With the recent updates, are you likely to jump ship?

[Muhammad Farrukh]

I used to be 'one of those people' who ragged on WP7 because it looked too simple.

But honestly other than the way the OS runs things in sandbox so i cant replace OS elements like replace the keyboard with swype, etc.. its the first phone that Ive had an enjoyable experience with. Doesnt lag, slow down, glitch, mess up. Everything is uniform and the OS moves as fast as i can flick my finger around it.

What lets Android down is the fact that they HAVE to make the OS run on loads of cheap low end handsets that have crap processors and gpus ruining the experience.

(Y)

I just jumped ship from android (2.2) on an ancient Galaxy 5 to an HTC titan. In the 12 years I've owned a mobile phone, this one has to be the most enjoyable experience. The interface, although basic serves its purpose well and is as smooth as a ducks beak, (smothered in butter.) The only thing lacking is decent apps, tho i remember when Android market only had a few thousand apps on it and look at it now...

tried iphone didnt like it, moved to blackberry got tired of it, went to android didnt like it at all, got a windows phone (samsung focus) and don't see myself going back to either of the others ever again.

We'd love it if you share the change of experience with us (Y)

[Muhammad Farrukh]

Beyond that I feel like the applications look basic. The browser the way the icons are laid out inside apps. It just all looks quite college project to me while iOS (which I use on my iPhone 4S) feels more polished. This is all my opinion of course.

The applications are pretty basic, yes but not all. There are some great ones, that are pretty useful.

To me Windows Phone is as polished as iOS or dare I say even a step ahead of it.

Both of the softwares are best in class. There is absolutely no performance issues and the UI is consistent throughout.

The lack of premium apps does also make me not favor the platform, I like that on iOS I have 300,000 software titles to choose from and any app I search for has at least several relevant results. Going beyond productivity apps just basic things like Games are really lacking on WP7. I love cut the rope and Osmos which aren't available on Windows Phone 7.

Yes, I agree there aren't many premiuum apps but it takes time to catch up with the competition and Windows Phone is doing it at a faster rate than any other OS did.

There are some good apps, some great, although not free, which are very useful but yes, ultimately, there aren't as many as iOS.

On the gaming front though, I would say that Windows Phone, till now, is doing just fine. Yes, I, too, long for Cut the Rope but there are other platform exclusives that are awesome and recent studies and surveys have shown that devs are more interested than ever in Windows Phone. (Y)

Beyond just the Operating System when I see the phones available for the platform I'm not really impressed by them. Single Core, Low to mid-range DPI screens, low resolution cameras. The ecosystem would feel right at home in 2010 but not for 2011 I think devices like the iPhone 4S and Samsung S II are more compelling.

Recent phones are really impressive, especially the Lumia 800, Focus S and Titan.

Single core? Hmmm...

Low to mid-range DPI? We'll get there

Low resolution cameras? I am not sure what you mean by that. 5 or 8 MP, 2592 x 1944 pixels, autofocus, LED flash

To go back to the dual core processor issue. I agree with the recent news post on the front page that the lack of dual core processors will hold back WP7. I agree with people that the UI feels smooth but having a processor with two cores is about more than just the UI. I upgraded from an iPhone 3GS to an iPhone 4S. As you know the 3GS is a single core device and its UI has always felt really smooth to me. But there are a lot of apps that benefit from the faster dual core processor, things like the browser in rendering pages faster and games. Some newer titles like Rockstars GTA III won't actually run on the iPhone 3GS or iPhone 4. It requires the dual core processor of the iPhone 4S and iPad 2. It is these kinds of experiences that Windows Phone is missing out on and will continue to miss out on until the hardware specifications increase.

I agree that having multi core setup will eventually help the platform but here is the thing

3GS is an old device, three years old, almost. Of course it is running a 600 MHz ARM Cortex A8 processor, whereas 4S is running the latest dual core shipset.

So the difference is pretty imminent.

From what I've seen and listened, there is a little speed difference between the 4 and 4S.

Yes, some apps open and close and play good but it is only evident when you hold the two of them together.

When you are just using 4, i don't think you'll be thinking about 4S and how fast or slowly it opened this or that app.

[BigFatTuna]

I just renewed this month to get an iPhone 4S. When I was at the carrier to pick up my phone I asked to see if they had any display WP7 phones and they didn't :/ I wanted to see if 7.5 was a big change but didn't get to (didn't personally like the original release)

At least you know you will get OS updates the Second they come out :)

[Vice]

The applications are pretty basic, yes but not all. There are some great ones, that are pretty useful.

To me Windows Phone is as polished as iOS or dare I say even a step ahead of it.

Both of the softwares are best in class. There is absolutely no performance issues and the UI is consistent throughout.

