a windows phone that doesn't work well with Cisco (fulfilling my work needs) and doesn't work well with MS's own WHS2011 product (fulfilling my home needs).

And I doubtful? After the last 2 days, yes, very doubtful, almost to the point where I am considering taking it back and getting something else. Saying that saddens me

 

[o4liberty]

I think Microsoft knows they need to make WP8 a winner as fast as they can, they know the future and sales would be grim if not. So far I think they did a nice job with the platform changes. They need to look at the simple things like the ability to change a tones not just ringtones.

 

[AngryNil]

FFS.

The OS has been out 2 weeks, and people already see the end in sight.

It's not just about features, it's about adoption.

Microsoft has gained little to no mindshare in the two years Windows Phone has been out. It doesn't matter what the problem is - missing features, missing apps, wrong hardware - the platform isn't strong. Don't give this "FFS" bullcrap, there is no guarantee that Microsoft will gain any meaningful foothold over the next year. There are very, very few indie developers making a decent living off Windows Phone. The ones that do use ads and loopholes (Taptitude using BS tags to get downloads when people search up Facebook and similar). There is little to no incentive to develop for the platform as such.

So lacking developers and apps, lacking user base. When is it going to change? Another two years? Three? It needs to happen ASAP, not with WP10. The iPhone changed the industry five years ago. It's not going to stagnate for Microsoft to catch up.

 

[CJ Thunder]

FFS.

The OS has been out 2 weeks, and people already see the end in sight.

How many MS apps have been updated for Windows Phone 8? (I'm still waiting for a weather update)

How many Windows 8 apps have been updated?

How many updates have there been for W8 vs. WP8?

Still feels like we are not getting the full weight of MS behind the platform, at least IMHO, and that is a shame.

 

[anon(5399450)]

How many MS apps have been updated for Windows Phone 8? (I'm still waiting for a weather update)

How many Windows 8 apps have been updated?

How many updates have there been for W8 vs. WP8?

Still feels like we are not getting the full weight of MS behind the platform, at least IMHO, and that is a shame.

Better question, why do you keep asking questions about a desktop OS vs phone OS (unrelated ecosystem vs unrelated ecosystem). What kind of comparison is that?
Yes there are supposed to be more similarities between the phone and desktop than ever, but I really don't think we are at the point where they need to be compared. And by getting the 'full weight of MS' behind the platform, are you referring to the fact that the desktop developers have to drop everything they are doing and switch over to the phone side of things? You are right, they are definitely not doing that, and I'm glad they aren't because it would make no sense.

 

[mlm1950]

It's not just about features, it's about adoption.

Microsoft has gained little to no mindshare in the two years Windows Phone has been out. It doesn't matter what the problem is - missing features, missing apps, wrong hardware - the platform isn't strong. Don't give this "FFS" bullcrap, there is no guarantee that Microsoft will gain any meaningful foothold over the next year. There are very, very few indie developers making a decent living off Windows Phone. The ones that do use ads and loopholes (Taptitude using BS tags to get downloads when people search up Facebook and similar). There is little to no incentive to develop for the platform as such.

So lacking developers and apps, lacking user base. When is it going to change? Another two years? Three? It needs to happen ASAP, not with WP10. The iPhone changed the industry five years ago. It's not going to stagnate for Microsoft to catch up.

It isn't going to change overnight. People need to disassociate WP7 and before, with WP8 and beyond, as Microsoft has gone in a totally different direction with W8 and WP8, and it is going to take a little bit of time for it to come together.

 

[chrgeorgeson]

I love WP but I'm surprised that some users here aren't more doubtful.
MSFT promised steady update releases for WP7 and only one came out (7.5) sure smaller updates came out but those didn't really do much for the OS as a whole like 7.5.
Time and time again MSFT said they would release updates and even when they did a lot of users in the USA couldn't get them cause there carrier refused to push them out.

So MS admits "We screwed up but now things are great cause we shrunk our Windows 8 kernel down to go on WP, you should be able to get updates much more regularly now. HEY just to let you know you can also join a program that will give you access to new updates that completely bypass the carrier!" Yet there is no talk about how to join this program because it doesn't even exist yet!

I do HOPE that MS has learned its lesson, and I feel confidant that any major updates will be compatible with WP8 ( ala WP9) that are software based and not hardware based. I just don't trust them yet because they haven't givin me a reason to.

By the way, I currently own a Lumia 920 and love it.

