I was concerned about Windows Phone. I've been a reasonably longtime fan, with my most recent being a Lumia 928, but both Android and iOS had reasonably feature rich updates. Actionable notifications, chat integration - there were plenty of places where Windows Phone was falling behind after coming close in the 8.1 release.
I've been trying out iOS 8 on a friend's iPhone 5 that I borrowed and comparing it to lollipop on my Nexus 7. For the most part, I prefer lollipop (although the iOS' quick reply SMS is awesome), and was starting to consider a new Android. But with how awesome Windows 10 looks, I will probably be returning to their Lumia flagship this summer. Apps were never a problem for me, although Chase is apparently pulling their app from Windows (this seems like a terrible time to do it too... unless they're going universal or something), and it only stands to improve, however slowly. My family has been happy with 8.1 as well, although my sister misses snapchat, which was recently pulled.
I think 2015 will really bring "Windows on Phones" to true feature parity with the other OS', not simply close. If Microsoft can just figure out what it needs to do to bring ALL of the big names over, then they'll definitely be in a good spot to become a viable third place, imo.
I'm optimistic about the future, and I need to see what the next flagship will be like before I decide to jump over to Android or not. I'm not the biggest user of scpecialy apps, but there are som apps like Lightroom, VSCO and Snapchat(I got kicked out for using 6snap) that make me want to jump ship.
What do you mean by actionable notifications? When they pop up at the top I just tap it to open. Is that not the same? I haven't messed with Android in a while. They have a third party snapchat program. Works great, better than the native app on my friends phone. starts with a 6. If you search for snapchat, it will pop up. Now, MS needs to release a new version of teh 1020!
Actionable notifications enable you to act on the notification directly, without leaving your current app, by expanding the notification. For example, if it's a mail notification, you may mark it as read or trash it directly by pressing one of the two buttons; if it's a text, you might reply to it: a text field and the keyboard appear and when you're done, you can resume using whichever application you had opened without having to switch to it.
It would be great if this would really happen and hopefully would help them land a spot on a consumer satisfaction list (such http://www.phonestop7.tk/ for example...)
Will the browser actually be a Store (Windows Runtime app)? If it's not it seriously can't be an universal app. Sure you don't mean it's just a hybrid Win32 applications as today? With some continuum add on?
During the event yesterday, they referred to it as a universal app. That doesn't technically mean it is a Store app though, but it would make sense to update it through the store though.
UI still looks custom so could be an hybrid Win32 solution still. Those can't be updated through the Store yet, as the Store has yet to introduce support for Win32 programs. But that might come ready for the release. Though the store mechanism themselves are Win32 (not WinRT) to begin with, so the early divide didn't make much sense. A separate Win32 IE will also be available.
I think that time is now. Intel has the hardware that can run on a smartphone and can be used in other devices, e.g. the Atom z3560/z3580 which is pretty powerful compared to the cheapest notebooks such as HP Stream 11.
I definitely like what MS is doing here. Let's just hope the mobile space doesn't repeat what MS did with the Web, going from "Microsoft totally missed the Internet" to "there are no browsers besides MS Internet Explorer"...
But yes, the hardware is nicely coming up to make universal apps a worthwhile approach. Between phones, smaller and larger tablets, hybrids, notebooks and PCs MS surely has great potential with that.
My Lumia 1520 is ready for this update. Windows Phone is *SO* underrated and I'm sure 10 will make an already fantastic mobile O/S even better. I used to be firmly in the Android Camp and unfortunately, our office (aside from me since I'm key IT personnel) uses iPhones exclusively. So being very familiar with iOS and JellyBean (havent tried Android 5 yet), I still prefer my Lumia. Granted I game on my Xbox- not my phone and aside from Twitter, don't really get into social networking like FB, 4Sq and all that hullabaloo. Core functionality, however, is what WinPhone has in spades. That and the high end Lumias really do have FANTASTIC cameras. So if you are interested and haven't tried Windows Phone, consider it peeps... you may fall in love, too.
The current Verizon flagship, Lumia Icon, doesn't even have the Windows 8.1 update yet. I really wonder if Microsoft is going to get the carrier's to roll this update out in a timely fashion.
I'm excited with what I see so far. I'll wait till it has been out for 6 months before considering it for my next phone purchase. If they come out with a decent qwerty 3.5" to 4" phone I could possibly get my wife upgrade from her 2010 LG Quantum Windows 7.8 Phone to Windows 10. (She does not like change and we even have a brand new backup sitting in box that I bought when it dropped to $35 on Amazon. And despite being dropped 1000 times without a case over 4 yrs, 1 yr of which we lived in a sand desert, not a scratch to the gorilla glass 1 screen)
I'm still confused as to whether we should all be using the developer updates for Windows Phone 8...presumably they contain security updates that otherwise you don't get at all, or have to wait months or years for.