I really wouldn't say Windows Phone 7 is more polished. It's just basic. I mean I don't mean to sound cocky but I could make the entire Windows Phone 7 UI in a weekend. That's just the truth. It would take weeks to months to get down the fine detail and luscious icons presented on the iPhone.

It is obvious to anyone that knows UI design (which is what I do day to day in a professional capacity) that they needed a mobile operating system fast and they did not have time to create all the artwork necessary so instead they went in the opposite direction of keeping everything incredibly basic and minimilist. This is what I'd call a marmite choice. Some people will love it and others will hate it. It was a punt on their behalf which regardless of what happens they will have to live with now.

Yes, I agree there aren't many premiuum apps but it takes time to catch up with the competition and Windows Phone is doing it at a faster rate than any other OS did.

There are some good apps, some great, although not free, which are very useful but yes, ultimately, there aren't as many as iOS.

On the gaming front though, I would say that Windows Phone, till now, is doing just fine. Yes, I, too, long for Cut the Rope but there are other platform exclusives that are awesome and recent studies and surveys have shown that devs are more interested than ever in Windows Phone. (Y)

I know it takes time to 'catch up' but iOS isn't stagnant. With every inch Windows Phone 7 takes to reaching iOS in Application market size iOS itself will increase its own lead due to how many developers it already has engaged and its massive (and increasing) user base. Also I don't live in the future, I live in the present. It would be silly to deny myself a huge catalogue of apps that are available today just so I can delay my app gratification with a Windows Phone to a year from now.

Recent phones are really impressive, especially the Lumia 800, Focus S and Titan.

Single core? Hmmm...

Low to mid-range DPI? We'll get there

Low resolution cameras? I am not sure what you mean by that. 5 or 8 MP, 2592 x 1944 pixels, autofocus, LED flash

The Lumia 800 is a nice looking phone I've said this before on the forum. But it's also brand new on the market. This is a cutting edge Windows phone and it is not available everywhere yet. But even so it's still only Single Core, it still has a low Pixel Per Inch display and although its camera is 8 Mega Pixels it only shoots 720p video while the Samsung II and iPhone 4S support 1080p

I agree that having multi core setup will eventually help the platform but here is the thing

3GS is an old device, three years old, almost. Of course it is running a 600 MHz ARM Cortex A8 processor, whereas 4S is running the latest dual core shipset.

So the difference is pretty imminent.

From what I've seen and listened, there is a little speed difference between the 4 and 4S.

Yes, some apps open and close and play good but it is only evident when you hold the two of them together.

When you are just using 4, i don't think you'll be thinking about 4S and how fast or slowly it opened this or that app.

I agree with you that the 3GS is an old phone with an old processor but the iPhone 4 and iPad 1 have quite fast single core processors. Both of these devices will not be receiving GTA III from Rockstar as it requires the faster Dual Core processor that the iPhone 4S and iPad 2 posses. It's pretty clear from my post that I was not discussing the speed of which applications open I couldn't care less about that. To me it is about the performance of the apps once they are already open and you are using them.

Keep this in mind also, in these SoC ARM designs the GPU is integrated in to the CPU package. This means Dual Core CPU = Twice the amount of GPU cores. This is important to games developers and anyone that wants to use OpenCL for fast floating point computation these may not seem like tasks you'd want to do on a phone but a few years ago people didn't want to watch videos on a phone or surf the web on a phone.

Technology shifts like the touch screen and a proper web browser changed peoples perception of the device from "useless at surfing the web, why would anyone do that on such a small display anyway?" to "I use the web every day on my Phone" better hardware facilitates better software and there is no need to be apologetic for Microsofts unwillingness to support dual core in 2011. If anything by the time Windows Phone does finally get Dual Core devices, Android phones will be shipping with Quad Cores and be running Windows 8 in a dual boot configuration (I've personally already seen devices capable of this feat but I've already said too much just by confirming their existence)

[Beyond Godlike]

All depends..

I just got a Galaxy S II., but i upgrade yearly. I plan to enjoy this phone until the S3 then maybe think whether its a worthy upgrade. I love being to run custom roms and make it look sleek n sexy...and i have 0 knowledge of WP7 customization. I also feel the windows marketplace might be lacking atm..

If the next year is succcessful i probably will, its all about what i feel is the best, speed, battery, eye catching UI

[Shadrack]

I've thought about it. If they get some higher resolution phones I might. I find Windows Phone very intriguing. Very attractive OS design I'm just waiting for the handset that strikes me the same way. I really have nothing but great things to say about my Zune 80GB and way before that my Windows Mobile 2003 "PocketPC". Microsoft fell behind but now they are getting on the right path.

I miss having that massive 80GB in a portable. The Zune 80GB was sweet.

