Why would anyone buy a non-Nokia Windows Phone?

[neo158]

I know that 520,620 and 820 has removable battery.

You are correct but not one of those is a high end device. Samsung is the only one that produce high end WP devices that have a removable battery and an SD Card slot, that's the main reason why I got the ATIV S.

 

[JamesPTao]

The 1520 is very big and therefore a niche product, the 930 is a re-release of the Icon which wasn't too exciting when it was first released a few months back. Both have certainly good enough hardware, but are already a generation behind the Android competition. Those would already be good enough reasons for me to look at other manufacturers while being almost as expensive.

The real problem is, that the competition looks even worse, as there is practically none. Samsung only released one phone recently and this very locally, and where the 930 is not very exciting, the ATIV SE is just blunt. There's nothing new from HTC or any other company.

Generation behind is that refering to os or hardware? If hardware, Nokia doesn't need to be bleeding new edge as, unlike bloatware.. I mean android, it doesn't require the fastest processor existing to run the latest version adequately. If its in reference to the os then the point is mute since we are talking WP os here.

 

[Blacklac]

You're calling the Snapdragon 801 a generation above the 800? If we were on to the 805, I'd agree but... Well, I guess we don't have 5XXppi displays.

If WP does get more OEM putting a real effort into WP, we might see some bleeding edge technology. Until then, Android will always have it. I think WP licensing is now free? We may see some OEM competition soon...

 

[Chregu]

Generation behind is that refering to os or hardware? If hardware, Nokia doesn't need to be bleeding new edge as, unlike bloatware.. I mean android, it doesn't require the fastest processor existing to run the latest version adequately. If its in reference to the os then the point is mute since we are talking WP os here.

You're calling the Snapdragon 801 a generation above the 800? If we were on to the 805, I'd agree but... Well, I guess we don't have 5XXppi displays.

As I said, I know it's certainly good enough hardware. That is not the point, the point is that the Lumias are not that much cheaper for what they offer, and that they are still behind. The Lumia 930 was just announced, it could have had the Snapdragon 801. But it's still just the Icon that's sold internationally now or soon.

If we talk about what hardware is needed to run Windows Phone nicely, I'm very happy with my 8X, Windows Phone runs like a charm. But with this argumentation the Lumia 1520 and 930 would just be an enormous waste of money.

Also, it's not very good to get people not using Windows Phone on board, when they can get bigger numbers for the same price with what they've used before.

 

[crystal_planet]

I've had an 800, Ativ S, 800 again, 520 and finally my 1020. I liked all of my phones. Samsung gets the nod for expansion and battery removal, but I always thought it looked like dog ****. Give me the sharp lines of a Nokia any day.

But I would go with a different OEM if I liked the device they made. I'm tied to the o/s - not the hardware manufacturer.

 

[Sanjay Chandra]

Having started my Windows Phone journey with an HTC 8X, I have also picked up Lumia 520s and a 925. When I got the first Lumia, I was stunned to see all the add-ons Nokia provides for (most of) their products (Glance, Music, other apps, etc).

I have really enjoyed my HTC 8X, but as I get ready to buy a Lumia Icon, I find myself wondering what would be the advantages to buying anything other than a Nokia/MS device now? Is there something obvious I am missing?

You are stunned by Ad-ons provided by Nokia ? Then you will be fainted when you see how much stuff Samsung adds to Android.....

 

[tgp]

But I would go with a different OEM if I liked the device they made. I'm tied to the o/s - not the hardware manufacturer.

I'm more the other way; I love the Lumia hardware, but I'm not quite so cracked about WP. I'd love to have something like the Icon or the 1520 running Android.

 

[z33dev33l]

You are stunned by Ad-ons provided by Nokia ? Then you will be fainted when you see how much stuff Samsung adds to Android.....

The difference is that Nokia adds things that improve the experience.

 

[Tony_Offends_U]

I bought an ATIV S because all the Lumias I've owned (620, 810, 900, 920) had some kind of hardware issue. Samsungs I've owned worked flawlessly and continue to. I wanna go back to Lumia but if I see one I like I'll wait a year and creep the forums and see what people report.

