Windows Phone vs The Field

[trigatch4]

I'm really bullish on Windows Phone. BlackBerry is slowly suffocating, WebOS is already dangling from a tree, and there is plenty of room for a 3rd platform (beyond Android/iOS). Windows Phone platform is pretty decent already and Microsoft + Nokia = a ton of power and money to make it work and they've already shown they'll spend everything they need and more. I think Windows 8 for mobile will move the needle, too.

The post icon is "Shameless Plug" for a reason- we've been gearing up on WinSource.com and are 2 weeks into a forum contest. Just inviting you guys to enter. If any Windows Phone users here are looking for a home, swing by. I'll even hold a little side contest and reserve some gift cards exclusively for WF members. Warning: we're family friendly over there.

But I'm seriously curious how people feel about Windows Phone. Usually my polls are run on Phandroid or iSource so the results are terribly swayed. This group is tech savvy without platform specific favoritism.

So whaddayathink?

 

[Staccs]

The reason a Windows based phone isn't even a consideration for me is the lack of app support that iOS and Android have.

P.S. I just bought a new phone based on recommendation from Android Forums. You have a great community there.

 

[trigatch4]

Thanks for the kind words. Hoping to build that same type of helpful community on our new site

Microsoft is shelling out some big bucks to lure developers. Whether it's working? Tough call. It's an uphill battle when you need apps on your platform to get consumers but consumers on your platform to attract app developers. That being said, the Lumia 900 is a pretty solid device and I think we'll see some great hardware which won't hurt.

I also think that in some ways, Android and iPhone have gotten WAY more complex than the mass market cares to use. Yes, nearly everyone wants a smartphone these days including your mom and dad, but how many of them could pick up an Android Phone with ICS or an iPhone and easily use it? Windows Phone may be appealing to consumers for this reason, especially if they unify the OS to provide the same experience across different device types (phone/tablet/desktop).

Microsoft could gobble up market share by keeping things super simple, then growing into a more advanced user experience once they've sufficiently grown. There aren't many Android or iPhones that really target this first type smartphone user and I think if Microsoft plays their cards right, they could eat this slice of the pie up before moving on to bigger and better things.

But I've been wrong before!

 

[Rage9]

I can't say I have used a Windows mobile phone. I have used both iOS and Android and Android, at least to me is hands down the best of the two. It's taken some patience I had a Droid X2 and it wasn't that great of a phone after a while, not because of Android but because of hardware issues. I now rock an Samsung Galaxy Nexus and I love the shit out of it. I have no real confidence in Windows mobile. They seem late to the game, and lets face it, it's Microsoft. Great for desktop OS, and pretty much suck at everything else. I have no plans to ever use their product, they are too far behind and probably won't be able to catch up.

 

[Rage9]

I also think that in some ways, Android and iPhone have gotten WAY more complex than the mass market cares to use. Yes, nearly everyone wants a smartphone these days including your mom and dad, but how many of them could pick up an Android Phone with ICS or an iPhone and easily use it? Windows Phone may be appealing to consumers for this reason, especially if they unify the OS to provide the same experience across different device types (phone/tablet/desktop).

Although I'm not a typical non technical stupid consumer, I find this hard to believe. Both Android OS and iOS are pretty easy to use as far as smartphones go. If my mother could learn to use her Blackberry I have confidence she could learn to use Android ICS. I'm not saying she would, but I don't think it would be that hard. My mother is fairly technically retarded.

I do applaud Windows phone for not following the same type of template that Android or iOS do, but I'm not sure it's for the better. Plenty of other mobile OSs are going under, I can see Windows doing the same. Android itself has grown very fast, and well, Windows hasn't.

 

[pocketrockets]

I also think that in some ways, Android and iPhone have gotten WAY more complex than the mass market cares to use. Yes, nearly everyone wants a smartphone these days including your mom and dad, but how many of them could pick up an Android Phone with ICS or an iPhone and easily use it?

Way more complex? How exactly? My 3yr old daughter can easily unlock my iPhone and maneuver around iOS 5 without any help. She takes pics/video and understands what all the apps do and even scrolls around the app store searching for something to download that interests her!

The iPhone UI is so easy too use and intuitive it's a big reason it's so popular.

 

[xiang22]

I do applaud Windows phone for not following the same type of template that Android or iOS do, but I'm not sure it's for the better. Plenty of other mobile OSs are going under, I can see Windows doing the same. Android itself has grown very fast, and well, Windows hasn't.

 

[johnmatrix]

I was preaching Windows Phone here a year ago, nobody listened. It's a fantastic OS, I dropped my iPhone for it and will never go back. If anyone ever gets a chance to try it, play with the music app and you'll realise it is more fluid and streamlined to use than iPhone or Android could ever fucking dream.

