Where are the Microsoft apps?

[iamtim]

Meh, not enough.

Ok. FWIW, it was for me. I've spent most of my life as an anti-Microsoft guy forced to work in a Microsoft world. Whenever possible I've pushed for alternate desktops (Ubuntu, OS X, whatever), alternate servers (Linux, predominately, and while I could get away with it on web- and fileservers I've never been able to push Exchange and Active Directory out of the way), and *ANYTHING* but Windows Mobile. I started thinking differently with WP7, but Windows 8 Professional and Windows Phone 8 converted me... all on what you're saying is "not enough".

Not arguing, just talking.

 

[nathanb131]

Meh, not enough. OneNote is on other platforms,....

I had android and used the OneNote app. Yes its on all platforms but way better on winphone. It's the main reason I switched and am relieved to say it's better integrated than I hoped, especially sharing notebooks with my wife. I completely underestimated the combo of my drive to automate things like notes and to do lists along with her self discipline of actually using that kind of thing to its fullest potential. No effing way that could have happened just using iphone/android apps!

You are right though, that's not eye candy enough to grab non technical people's attention like a cool game. However, the Xbox integration will get many casual gamers and users to go to WP8 and will surely keep getting better. It's really fun to have that full Xbox live experience (of which I am brand new in). Didn't they recently report that something like 70 million xboxes have been sold? That's a lot of casual user mindshare to leverage!

MS has been in gaming way longer than apple, those 'wow' games are surely coming!

 

[Tahiti Bob]

Ok. FWIW, it was for me. I've spent most of my life as an anti-Microsoft guy forced to work in a Microsoft world. Whenever possible I've pushed for alternate desktops (Ubuntu, OS X, whatever), alternate servers (Linux, predominately, and while I could get away with it on web- and fileservers I've never been able to push Exchange and Active Directory out of the way), and *ANYTHING* but Windows Mobile. I started thinking differently with WP7, but Windows 8 Professional and Windows Phone 8 converted me... all on what you're saying is "not enough".

Not arguing, just talking.

Yes, I'm saying not enough. It's great that it works out perfectly for you but most consumers don't think about their smartphone as a device for productivity, there's a reason every single store chart is dominated by games and entertainment apps. There's a reason at every Apple WWDC they spend ages on apps like iPhoto, there's a wow factor that unquestionably makes people want to instantly buy your product. Microsoft hasn't provided that (yet?)

 

[dalydose]

...who just had to push and focus their energies on getting the OS itself out. Also, please note this from the Skype website: "Founded in 2003 and headquartered in Luxembourg, Skype is a division of Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ: MSFT)." It's not like Skype is in the office next to the WP OS team; for all intents and purposes they're just a third-party developer with a "in" at Microsoft because Microsoft owns them.

You should really apply some critical thought before you turn into a green rage monster over it.

I think we have different ideas about what a "green rage monster" is. I'm not even "angry" let alone in a "rage". I do think that a company's parts should all be working together for the betterment of the collective parts. Google and Apple are doing it to trash Microsoft and Microsoft should focus on getting their own advantages in top form on their own platform, in my opinion.

 

[dalydose]

I'm not much of a gamer (Wordament is about as gamey as I get and I'm not very good, heh) so I'll take your word about a lack of games. However, for apps that make the platform shine... Office? OneNote? The People hub with built-in social networking? Those are the apps that made me go, "whoa... maybe I should give WP a serious look."

Except they give away OneNote and are prepping to offer Office to the competing platforms. This is wasted energy, in my opinion, but at least they were on Windows Phone first, unlike Skype and Photosynth. Those teams should focus on Microsoft platforms first for the betterment of the collective brand.

 

[dalydose]

Dragging their feet? Maybe not. Priorities out of whack when they supply the competition before their own? I think so.

 

[dalydose]

I can certainly understand your frustration, but you need to realize that Photosynth and Skype are managed by dedicated development teams. Yes, they belong to the Microsoft division, but they have their product priorities that focus on the betterment of their respective products. They are working on the WP8 version, and should have it out shortly. I also don't think they received the SDK any earlier just because they are part of the same company. Even if they did receive it earlier, the development needs to get slotted into their timelines, priorities and development schedules. For them, WP8 is another platform to support, and they assign resources to it as it fits their overall project goals.

I hear you, but I think their goals are counter productive if they don't focus on supporting the in-house platforms first and best. The average consumer sees the "app gap" that every reviewer and journalist puts out there and then on the Microsoft side, they are either adding to it by putting apps on iOS and Android first (Photosynth) or having them with fewer features (Skype) or offering what is best about the MS ecosystem to the competition (Office, SkyDrive, OneNote, Xbox Entertainment, Xbox Games). I certainly don't know everything about everything, but a lot of this doesn't make sense to me.

 

[brmiller1976]

Microsoft needs to attain release parity for Windows Phone, but releasing the apps on every platform is a POWERFUL differentiator. It gives Microsoft real currency with consumers and will make it easier for people to pick up a Windows Phone come upgrade time.

 

[TonyDedrick]

The thing that I find hilarious about Skype is that the extremely ardent supporters swore up and down that the service would be integrated into the OS or "baked in" was the term thrown around. I'm just curious with Skype still not done, a really subpar music player, the admission that they "ran out of time" for a notification center, just what the **** was MS doing all that time?

Not to suggest that this stuff is easy. I sure as **** can't do it. But it seems like some very basic stuff that should have been taken care of has to wait for further updates. One has a valid argument in asking when will this platform catch up?

 

[E Lizzle]

I hear you, but I think their goals are counter productive if they don't focus on supporting the in-house platforms first and best.

I agree with you 101% percent. It shows a coordination problem across the different MS dev teams, which is "same old story" for MS. I just noticed that the SkyDrive app for Android supports upload from sdcard, whereas the WP version doesn't. They should be making absolutely certain that their own company's platform either receives the features first or at the same time as the other platforms, not months and months later. It just gives the wrong impression, like Windows Phone is a ******* child in the MS ecosystem.

-E

 

[fardream]

If people cannot be convinced by Skype and Photosync, look at weather, it's not hard yet MSFT didn't update it and force us to buy alternatives to have a wp8 live tile. Also, clock - they didn't update it either, and it's not even an app, it'd part of the OS. And, calendar.... The list goes on.

 

[based_graham]

If people cannot be convinced by Skype and Photosync, look at weather, it's not hard yet MSFT didn't update it and force us to buy alternatives to have a wp8 live tile. Also, clock - they didn't update it either, and it's not even an app, it'd part of the OS. And, calendar.... The list goes on.

Calendar there are good 3rd party apps with features like week view if your interested.

Skype is in beta we all know but MS is gutting MSN messenger for Skype so it might be a bigger backend overhaul major change to the platform maybe that's why its still in beta

Photosync no idea

 

[fardream]

Calendar there are good 3rd party apps with features like week view if your interested.

Skype is in beta we all know but MS is gutting MSN messenger for Skype so it might be a bigger backend overhaul major change to the platform maybe that's why its still in beta

Photosync no idea

not saying that 3rd party apps don't exist. But MSFT should update their calendar - because they are the only ones who can enforce ActiveSync policies.
Skype's backend? Which also renders ios app beta? Why only WP is the orphan here?

 

[Letros]

I really want Skype chat integrated into the messaging hub, the developers always comment on how its a good idea...