Windows Phone 8 Apps: Notifications & poor quality apps (Facebook, Whatsapp, Twitter, Skype)

[afgzee]

This has been an issue that has plagued Windows Phone 7 as i previously had a Lumia 900. And it is still causing problems for Windows Phone 8.

I don't always get notifications and a lot of the time i get them hours and even days late. My friend sent me a message on Skype for WP8 2 days ago, this morning i got the 3 notifications. This also happens with Facebook for WP8 and WhatsApp for WP8. I don't know anymore if this is a problem with the apps themselves or maybe something with the notifications system on Microsoft side.

I know im not the only one as looking at the reviews in the app store most are 1 star for Facebook, Whatsapp, Skype, Twitter. Most complaints are about no or slow notifications.

Maybe an article can be made about this so this can catch Microsoft eye as i really regret with all my heart getting a WP8 device due to the stack of problems.

Even the apps are really poor, including Microsoft's own developed apps like Facebook, missing major basic features which have been available for many months in iOS and Android.

Maybe i should have listened to my friend and got an Android device in the end.

There doesn't seem to be a decent enough way to contact Microsoft about this so maybe either an article can be made so we can find out from other users or maybe someone here could contact Microsoft for me as i've waited 7 months for these issues to be fixed since my L900 and still no progress has been made with notifications and literally no progress with the apps.

You can do your part and let them know by posting on their facebook page so it catches their eye as there seems to be no proper way to let them know: https://www.facebook.com/#!/windowsphoneuk?fref=ts (Make sure you "like" the page first as the post doesn't always come up if you dont)

 

[Florin Anghel]

Is not the apps, is the servers behind these apps. They are few(maybe) or not updated properly.. they don't wanna invest in servers or manage them properly.

 

[eric12341]

All my notifications for Facebook, Skype and twitter (via Me tile) work flawlessly.

 

[rockstarzzz]

All my notifications for Facebook, Skype and twitter (via Me tile) work flawlessly.

Whatsapp, Skype app, Facebook app and Twitter apps - don't use Me Tile. Me Tile is a limited integration baked in as you would know. Anyone who wants to do more than just respond a tweet or comment on a status needs apps with poor notifications.

 

[eric12341]

Whatsapp, Skype app, Facebook app and Twitter apps - don't use Me Tile. Me Tile is a limited integration baked in as you would know. Anyone who wants to do more than just respond a tweet or comment on a status needs apps with poor notifications.

Twitter and Facebook I use the Me tile for but with Facebook I get all toasts reliably as well as with Skype.

 

[rockstarzzz]

Twitter and Facebook I use the Me tile for but with Facebook I get all toasts reliably as well as with Skype.

Are you in the USA?

 

[Bilal_Fakih]

I have to agree with you guys! I dont want to give up on my Lumia 920, i love the device and i love the cam and the live titles, but sadly the notification is slow and sometimes it get wired. Like today in FB, i got a notification that is 2 days old, i was so confused, i checked my iPhone and then my FB on the PC and i had nothing. I knew its old because i read it.Coming from an iPhone and Andriod the apps in the WP store are not that good. Whatsapp, Facebook, no viber yet, no good games from Gameloft or Glu and no good applications. Yet, we always have to read the famous sentence in WP forums which is "Be patient and stay tuned". How long ill wait, it depends on MS. I know that Nokia is trying its best to stand up while water is beneath, but i hope it keeps its grip.

This is sad, i wish the notifications get better, the OS keeps updating and solve all issues we are facing, and the good apps come. I wish for MS to ditch the RT and just focus on WP8 and Windows 8.

 

[MarcXW]

The only app that is giving me issues on that level is Facebook. For the rest I am experiencing no issues with my phone and J find App quality to be far superior to Android, and sometimes even iOS counterparts. People are just used to complaining about WP. But ask anyone on any other platform, they all hate the FB app. Ours at least looks pretty, and that's more than I can say for other platforms. Besides, apart for messages. FB can be used quite easily through the People hub. Twitter is Terrible, but some third-party counterparts are great, and Whatsapp is getting an update soon (finally) but even so, I'm not having any stability issues with the app's main feature (messaging, that is). People need to stop whining and look at the same applications on other platforms before talking. Its really not all that great, especially when it comes to Android.