 

[Aremosiur]

Yes sir i'm also waiting for ANY Sony Xperia WP8/8.1 (IP 57/58 certified) as a daily companion for my Lumia 720,oh man with that pair in my pocket i'm ready for any shootout:grin:

 

[Flagz]

Alot of reasons, the Lumias have given me nothing but headaches. I would much prefer an ATIV SE or HTC One M8 running 8.1. Hell I'll even take a Xperia Z variant.

 

[carlos12001]

Not sure Apple got into this discussion but hey, someone always finds a way to do the Fruit Co some kind of shout out.

For the record, the Dolby in the HTC WP7 models sounds way better than in the Nokia WP8 models. As weaker as the output is in those WP7 models, the sound is crisper, cleaner with better overall balance.

Also for the record, the 8X with Beats Audio toggled off still smokes any Lumia with Dolby toggled on or off. The phone itself has a built in amp - a good one too. It isn't about the bass - WP8 stock music player has no EQ in it and sounds flat as hell via Bluetooth.

Lumias have flaws too.

I've had both phones, and while the 8x does sound better, I'd still take a Lumina over it any day.

 

[MSFTisMIA]

The current OS isn't able to fully take advantage of the current hardware. For years we were told and shown that WP8 doesn't need bleeding edge spec sheet for great performance. So I'm with Chregu here, outside of design and Pureview, what Nokia brought to WP was a company who was all in because it had to be and that fueled into the good after sales support.

The one standout hardware feature the Lumia line has pushed since Nokia dropped WP8 was the Pureview tech in the camera.

The problem is that no other OEM has pushed a rival stand out feature on a hardware level on the same ballpark as the Pureview tech. Remember that was continued work from the 808. If HTC can bring over their Audio tech and add something new to it, and throw a decent enough camera in the mix, some in the non Lumia section for WP will buy it.

That being said, the 8X and the 925 are still the best looking original WP8 designs so far. The WP pool is big enough for other OEMs to get sales.

 

[EC Translating Services]

I bought Nokia because all of the devices look nice and convey a sense of quality as it has always been for the brand. I also like Nokia's apps for WP. I don't see myself buying a LG/Samsung WP because, flaws aside, for me WP is associated to fewer models but better done, hardware/quality wise. LG/Samsung are infamously renowned for the cheap quality of materials they use (and the top hardware they put into that crappy shell). So for me WP is either HTC or Nokia, as things are now. I didn't buy an 8X for two reasons: A) Screen was too small and B) WP wasn't ready for me. Still it isn't but things are improving, slowly, very slowly.

 

[MSFTisMIA]

I've had both phones, and while the 8x does sound better, I'd still take a Lumina over it any day.

If I could rip the 8X's audio and drop it into my 925 and double the internal storage, I'd be good - older hardware or not. At this point I'd sacrifice a good camera for better audio playback because I commute 3 hours total to and from work daily so audio os important to me.

 

[Flagz]

I've had both phones, and while the 8x does sound better, I'd still take a Lumina over it any day.

And that is why there are opinions. I still use my 8X as the daily driver. Actually, I'm going to be trading in my native Lumia 925 for an HTC One M8 as a secondary phone for apps and just keeping my ATIV S as backup. Sold off my Lumia 920 unlocked and giving my 810 to my 10 y/o brother.

 

[Sanjay Chandra]

The difference is that Nokia adds things that improve the experience.

So does Samsung

You give examples for Nokia , I will counter them with Samsung.

 

[anon5997296]

So does Samsung

You give examples for Nokia , I will counter them with Samsung.

Umm Nokia MixRadio. Here maps. Here lenses. Pureview. Audio equalizer. Display settings. Glance.

 

[Nogitsune Micah]

My friend has an SE and he said hr wished he would have gotten the icon simply because he has a windows phone but he misses the Nokia experience with windows phone.

 

[Melinium]

I have never owned a Nokia, so the Lumia brand a no special value for me, when i buy a phone i want 4G, Micro-SIM and SD Card, AFAIK this limit me to the Lumia 625, 630 and 1320.

The 1320 is too big and heavy compared to my Galaxy Note 3, the 625 and 630 are a little subpar in screen resolution, i have 800x480 on my HTC Desire in 2010, for this screen size i will probably don't go below 1280x768.

Tried WP7 some years ago, it was a HTC HD7, i wait to see more choice before trying WP8, i will probably play with something from HTC, Samsung and Sony once they are available in the showroom of my favorite shop.