Now, who is working on the ecosystem?

Nov 7, 2012
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But the thing is... They never said when they were going to release Skype. I am absolutely 100% positive that it will be released as an integrated part of the OS, just like they said they would. NOTHING indicates otherwise. In fact, their not releasing another updates app for it leads me to believe this is more the case than ever. How do you release an OS integrated Skype? They have to wait for an OS update. At the same time, releasing an OS update just to roll Skype in, is a wasted opportunity to tuck in a bunch of other features and fixes - like support for CalDAV. Releasing another OS update is especially unlikely at present, because the previous OS update is still in the process of rolling out. I admit, some carriers have not handled that well, but that doesn't mean MS isn't working on Skype for WP8.

Everything I have seen indicates MS is dedicated to it's 3 prong ecosystem of Windows 8, Windows 8 RT, and Windows Phone 8. Being familiar with how these things are developed and rolled out, I would be surprised if there was any variation in the path that they have taken. They are in the process of making huge backend changes to Skype, which will enable the OS integration everybody is pining for. But they have to wait for the right window to roll out an OS update.

Carrier updates won't always take forever. Portico pertained to certain features that were carrier specific. That means they had to check compatibility because the way it worked with their system changed.

Do you really think when Microsoft adds a notification center, for example, carrier's will need to approve it? No, because a notification center will not break or change the way it works with the carrier. Fixing sim card errors is carrier dependent. Most other changes are not.
 

aggie

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I hate to chime in but I read a post and says "man it's rough for WP fans out there" - I agree with this sentiment. The awesome, sexy flagship Lumia is all well and good, for me it does everything I need. But I went for a friend who has owned a low end Android for his life. Today, he showed me his Galaxy Note 2. This was in response to my showing off of Lumia I did for last 1 month. He chose not to buy it because of same reasons we've read a zillion times - apps, freezes, crashes, camera issue, no app to replace toilet tissues, no app to put the sit down etc. etc. etc.

I played with his Galaxy Note 2. These are my honest words: I'm jealous of his battery life. I know it's 3100 mAh but then it's HUGE screen as well. I couldn't stand the lag in the OS, the UI, the widgets made me crawl back into fetal position and cry for him. But honestly, I saw what he had pinned to his home screen. Those apps that we don't have. Those widget short cuts, those volume controls etc - was all there in front of me.

I see why the OP has to write that post and why it is totally OK. I see why those tiny features are so important for so many people more than the overall beauty of the OS. But I quote my friend:
"I wouldn't date a beautiful and hot looking girl when I know she can't even make me a sandwich next morning".

I see why many peeps will jump in to defend the OS that is so beautiful, but like about 100 other threads already on this board, we know we lack features, they NEED to be here soon, but posting on these boards changes nothing. Love the beauty of your phone (at least try to!) because no matter how powerful feature packed those other devices look, as soon as you use it for 10 minutes, you will miss what beauty, elegance and easy work flow you easily ignore because you don't have an app or feature that you use only twice a day v/s the UI that you NEED to use every time you unlock your phone!

This is the single biggest reason my SIM always finds its way back to my Note 2. I love Windows Phone and the Lumia. The OS is the most beautiful and cohesive out there. Android, even vanilla android on the Nexus 4, is all over the place as far as UI consistency. Hardware wise even though the 920 doesn't match the note spec for spec, I much prefer it. Beautiful screen, camera, size (as compared to the Note 2). The battery life is all over the board though on the L920. I don't experience any of the lag on my Note 2 that your friend does but it definitely isn't as zippy as the 920.

Apps are a sore point for me but not as much as battery life. I love Google Now as well and it is the killer feature (to me at least) that none of the other platforms can match...yet. I'm keeping my 920 as my weekend phone but cannot yet make it my daily driver. I really hope that Microsoft has something in store for us and that the 920 can become my daily driver as I love using WP8 and want to make the switch. I hold hope that it will get there, I just hope it is sooner rather than later.
 

rockstarzzz

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Carrier updates won't always take forever. Portico pertained to certain features that were carrier specific. That means they had to check compatibility because the way it worked with their system changed.

Do you really think when Microsoft adds a notification center, for example, carrier's will need to approve it? No, because a notification center will not break or change the way it works with the carrier. Fixing sim card errors is carrier dependent. Most other changes are not.