 

[Florin Anghel]

Yea..I think he's from USA. What I think is that MS doesn't seem to care about Europe. They have poor marketplace, here I am referring to their services. Xbox Live subscription is inexistent in many countries in Europe, Xbox music subscription is not available also. This is due to the fact that xbox console had a good market in USA but in Europe was not doing so good and Sony with PS3 took it, they had the free psn network.
Now because of that, the Xbox eco-system is not as good in Europe like in the USA. This lack of interest triggers other services too, like messaging, Skype to work better in USA and poorly in Europe.
I too have problems with the messaging app, if I chat with a friend on facebook I get the first lines, but if he is writing 5 lines in a row, only the 2 sentences reach out to me, the rest of them are lost in space. Skype chat has problem with delaying messages, if I don't write to my friend I don't get the notification that he wrote to me.
I am a fan of WP8 but..this..is so hurtful.

 

[rockstarzzz]

People need to stop whining and look at the same applications on other platforms before talking. Its really not all that great, especially when it comes to Android.

I looked at Instagram, Snapchat, Viber, Whatsapp, Temple Run, Pinterest, Tapatalk, HSBC apps on Android and iOS - they were meh! Then I quickly went to my marketplace to compare the quality. Oh, wait... I can't for most of them.

So, it's not whining about apps and look at the same applications on other platforms, because we don't even have many key apps to start with! WP7 to WP8 migration of apps has been a pain in the ass than anything lesser. Look at our own J Bennett trying to get WPCentral all WP8 ready. Okay SDK was out in only Oct, but this is Feb now - 4 months i.e. 1 quarter of the year and he hasn't managed to get his app ready with full WP8 functions as well as survive on WP7. This is a paid app.

Imagine the efforts, time and support a developer with ad-free, free app, needs in order to survive on WP7 AND make a decent app for WP8. Explains why WP8 an incomplete OS is loaded with sub-par apps by many big devs and all small devs. Microsoft boasted about how easily this migration will work if devs wanted, but clearly it's not that easy. I hope most apps hit us in 2 months - half a year anyways is a bloody long time (because another iPhone will be out! )

Yea..I think he's from USA. What I've noticed is that MS doesn't give a sh*t on Europe. They have poor marketplace, here I am referring to their services. Xbox Live subscription is inexistent in many countries in Europe, Xbox music subscription is not available also. This is due to the fact that xbox console had a good market in USA but in Europe was not doing so good and Sony with PS3 took it, they had the free psn network.
Now because of that, the Xbox eco-system is f*cked in Europe and only works properly in USA. This lack of interest triggers other services too, like messaging, Skype to work better in USA and poorly in Europe.
I too have problems with the messaging app, if I chat with a friend on facebook I get the first lines, but if he is writing 5 lines in a row, only the 2 sentences reach out to me, the rest of them are lost in space. Skype chat has problem with delaying messages, if I don't write to my friend I don't get the notification that he wrote to me.
I am a fan of WP8 but..this..is so hurtful.

Ditto experience on messaging app!

 

[Bilal_Fakih]

The only app that is giving me issues on that level is Facebook. For the rest I am experiencing no issues with my phone and J find App quality to be far superior to Android, and sometimes even iOS counterparts. People are just used to complaining about WP. But ask anyone on any other platform, they all hate the FB app. Ours at least looks pretty, and that's more than I can say for other platforms. Besides, apart for messages. FB can be used quite easily through the People hub. Twitter is Terrible, but some third-party counterparts are great, and Whatsapp is getting an update soon (finally) but even so, I'm not having any stability issues with the app's main feature (messaging, that is). People need to stop whining and look at the same applications on other platforms before talking. Its really not all that great, especially when it comes to Android.

Its not that we are comparing, i have Andriod and iOS and now WP8. Let us talk about iOs and Andriod. Facebook,twitter, Youtube, Viber, anything u name it. In both platforms the quality of these apps are great and do the job very well. Who care if it looks better (which is a gd thing for WP) but we want notifications and also be connected to the world not connected after a delay. When you have apps that are working well for you on other platforms and you jump to WP, you are not going for less, no one chooses so. We all expect to have better or for the least the same quality of these apps we have mentioned. I know WP8 is new and needs alot of work, even though i agree that we need to wait for the best to come but no one will wait forever. Look my nokia is international and unlocked, i didnt get the Portico update so im not sure if "keep alive" will solve my delayed notifications! Even the update, im not sure when ill have it (but sure by the mid of March ill get it) and i have to respect Apple for the iOs and that all countries and devices are updated on the sametime, at least iOs and WP till now are better then google with the OS updates.

