Windows Phone Users: Whaddayagonnado?

kfuerza on 26/05/2016 - 22:42

Hi all,

I've been an non-vocal and happy member of the 1%
No…I'm not wealthy.
I'm talking about the 1% (less now) of Windows Phone users.
I was forced into the platform by a previous employer and became rather fond of it due to that experience.
Currently rocking a 930 that was given to me by another business owner who had to switch to Android for his business.

Anywhoo as many would know M$ is killing off the consumer portion of Windows phone (https://www.thurrott.com/mobile/windows-phone/67443/windows-…) and I was wondering what other semi or even die-hard enthusiasts plan on doing?

Personally, I'm still going to wait for a big price drop in the 950, and then see what happens over the next 2 years with the vapourware that is 'Surface Phone'. My main reasons for this is that I am a small business owner (Freelance IT consultant) and I thoroughly enjoy the interface and the ease of use the phone has over iOS (My wife and kids are all in the Apple ecosystem). Sta-posedly M$ is going to focus on Enterprise for the platform and…well…that suits me just fine.

In all honesty I have a feeling that the cheap 950 I hope to purchase soon-ish will be the last Windows Phone I'll own and I'll be back to iOS.
Hope I'm wrong but M$ doesn't seem to be able to get out of it's own way.

So…WP enthusiasts and users?
What are your plans?
Android?
iOS
Nokia dumb phone?
Cup and string?

Mobile Mobile Phone Windows Phone

Comments

  • supnigs super skids on 26/05/2016 - 23:01

    Depends what you use the phone for? It works fine with Web apps

    • kfuerza on 26/05/2016 - 23:05

      The only non-apps that annoy me thus far are the killing off of the LinkedIn integration with the phone and no Xero app.
      The web interface for adding receipts puts things in a different place than when you use the iphone app to load receipts.

      Minor things (well…the killing of LinkedIn with contact and Outlook is Windows wide and an administrative pain for me).

  • IIGnomeII on 26/05/2016 - 23:28
    +1

    I was a WP user from an HTC Mozart 7, moved to the Lumia 920 (which I absolutely loved) but due to app constraints I moved over to Android.
    My first Android phone was a Sony Z3 Compact, now I am on a Samsung GS7edge.

    I would of stayed on WP had the apps I wanted been there (3rd party wasn't the best and 1st party rarely got updates.) but if I was not focusing on apps the WP platform was great.

    IMO, wait for the price drops and stay on WP if you don't need the apps. If you decide to move, come over to Android. As a fellow IT worker the Android OS gives us a lot of playing room.

  • shortarmsdeeppockets on 27/05/2016 - 07:34
    +2

    I've read a few articles/comments online saying similar things (and from differing points of view). Sorry, I have to jump in and correct a couple of things I thought MS had made quite clear.

    1) Windows Phone was discontinued quite some time ago. Current Windows-based mobile phones are rocking Windows 10 Mobile, part of the broader Windows 10 ecosystem. This isn't just semantics, it's a VASTLY different from Windows Phone. Microsoft are not 'killing off' any portion of Windows 10, it's the central part of their ongoing business strategy - unified, cross-platform OS. This includes mobile devices (phones, small tablets), laptops, PCs, heck even Xbox.

    2) Windows 10 will still have consumer focus as well as enterprise, but the aim is an enterprise-like experience (secure, cross-device, unified applications, continuum) for all users in a way that other mobile devices currently cannot offer.

    3) MS confirmed a while back that they would be cutting back the different types of phone they build. Only MS knows what the final line up will be, but would be surprising to see them not take advantage of their Surface brand here. Honestly, MS is a software and services company, so less hardware makes perfect sense - and other major manufacturers are already about to launch new Windows 10 Mobile devices.

    So…I'm not an enthusiast, but my view is that bright times are still ahead for users of Windows-based mobile devices, as long as they are Windows 10.

    • kfuerza on 27/05/2016 - 07:56

      Thanks for the clarity shortarms.

      Your points are the main reasons I'm still going to nab a 950 on special and wait and see.

      I'm no enthusiast but I have an acute sense of what my needs are and Win10 hits the 80/20 rule just fine.

    • scupper on 27/05/2016 - 20:31

      It looks like W10 Mobile will just be coasting on its W10 compatibility, which is still plenty enough to keep its 3rd place position. Forecasts of its death is overly exaggerated.

  • iridiumstem on 27/05/2016 - 08:06

    Long stories short, I was using Windows Phone with Lumia 925, moved onto Android. My gf did similar thing.
    Now and then, I kinda comment on these things (tech stuff are kinda my interest).

    I kinda think Windows Phone is going to go nowhere. People talked about Windows Phone getting better with app situtation since Windows 8. There were influx of touchscreen based Windows device during Windows 8.1. With even MS focussing more on iOS and Android (I kinda say this has become a thing when Nadella became CEO), I don't see Windows Mobile becoming better than now. x86 phone would have been interesting, but with Intel pulling out, at best, I expect RT like environment for continuum and Surface Phone.

    • shortarmsdeeppockets on 27/05/2016 - 08:36

      Agreed, Windows Phone is going nowhere. It was completely deprecated quite some time ago.

      Windows 10, however, is a solid multiplatform OS. The Mobile variant, the current Windows experience you'll find on phones with a Windows OS, is solid, secure, highly functional, and extremely promising. It's a core part of Microsoft's 'Windows on any device' strategy, and it's highly unlikely that this will change any time in the near future.

      • iridiumstem on 27/05/2016 - 09:26

        I disagree with that sentiment, at least on the mobile phone and tablet front.

        Surface Pro has been around for so long and Windows OS as a tablet OS still is mediocre at best.

        As a mobile phone OS, I don't think it'd get anywhere at current stage, given how there is nothing that sets it apart on consumer level and how other OSs have better third party developers. I don't think universal app would help either, given how Windows OS allows programs to run, not many people (if at all) buy Windows tablet to use universal apps and I don't think there has been any improvements in universal apps in last few years even with Surface Pro and 2 in 1s becoming so popular.

  • [Deactivated] on 27/05/2016 - 09:08

    If they are able to somehow make x86 cpu happen, or make desktop Windows 10 compatible with ARM, then there would be a brighter future, seeing as full Windows is still the most used in the world.

    As for Windows phone/mobile whatever you wanna call it, it's been virtually dead for sometime… unfortunately. It would've been nice to see some OS diversity in the phone market.

  • datafellows on 27/05/2016 - 11:44

    I've had few Windows phones in he past and got to say that I kind of dislike the OS.

    When I was working in China the limited amount of software available did not bother me as Google didn't work in China anyway. But in OZ it is a huge let down.

    I have not tried Win10 yet on a mobile device, but I think Windows phone will only begin to work when the desktop version of Windows can run on a mobile phone. I could see for example 950 running the current mobile version and 950XL be able to run the full desktop version.

    There could easily be a limiter that would not allow installation of files too large or requiring too much resources. Also, the desktop could easily fit a 5.5" screen on portrait mode, and with 2 finger swipe you could move left or right for example. When landscape mode the screen would show completely and the icons etc would just look smaller.

    There could be a mouse pad at the backside of the phone that would move a cursor or you could have a pen with a pointer on the other end so you could write and tap on the screen and then a ball roller on the other side that would move the cursor on the screen and when pressed once would act like a left mouse button and long press right mouse button…

    Once the make that phone for me I would start to use Windows phones again…

  • Savas on 27/05/2016 - 16:07

    Since when do Nokia's break?

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