But why would Microsoft send out an update for only notification centre? They will always come bundled with stuff that may or may not need carrier testing. But that's not the only reason carriers want control over this process. If OS updates keep the handsets up to date and new, why would anyone buy another contract with them? Look at how many of us even though in middle of our contracts jumped in to get a WP8!
 
Nov 7, 2012
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But why would Microsoft send out an update for only notification centre? They will always come bundled with stuff that may or may not need carrier testing. But that's not the only reason carriers want control over this process. If OS updates keep the handsets up to date and new, why would anyone buy another contract with them? Look at how many of us even though in middle of our contracts jumped in to get a WP8!

How many features of the operating system do you think could possibly need carrier testing? Phone calls, texts, and data (communication). That's the only stuff. Of course the notification center would not come by itself, but as for the carrier communication, this stuff does not change frequently. Once the bugs are worked out, it's finished with until the carriers make some sort of change to the way their own system works.
 
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But why would Microsoft send out an update for only notification centre? They will always come bundled with stuff that may or may not need carrier testing. But that's not the only reason carriers want control over this process. If OS updates keep the handsets up to date and new, why would anyone buy another contract with them? Look at how many of us even though in middle of our contracts jumped in to get a WP8!

As for buying new phones.... irrelevant. iOS 6 was available on older devices, but that didn't stop people from buying the iPhone 5. People buy new phones for the hardware. Software has influence, but keeping software up to date will not stop people from buying better hardware...
 

BeaverJuicer

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The problem is how slow this is happening. I don't know how MS keeps touting this 3-screen experience when they're not quite there yet. The Skype thing, well people are frustrated that iOS and Android are good to go while what's supposed to be the premier platform for Skype has poo for an app. And I'm sorry but "waiting for the right window" IS what is killing Microsoft right now in the mobile market. They need to speed things up. As far as I understand, MS won't be officially present at MWC 2013. No, they don't have to be but they need to stay relevant and talked about. I seriously don't know what's going on with MS but dragging things out is not helping. Maybe we'll get a "hero" phone every 4 months to keep the interest going, but we need MS to correct the WP8 nags and leap ahead, not catch up.
I think our definitions of slow may be drastically different...

Android users may have to wait years IF they get an update at all - regardless the significance of the issue being addressed.
iOS releases one or two feature (X.1, X.2) releases a year - the rest being small number bug fixes for immediate concerns.
WP8 is 4 months into the wild, and has already received a feature release, which is still in the process of being rolled out.
 

aubreyq

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I think our definitions of slow may be drastically different...

Android users may have to wait years IF they get an update at all - regardless the significance of the issue being addressed.
iOS releases one or two feature (X.1, X.2) releases a year - the rest being small number bug fixes for immediate concerns.
WP8 is 4 months into the wild, and has already received a feature release, which is still in the process of being rolled out.
True but has Windows Phone achieved parity with Android and iOS? I think when you go feature by feature (including features in the app themselves), WP falls short. Like I said, the updates on WP are for catching up, except that when WP "catches up" the others sprint ahead right away. Right now MS needs to get moving on the OS and influence OEMs to crank out hardware like phones with bigger screens which seems to be a growing market.
 

rockstarzzz

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As for buying new phones.... irrelevant. iOS 6 was available on older devices, but that didn't stop people from buying the iPhone 5. People buy new phones for the hardware. Software has influence, but keeping software up to date will not stop people from buying better hardware...

Windows Phone uses a year old processor and limits camera spec where HTC One cant be a reality. So hardware isn't a selling point on WP. No matter how colourful and capture pics in dark marketing is kicked off! iPhone is all about branding. Did you know Apple has second least spending on R&D amongst top 20 hardware and software giants? They invest that in Marketing. That brainwashing via marketing is one reason I think Apple is so cool and deserves my kudos. For everything else there is an app on Android now.
 

rockstarzzz

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So they should have rolled Skype into their OS, 4 years prior to purchasing them? That may not have been fast enough for some on this forum.

I was referring to right time for "OS update"
Not just Skype. Right time and Microsoft is a thing of past. It is now a past leader catching up on many fronts in spite of the highest spend (13%) on R&D for any software company as of 2012!
 

nstine20

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In my opinion Microsoft has been slow in the mobile industry, but not because of a lack of development. Instead the problem is Microsoft set themselves back by wasting 2 years developing a deadend OS in WP7. After realizing their mistake they rushed out WP8 in order to maintain what little marketshare they had. Now that they are using a new kernel we should finally start to see some progress with the OS. Had Microsoft developed WP7 with the new kernel, WP8 could have been almost up to if not up to par with Android/iOS instead of having to waste time redeveloping features that were already available in WP7. It also would have avoided the whole issue with WP7 devices being incompatible with WP8.