[Muhammad Farrukh]

I've thought about it. If they get some higher resolution phones I might.

Windows Phone 7 is going to stick with the same resolution :(

However, Apollo will up the resolution, for sure (Y)

In mid 2012 (Y)

[lalalawawawa]

I'm not getting a new one, because I already have Optimus 7.

[Miuku.]

No, don't care for one either - I need my phone for one thing and one thing only; talking. I only care about maximum battery time (8-12h speech time on my current one) and smartphones simply do not offer this.

[pack34]

I'm happy with my trophy. That is until we have Nokia phones in the states with 1280x768 screens and a 4G antenna running Apollo.

[Muhammad Farrukh]

No, don't care for one either - I need my phone for one thing and one thing only; talking. I only care about maximum battery time (8-12h speech time on my current one) and smartphones simply do not offer this.

Symbian?

[remixedcat]

As-soon-as Verizon Wireless gets a decent WP7 device. Need to get rid of my HTC Touch Pro 2 already.

U can donate to the "remixedcat needs a better phone fund"

[the better twin]

December 8th is when im due an upgrade.

Will be getting the Lumia.

[Muhammad Farrukh]

December 8th is when im due an upgrade.

Will be getting the Lumia.

I sooo want that phone man. :( :cry:

Too bad I won't be able to

[ahhell]

I just picked up a Samsung Focus from Kiijii. Loving the phone and WP7. It took forever for the updates though.

[SoCalRox]

No desire. I didn't like what I saw with WP7 and went to Android, and am not looking back. I see nothing in the plans for WP that makes me desire to change.

[jakem1]

My girlfriend picked up a Lumia 800 yesterday and is loving it. I've been telling her to get a smartphone for years and she's told me that she was happy with her dumbphones but I finally persuaded her and she couldn't be happier.

It's a REALLY nice phone and I've now got phone envy.

[neo158]

Every phone UI is GPU accelerated these days. Android and iOS are no exception. With dual cores though, they can do real intensive work/games and smooth multitasking unlike WP7.

Except the Android UI isn't GPU accelerated and never has been. On the subject of multitasking, Android slows to a crawl when you have... say... two apps open as it doesn't tombstone the apps in the background like Windows Phone does.

[mattmatik]

No, and I am a bit leery of anything Windows mobile. I had disastrous times with my iPaq PocketPC - mainly due to Microsoft being absolutely lame with updates and having to install a crap ton of add-ons to get it to function somewhat decently.

I just feel like MS had and still has no real direction for its mobile platform. Every couple years they go in an opposite direction.

[-=Outlaw=-]

No, and I am a bit leery of anything Windows mobile. I had disastrous times with my iPaq PocketPC - mainly due to Microsoft being absolutely lame with updates and having to install a crap ton of add-ons to get it to function somewhat decently.

I just feel like MS had and still has no real direction for its mobile platform. Every couple years they go in an opposite direction.

Windows Mobile and Windows Phone = Two Different Things. People don't know the difference I guess.

[Adrian0E]

No. I'm staying with Android. I might replace my hTC DHD with Galaxy Nexus to have full Android 4 experience.

I like the Nokia Lumia 800, but I don't want WP7.

[bgjerlow]

My iPhone contract doesn't run out until in like a little under 2 years, but after that, I will strongly consider getting a Windows Phone instead. But only if they have proper support in Denmark (for marketplace, Xbox Live etc.)

[greenwizard88]

I really wouldn't say Windows Phone 7 is more polished. It's just basic. I mean I don't mean to sound cocky but I could make the entire Windows Phone 7 UI in a weekend. That's just the truth. It would take weeks to months to get down the fine detail and luscious icons presented on the iPhone.

It is obvious to anyone that knows UI design (which is what I do day to day in a professional capacity) that they needed a mobile operating system fast and they did not have time to create all the artwork necessary so instead they went in the opposite direction of keeping everything incredibly basic and minimilist. This is what I'd call a marmite choice. Some people will love it and others will hate it. It was a punt on their behalf which regardless of what happens they will have to live with now.

Okay. So the iPhone UI isn't actually as amazing. It's just knowing where to put gradients and such. Likewise, the WP7 UI isn't very lickable, but it's rather functional - more functional than iOS, for sure. It's pretty obvious to anyone who knows how to run a business (which is what I do in a prefessional capacity) that if you need a graphic, you can hire someone to make it for you. And I'd be willing to bet that Microsoft has enough cash on hand to hire a graphic designer or two.

My android isn't laggy.. am I special?? I think the tiles look like something that came out of take your kids to work day.. there's a reason kids don't work.

Probably ;)

I have yet to see a Droid X that doesn't have some sort of lag.