Skype for example, my GF complained that she cant call me even though i appear online! Skype supposed to be online all the time, therefore she calls and i get nothing. I actually tested it and unless i open skype application ill get the call, otherwise i get nothing! Does this have to do with "keep alive" issue..im not sure.. I hope u guys can tell me! Anyways, my point is MS should push and work hard. Nokia is working so hard but as we say here " one hand cant clap" So come on MS, MS is based on software and seriously we should have the best software not Andriod or iOS.

 

[eric12341]

Are you in the USA?

Yup, Chicago to be exact.

 

[rockstarzzz]

Yup, Chicago to be exact.

yeah, a whole new experience if you come across the seas
Nothing is so flawless here as such. Not as much as I wish it to be!

 

[afgzee]

Well I am here in the UK and can tell you for sure it is awful. I've even got notifications from Facebook a whole week late. It really confuses me as I am sometimes not sure if someone sent me a new message or not.

I had an iPhone and notifications were always instant. For some reason I decided to get a L900 last spring as I really wanted to help support Nokia, even after reading reports that they may go bust, I paid ?390 for my unlocked L900. I then got a L820 in October hoping WP8 would have fixed all these issues, but no.

Microsoft really need to pull their finger out and start getting serious as I defiantly will not be recommending this unless these notifications are fixed, as they are a big deal. Nokia you can see are working very hard to push the system, but Microsoft doesn't seem to bothered which is very surprising.

 

[chetan_merchant]

Since how long are you using windows phone platform??

I have been using it over an year now. I agree with others..this platform lacks apps, period.

Quality of apps is also average...look at whatsapp, twitter, FB, Adobe reader, youtube, IE10.
It also lacks serious influx of good apps..temple run, instagram, youtube, podcasts, third party browser etc.

Some will argue updates are coming...but its more than a year with this platform and MS is finding it difficult to catch up...they have made promises but none have materialised

The point here is how much patience can a consumer have...somewhere down the line it will drain out
Here the success of windows phone is dependent upon windows 8 sales...which are average so far and the reaction is mixed, so I feel app developers would hold back
Hence we are looking at more 6-8 months of frustration, by this time my device is out-of-date and new flagships will be arriving.

On second thought I am forced to evaluate the fact that I jumped to WP bandwagon a bit earlier...the system is immature and MS has yet again been caught napping.
:crying:

 

[Bilal_Fakih]

i have a question i would like to know. If a developer made an App for windows phone 8, does the same app work for windows 8 and windows RT? or developers must make the same app for all 3 different OS?

The thing is, Microsoft is focusing on 3 OS: Windows 8, RT and WP is not right..Till now i guess RT is a failure thats why Surface tablet didnt sell and now with the Surface Pro that runs Windows 8 i guess things will be better for MS. Point is, MS should ditch RT and work hard on WP. I dont see alot of complains for Windows 8, im using it few bugs but things are fine and works very well for me.But Wp8, it needs alot of work. I think MS should put all of there energy on WP and bring all the things we want! Mobile wars are much harder then PC+OS wars. i mean MS beat MAC and other OS in PC

RIM will announce BB10, i dont like Blackberry and they dont have lots of apps in there store. But the quality of there apps will it be like iOs and Andriod or like WP or below! But every OS has advantages and disadvantages. so lets hope for the best

 

[Florin Anghel]

The app developed will work for windows phone and windows RT, for windows 8 pro they will have to develop again the same app.

 

[Jaskys]

All my notifications for Facebook, Skype and twitter (via Me tile) work flawlessly.

Yeah it works perfectly via me and people tiles but official facebook app is a piece of crap...
And me and people tiles shows that you logged through pc.. So it's a bad thing too.

 

[FinancialP]

The app developed will work for windows phone and windows RT, for windows 8 pro they will have to develop again the same app.

no it doesn't.


To the topic at hand, these apps are ridiculously poor. Especially whatsapp.

I stick to using my iPhone through the week, and windows phone some weekends. I search for these quality apps people keeping talking about and can't find any. I take that back, I found two the ESPN hub is ok but we don't have a Sports Center app, so I have to download other apps to kind of get the experience I get with one app on my iPhone.

Whatsapp notifications aren't instant, and it lacks a lot of features compared to other platforms.

 

[afgzee]

So im quite sure the notifications bug is a problem over at Microsoft side in Europe? This is awful as Windows Phone is rising in Europe, almost 12% share in Italy and rising rapidly in UK. This needs fixing ASAP as its been going on far too long since WP7 days.