As for WP8's development thus far, they had an update within two months of release (though not necessarily available for everyone as of yet). That is a good sign, but Microsoft must keep the updates coming if they hope to establish themselves as legitimate contender with Android/iOS.
 

BeaverJuicer

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True but has Windows Phone achieved parity with Android and iOS? I think when you go feature by feature (including features in the app themselves), WP falls short. Like I said, the updates on WP are for catching up, except that when WP "catches up" the others sprint ahead right away. Right now MS needs to get moving on the OS and influence OEMs to crank out hardware like phones with bigger screens which seems to be a growing market.
Not having achieved parity with Android and iOS does nothing to change their release schedule. Software development takes time. GOOD software development takes even longer.
 

martinmc78

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I was referring to right time for "OS update"
Not just Skype. Right time and Microsoft is a thing of past. It is now a past leader catching up on many fronts in spite of the highest spend (13%) on R&D for any software company as of 2012!


They may spend loads on R&D but do you see how much cool stuff microsoft research comes up with - they put out demos of mind-blowing tech and then it all just disappears and nothing comes of it. Shame really.
 

rockstarzzz

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Not having achieved parity with Android and iOS does nothing to change their release schedule. Software development takes time. GOOD software development takes even longer.

You mean Windows Phone 8 OS that was in works since before the launch of Windows Phone 7.1 hasn't had enough time to develop as a good software? I hope you don't think what we have as WP8.0 right is defined as a good software!


How many features of the operating system do you think could possibly need carrier testing? Phone calls, texts, and data (communication). That's the only stuff. Of course the notification center would not come by itself, but as for the carrier communication, this stuff does not change frequently. Once the bugs are worked out, it's finished with until the carriers make some sort of change to the way their own system works.

Features might come that will make operators unhappy. As presumed by most, if Skype comes baked into the OS, it will be vehemently opposed by operators as you are looking into competition to text and calls. Any updates pertaining to that would takes absolute ages to roll out.
 

BeaverJuicer

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I was referring to right time for "OS update"
Not just Skype. Right time and Microsoft is a thing of past. It is now a past leader catching up on many fronts in spite of the highest spend (13%) on R&D for any software company as of 2012!

Most of that R&D, is likely spent on backend technologies that the average person uses every day, but has no clue as to their existence.
 

rockstarzzz

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They may spend loads on R&D but do you see how much cool stuff microsoft research comes up with - they put out demos of mind-blowing tech and then it all just disappears and nothing comes of it. Shame really.

Microsoft Research is the reason why kinect sensors on mobile devices is a remote possibility in coming 5 years. I think spending money on R&D is the only way Microsoft can lead this race because once you run out of innovations, customers hate you much faster and label you "stale" in no time e.g. Windows Mobile 5 and 6, Apple iPhone 4, 4S and 5. The only reason Microsoft looks like (and is) catching up is because they have got their timings about 3-5 years late in most things since millennium!
 

BeaverJuicer

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You mean Windows Phone 8 OS that was in works since before the launch of Windows Phone 7.1 hasn't had enough time to develop as a good software? I hope you don't think what we have as WP8.0 right is defined as a good software!
Actually, I find it to be an excellent piece of software. It's not perfect; it certainly won't be right for everyone. But it is right for me. I find most of what people want WP to do to "catch up" with Android and iOS defeat the purpose of looking at the wireless experience in a whole new way, and would turn the phone into another idroid with a new paint job. I have yet to find something I want to do with my phone, that I just can't.
 

martinmc78

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Microsoft Research is the reason why kinect sensors on mobile devices is a remote possibility in coming 5 years. I think spending money on R&D is the only way Microsoft can lead this race because once you run out of innovations, customers hate you much faster and label you "stale" in no time e.g. Windows Mobile 5 and 6, Apple iPhone 4, 4S and 5. The only reason Microsoft looks like (and is) catching up is because they have got their timings about 3-5 years late in most things since millennium!

Completely agree with you. But when they demo stuff like this a year ago

Microsoft Research shows off see-through 3D display, Holoreflector, IllumiShare | ExtremeTech

Then nothing comes out of it, just seems a shame...
 

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