Oh and it doesn't need a dual core CPU to scroll smoothly either.

The back button actually works too, you can go backwards through however many apps you had opened. The functionally sucks on an Android phone because the back button isn't global, and the iPhone doesn't even have one. I can be writing an email, get an SMS, reply to the SMS, hit back and it'll take me back to what I was writing in the email.

 

[blank_czech]

I might just wait for WP8 if Verizon doesn't get any of the good ones. Tired of waiting for phones to come to Verizon. This game is getting old. The only reason I wouldn't get a WP right now if I could is because of the wi-fi situation. I'm not certain if it supports the setup that I need it to. Oddly enough, BBOS and WebOS don't support the setup I need either.

 

[momchil9]

How is iOS hard to use? The main reason iphone(and any apple products) are so popular is that there are so easy to use and intuitive.

My concern with windows phone(8) is that IMO the new iphone will have massive upgrades in design(it hasn't had one ever) and the iOS6 will have big changes too(it hasn't had of these either). And windows phone will have very little room to grow.

 

[CCarter]

Microsoft making something easier to use???? LOL

I had my laugh for the morning...

Good luck bros

 

[trigatch4]

I'd ditto a bunch of what JohnMatrix said.

iOS doesn't have a back button. Android's back button is nice but integrated oddly at times. Not to mention, the UI standards have changed so much that different apps, games, screens, ROMs, etc... react differently to the same activity. Everything has gotten so prettied up that the simplicity has been left in the dust. In most ways, I think Vanilla Android from 2.X and before was more user friendly in terms of reaching the mass market. I personally may like 4.X better... as might you... but that's beside the point.

I'd be interested to see a case study where they take people who have NEVER used a smartphone before, hand a phone to them, and see how quickly they can figure out how to perform certain functions. Would be curious to see how iOS, Android, Win, compare in regards to that.

 

[CitizenSmif]

The back button actually works too, you can go backwards through however many apps you had opened. The functionally sucks on an Android phone because the back button isn't global, and the iPhone doesn't even have one. I can be writing an email, get an SMS, reply to the SMS, hit back and it'll take me back to what I was writing in the email.

I don't understand what you mean. If you get a SMS while your reading an email and you don't push the home button to get to the SMS (i.e, you go to it from the notification bar, or you get a popup) then when you hit the back button it will take you right back to the email.

Also if you hold the Home button its like the Android equivalent of alt+tab

 

[Phoenixz]

android for the win
win for the garbage dump

 

[cheshire]

I don't understand what you mean. If you get a SMS while your reading an email and you don't push the home button to get to the SMS (i.e, you go to it from the notification bar, or you get a popup) then when you hit the back button it will take you right back to the email.

Also if you hold the Home button its like the Android equivalent of alt+tab

Apple simplified all of this. Double tap the home button to bring up a task list, then switch tasks. On iOS if I get a text while I'm composing an email I tap the notification, reply to the text, double tap the home button and choose the mail app. It's right where I left off.

I'll admit, not as easy as a back button but the functionality is there nonetheless.

 

[Netphase]

The reason a Windows based phone isn't even a consideration for me is the lack of app support that iOS and Android have.

Microsoft is shelling out some big bucks to lure developers. Whether it's working? Tough call. It's an uphill battle when you need apps on your platform to get consumers but consumers on your platform to attract app developers.

I recently read a news article about Microsoft paying to have Windows Phone versions of popular apps made...

To Fill Out Its App Store, Microsoft Wields Its Checkbook - New York Times

I have heard mostly good things about Windows Phone 7, but have not yet tried it.

 

[zimok]

The only thing I hate about android is the fact that you need to root it to get rid of the junk apps that come on it.

 

[ShadowCaster]

The only thing I hate about android is the fact that you need to root it to get rid of the junk apps that come on it.

I believe that's actually a feature to make it more fun, like some sort of a quest.

 

[pocketrockets]

I'd be interested to see a case study where they take people who have NEVER used a smartphone before, hand a phone to them, and see how quickly they can figure out how to perform certain functions. Would be curious to see how iOS, Android, Win, compare in regards to that.

This is Microsoft's marketing angle at the moment with their "$100 challenge" videos-

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iUCU3PrS3CA"]iPhone vs Windows Phone Which smartphone is simply faster - Tecnologia Livre - YouTube[/ame]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nNgN5vS_stc&feature=youtu.be

 

[Rage9]

The back button actually works too, you can go backwards through however many apps you had opened. The functionally sucks on an Android phone because the back button isn't global, and the iPhone doesn't even have one. I can be writing an email, get an SMS, reply to the SMS, hit back and it'll take me back to what I was writing in the email.

It is different in ICS. There is a like running process list that is easily accessible from anywhere. You just press that it'll show you ever thing that is running then click the app you want. Simple.