 

[PG2G]

I love WP but I'm surprised that some users here aren't more doubtful.
MSFT promised steady update releases for WP7 and only one came out (7.5) sure smaller updates came out but those didn't really do much for the OS as a whole like 7.5.
Time and time again MSFT said they would release updates and even when they did a lot of users in the USA couldn't get them cause there carrier refused to push them out.

So MS admits "We screwed up but now things are great cause we shrunk our Windows 8 kernel down to go on WP, you should be able to get updates much more regularly now. HEY just to let you know you can also join a program that will give you access to new updates that completely bypass the carrier!" Yet there is no talk about how to join this program because it doesn't even exist yet!

I do HOPE that MS has learned its lesson, and I feel confidant that any major updates will be compatible with WP8 ( ala WP9) that are software based and not hardware based. I just don't trust them yet because they haven't givin me a reason to.

By the way, I currently own a Lumia 920 and love it.

18 months of guaranteed already addresses this to a degree. For them to guarantee this, the carriers and OEMs have to have been on board. I'd also think there is no point in discussing their update program until they are ready to officially announce and update.

 

[guyverl]

Unless you think that Microsoft are going to go bust then WP8 progression is pretty much guaranteed, they've shown in the past with Xbox that they're willing to sink crazy amounts of money to *eventually* be a player in a market they target.

They're pretty much all-in with their convergence strategy and W8 and WP8 are big parts in that, they'll be fine; it's Windows RT which i'm really not sure will have a future...

 

[chrgeorgeson]

I've noticed that every time you ask about the oft-mentioned but never listed "missing features," it comes down to UI that doesn't look and work like iOS or Android. Which, incidentally, is the entire POINT of WP.

The best path to failure is make a "me too" product with decades-old UI that is pretty much identical to the better-established competition, IMO.

I think that is a bit unfair.
I want a notification center that doesn't mean I want it to look like Android's or iOS's notification center.
I want a app picker so I can default to certain apps to use instead of the default Windows apps.
I want more browser options... MS blocks chrome and Firefox going onto there browsers ( I believe)
I want to be able to have the search button on my phone be able to go to Google if I want.

There are plenty of functions I want with my phone that don't have to be UI stealing and I've seen plenty of other posts give great feedback asking for other things that MS could implement without stealing the UI elements from other OS's.

 

[chrgeorgeson]

18 months of guaranteed already addresses this to a degree. For them to guarantee this, the carriers and OEMs have to have been on board. I'd also think there is no point in discussing their update program until they are ready to officially announce and update.

Not really IMHO.... where are those steady updates they promised for WP7? I'm doubtful about anymore real updates (functionality wise) to WP7 devices after WP 7.8. I hope to be proven wrong though.

 

[TonyDedrick]

I never doubted WP8 progression at all. Not now, not even 2 years ago when WP7 was launched when I bought my first WP7 phone (Trophy).
All these intrusive trolls, in their futile effort to plant the seeds of doubt in our forum, has ironically reinforced my faith & belief in Windows Phone.
Joining WPCentral Forum has made me feel like I belong to a Band of Brothers.

PS. I never use an iPhone or Android before & never will. These 2 OS are too mediocre & abysmal to be mentioned in my main post.

Unless I'm misreading your post, how could you possibly come to those conclusions if you have never used either OS?

 

[PG2G]

The only real feature there is a notification center, which we already know is on its way. The rest... pretty much the same limitations as iOS.

Not really IMHO.... where are those steady updates they promised for WP7? I'm doubtful about anymore real updates (functionality wise) to WP7 devices after WP 7.8. I hope to be proven wrong though.

I am doubtful of WP7.x updates to, but that isn't really relevant anymore unfortunately. They did what they had to do and we need to look forward, not back.

 

[mpelti]

I'm most curious to see how quickly system updates are available. Ideally, we should see one before the end of the year, and then quarterly. Given how much MSFT has hinted that there are many things they "didn't have time for", there should be a big update forthcoming.

The other thing is to see how well MSFT follows through on the promise to get AAA apps in the store. There's a lot of junk that shows up near the top of the charts right now, and they need to get better apps in to replace them. Plenty of the apps that are there "look" great, but are buggy or limited functionality.

The other thing that I think might drive adoption, bizarrely enough, is how good these phones can be for less techy people. My mom bought an 820, and absolutely loves the interface design, and has big tiles for CNN, Weather, and People. It's kind of funny watching her brag about how easy it is to use to my aunt, who's an iphone adherent.