[+LogicalApex MVC]

I really wouldn't say Windows Phone 7 is more polished. It's just basic. I mean I don't mean to sound cocky but I could make the entire Windows Phone 7 UI in a weekend. That's just the truth. It would take weeks to months to get down the fine detail and luscious icons presented on the iPhone.

It is obvious to anyone that knows UI design (which is what I do day to day in a professional capacity) that they needed a mobile operating system fast and they did not have time to create all the artwork necessary so instead they went in the opposite direction of keeping everything incredibly basic and minimilist. This is what I'd call a marmite choice. Some people will love it and others will hate it. It was a punt on their behalf which regardless of what happens they will have to live with now.

You might not agree with the direction they went with the Windows Phone UI, but I don't think you can honestly call the UI basic or unpolished. Just because a design is minimalist doesn't mean it is basic or lacks polish...

If you spend some time using Windows Phone 7 and peering into all of the native apps (not third party stuff as many devs still don't get Metro yet) and you'll see it is very polished. Polish is thinking about all of the little things (hence the name.. You polish a table to make it look nice, but polish doesn't make a table a table!). They have so many subtle animations and visual cues baked into the UI that you can't help but be amazed at how much they thought about the UI.

It is meant as a UI that gets out of the way and that is where I think you aren't understanding it. Windows Phone 7 is designed to be an OS that you don't get wrapped up in, in the traditional sense. It is an OS that should place your information front and center and that should be your focus. But understanding that you're on a mobile device you should be able to get the jist of your information in seconds not minutes.

Once you see that in action and understand it you can't help but be amazed at the polish. You don't have to like it or agree with it, but it is impressive still.

I know it takes time to 'catch up' but iOS isn't stagnant. With every inch Windows Phone 7 takes to reaching iOS in Application market size iOS itself will increase its own lead due to how many developers it already has engaged and its massive (and increasing) user base. Also I don't live in the future, I live in the present. It would be silly to deny myself a huge catalogue of apps that are available today just so I can delay my app gratification with a Windows Phone to a year from now.

To be serious about what is happening in the market for a second... Microsoft isn't out against Apple right now. Their fighting to kill Android, period. Apple doesn't care about Microsoft or Android for the most part because they have a solid lock on their niche market at the moment. There is a reason you don't have the iPhone in 50 form factors at 80 different price points. They want a specific customer and they are willing to tell everyone else to fly a kite. This is nothing new for Apple and has been their classic business model for a long time (look at their PC business for a hint).

With that understood if you look at the state of Android you'll see it is a doomed platform (in its current state). If you know the history of the mobile market you'll fully appreciate that respect, otherwise you'll run around yelling fanboyism and not fully understanding anything. The best way to understand the end result for Android is to look at the history of Windows Mobile. The model that Android has today is the EXACT same business model that Windows Mobile had with one minor change, the OS is free to the OEM. The customer is still not the end user (it is the carrier). The platform will always be plagued with fragmentation and quality variations galore that will anger developers and end users alike.

Carriers nor OEMs have a vested interest in offering upgrades to a handset. They are far happier offering users the chance to buy a new device. They also love to cripple the OS with their customized addons and tweaks as they attempt to "segment" each handset for a specific mystery user. The only saving grace Android purists can find is the custom ROM community. The part they forget is that the custom rom community Android has is inherited from Windows Mobile! Where do users think XDA-Developers got its name from? It is from the XDA Windows Mobile Handsets!

The reality is users want what Apple has set the expectation for. Users want a platform that can be upgraded to handle newer stuff (even if they don't ever use the upgrade!) and they want lots of high quality applications (which developers can only do if the variation they need to test for is small). This model is counter to the carrier first model, because carriers want phones that can't be upgraded and offer the user as little as possible.

I honestly think we will see a major reboot of Android in 2012. I still think that was a major reason for the Google Motorola purchase. Android sailed to 50% because there was no competition. Google understands that Microsoft is finally ready and they have come out swinging.

[Zain Adeel]

to the person calling the UI of WP7 not polished. Specially 3rd party apps.

That depends on who is making the app.

I have a list of apps that are GORGEOUS! (and they stay right in the WP7 Metro guidelines)

to name a few:

Allrecipes

Dictionary.com

ESPN ScoreCenter

IMDb ( u have to check this one out )

Now app (only on samsung devices)

SoundHound

TuneIn Radio (they did a design overhaul and now its very very pretty) Specially the small text and that background!)

VEVO is simple and nice looking

and.. Spotify!!!! (i dont have a sub :( but i kept this app just because its so pretty!!!! )

So please. First handle a device.

Use these apps. All are free. Then comment. WP7 allows alot .. its some devs just lazy and come out with crappy looking apps. Im pretty sure as everybody is updating their apps for Mango many of them are rethinking the design.