what Windows Phone 8 needs!

[ACTIONpack]

I've been using windows phone for about 15 months. First with the HD7 to Nokia Lumia 710 then 8X. The biggest issues I use the OS over android and iOS was the music store. I had a Zune HD And using the phone was just my thing to do. But I do find the Windows Phone lack a lot of features and looks that Microsoft need to address.

I'm not going to go over the common comments that most people say. Here is my list of important thinks that Windows Phone need to be fix.

First does not comes from the phone but the desktop software that is really bad layout. Zune and Windows 8 app lack the easy of use that iTunes does a really good job. Updates at the same time instead of waiting months at a time between device brand to get the same OS version. Third, icon approval progress standards. Coders can code an app but idea icon design is a joke and very low standards. Forth is the swipe down to see the battery and carrier bar strength. I should he about to show that all the time and have the down swipe for easy access to turn / off for WiFi, Bluetooth, GPS, sound and airport mode. Fifth is more browser update to important web standards. 10 is much better than 9 on mango but not as great. Stop excludes deals with each brands window.

tell me what you think.

[Sszecret Veteran]

Let's take it from the top.

I somewhat agree with this, Zune isn't really up there in ease of use, but in terms of UI it's a million times better than the Xbox Music app on Windows 8.

Updates for the 7.x range depended on the carriers, so if they wouldn't approve it, you wouldn't get it. WP8 solves this because the updates are OTA.

I agree that there should be some guidelines for the icons.

I love the way it is right now, to be honest. Maybe an option to hide / always show it?

I don't know what you mean with the last sentence.

[sagum]

Personally I hate the Zune software, to the point I don't even have it installed anymore and I'm still using a WP7.5 handset. I'd prefer to either buy music from the Zune store, or stream what I already have via the Plex app. I'm sure there are many more other music streaming services that'll have your choice of music you can use. But yeah, pain in the rear to use the Zune. I was hoping they'd update the windows 8 app to support 7.x devices so I could do away with Zune software, even if it was for basic syncing.

[CronicHazel]

I personally liked the Zune software a lot. There really wasn't anything complicated with it on my end, and I've never used a Zune device or the software prior to getting a Windows Phone. o.O

I haven't updated my computer to Windows 8 yet, but I feel canning the Zune support for Windows Phone 8 was a bad move cause now Windows 7 doesn't really have any proper tools to connect with the phone. The Windows Phone tool for backing up your phone's photos and what not feels like its straight out of the XP :s

[TPreston]

More than anything it needs decent applications, Windows Mobile had a better software selection.Office and Lync are great but most of the applications on the marketplace are trash.

[jakem1]

More than anything it needs decent applications, Windows Mobile had a better software selection.Office and Lync are great but most of the applications on the marketplace are trash.

I don't agree with this at all. There were some powerful apps available for WM that don't have an equivalent for WP (often because they're no longer needed) but the majority of the apps on the former platform were clunky and ugly due to the poor tools that revs had to work with. WP, on the other hand, has a large number of high quality apps and first class rev tools to produce more. Sure, the Marketplace has it's fair share of crap apps like every other platform but you know about them because they're easier to find. Also, the built in apps are much higher quality for WP.

[TPreston]

I mean emulators and the like

[HawkMan]

I had an easier time finding good apps on WP than I do n Android or even on my iPad.

I mean emulators and the like

So your only requirement for "decent" apps is emulators. despite the fact that the only emulator that's even playable on a mobile device is SCUMM, and even then it's not very optimal on a phone size screen.

[BajiRav]

- better web standards support in IE10? afaik it is right up there with other browsers. I don't have WP8 yet so can't really say but going by IE10 on Win8, I'd say whatever problems are due to the lazy web devs who don't know anything besides -webkit-coding. Those guys are busy creating another IE6 when they still blame Microsoft for the IE6 problem. If you are going by the html5 test, just stop.

- iTunes better than Zune? I am not sure what to say here because this is subjective but IMO UI and perf. wise Zune beats iTunes by a mile. This is now irrelevant because Zune is pretty much dead. I personally hated using iTunes when I had to use it to sync my iPhone, not sure if that has improved yet.

- Android style swipe down might be useful but personally I never had to deal with turning off my GPS/Wifi that often. I rather prefer the current mechanism because it allows "full screen" apps. Airplane mode might be useful for people who fly frequently.

- Completely agree with the software update process. They need to get to Apple level. As far as I can see, things have not improved with WP8 where carriers still control the update rollouts. On that note, this is primarily a US issue and I will actually prefer buying my handset outright instead of getting a locked/subsidized phone. They need to work with Nokia/HTC to sell at least one unlocked model each.

- Disallow OEMs from doing funky stuff. My first generation WP is screwed for anything besides AT&T 3G network. Samsung has some network profile **** that refuses to work properly with any other network. I got my phone unlocked from AT&T and when I was roaming in India, the phone would use local 3G network for roaming but if I switched sim to the same local provider (AT&T's roaming partner) - my phone won't get 3G at all. This is really weird!

[MorganX]

iTunes support WP8 (never happen) or Zune for Windows 8. A realy and quality media/playlist management sync app for Windows 8 is needed, should support Surface as well; just like iTunes supports syncing the iPhone AND iPad.

Also needs all of the fitness apps, particularly Nike, that support the new Bluetooth Heart Rate Monitors.

[Aletheia]

I have 8X and I love it!!! However, in WP 7.5, Zune was decent to organize my music & pictures (that is I can make playlist in desktop Zune and edit some properties of the songs listed), but in Windows 8, Zune is gone and was replaced by really sad half-baked-app - where I cannot even make a playlist!!! MS gotta do a better job with this... or else they might lose some people...

[sagum]

I have 8X and I love it!!! However, in WP 7.5, Zune was decent to organize my music & pictures (that is I can make playlist in desktop Zune and edit some properties of the songs listed), but in Windows 8, Zune is gone and was replaced by really sad half-baked-app - where I cannot even make a playlist!!! MS gotta do a better job with this... or else they might lose some people...

Unfortunately, half baked app replacements for programs seems to be the norm in windows 8. It's almost like Microsoft didn't quite know what to do with the app ecosystem they've created, but knew they had to for the emerging markets.

Still, for those who want to manually drag and drop files or sync with media device enabled software you can try the regedit to enable your windows phone to be seen as a portable device.

http://www.mydigitallife.info/enable-and-connect-windows-phone-7-as-usb-mass-storage-drive/

Just remember, you won't get the extra meta data and such via drag and drop.

[TPreston]

So your only requirement for "decent" apps is emulators. despite the fact that the only emulator that's even playable on a mobile device is SCUMM, and even then it's not very optimal on a phone size screen.

And support for VPN's some kind of content filtering etc etc etc. Its a good os but the software available is a step backward from even winmo.