I sure hope Windows Phone 10 does away with carriers doing updates and moves to an iOS like model.
And as for Windows Phone 10 being Windows 10...err....it's not, really, is it? I mean it's NT based of course, but so is 8 (so is the Xbox for that matter). I guess some programs in the store will be universal binaries that run on ARMv7 and have small screen interfaces? So...but I'm sorry, if I don't have a desktop and can't run x86 code from the 90s like I literally do on a daily basis on Windows 8.1, it ain't Windows.
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Drumsticks - Thursday, January 22, 2015 - link
I was concerned about Windows Phone. I've been a reasonably longtime fan, with my most recent being a Lumia 928, but both Android and iOS had reasonably feature rich updates. Actionable notifications, chat integration - there were plenty of places where Windows Phone was falling behind after coming close in the 8.1 release.I've been trying out iOS 8 on a friend's iPhone 5 that I borrowed and comparing it to lollipop on my Nexus 7. For the most part, I prefer lollipop (although the iOS' quick reply SMS is awesome), and was starting to consider a new Android. But with how awesome Windows 10 looks, I will probably be returning to their Lumia flagship this summer. Apps were never a problem for me, although Chase is apparently pulling their app from Windows (this seems like a terrible time to do it too... unless they're going universal or something), and it only stands to improve, however slowly. My family has been happy with 8.1 as well, although my sister misses snapchat, which was recently pulled.
I think 2015 will really bring "Windows on Phones" to true feature parity with the other OS', not simply close. If Microsoft can just figure out what it needs to do to bring ALL of the big names over, then they'll definitely be in a good spot to become a viable third place, imo.
Laxaa - Friday, January 23, 2015 - link
I'm optimistic about the future, and I need to see what the next flagship will be like before I decide to jump over to Android or not. I'm not the biggest user of scpecialy apps, but there are som apps like Lightroom, VSCO and Snapchat(I got kicked out for using 6snap) that make me want to jump ship.Manch - Friday, January 23, 2015 - link
What do you mean by actionable notifications? When they pop up at the top I just tap it to open. Is that not the same? I haven't messed with Android in a while. They have a third party snapchat program. Works great, better than the native app on my friends phone. starts with a 6. If you search for snapchat, it will pop up. Now, MS needs to release a new version of teh 1020!val1984 - Friday, January 23, 2015 - link
Actionable notifications enable you to act on the notification directly, without leaving your current app, by expanding the notification.For example, if it's a mail notification, you may mark it as read or trash it directly by pressing one of the two buttons; if it's a text, you might reply to it: a text field and the keyboard appear and when you're done, you can resume using whichever application you had opened without having to switch to it.
miles_russell - Thursday, February 12, 2015 - link
It would be great if this would really happen and hopefully would help them land a spot on a consumer satisfaction list (such http://www.phonestop7.tk/ for example...)Penti - Thursday, January 22, 2015 - link
Will the browser actually be a Store (Windows Runtime app)? If it's not it seriously can't be an universal app. Sure you don't mean it's just a hybrid Win32 applications as today? With some continuum add on?Brett Howse - Thursday, January 22, 2015 - link
During the event yesterday, they referred to it as a universal app. That doesn't technically mean it is a Store app though, but it would make sense to update it through the store though.Laxaa - Friday, January 23, 2015 - link
According to Tom Warren at The Verge(in his Spartan "leak" article), it will be a store app.Penti - Friday, January 23, 2015 - link
UI still looks custom so could be an hybrid Win32 solution still. Those can't be updated through the Store yet, as the Store has yet to introduce support for Win32 programs. But that might come ready for the release. Though the store mechanism themselves are Win32 (not WinRT) to begin with, so the early divide didn't make much sense. A separate Win32 IE will also be available.Gigaplex - Thursday, January 22, 2015 - link
Are we finally going to see a Windows phone (x86) that can plug into a basic dock and switch to desktop mode?mkozakewich - Friday, January 23, 2015 - link
This would probably be the first step to enabling it! I've been waiting ten years for this.zodiacfml - Friday, January 23, 2015 - link
I think that time is now. Intel has the hardware that can run on a smartphone and can be used in other devices, e.g. the Atom z3560/z3580 which is pretty powerful compared to the cheapest notebooks such as HP Stream 11.Manch - Friday, January 23, 2015 - link
If this were to happen, I'd throw money at them. Dont even need a dock. Just WIDI & BT KB/MTams80 - Friday, January 23, 2015 - link
Ta-da! http://www.fujitsu.com/global/about/resources/news...No dock though.
JR_2000 - Friday, January 23, 2015 - link
does this mean i get the windows 10 update on my lumia 530 ?Lonyo - Friday, January 23, 2015 - link
Probably only a slightly functional version due to the RAM limitations I would expect.uhuznaa - Friday, January 23, 2015 - link
I definitely like what MS is doing here. Let's just hope the mobile space doesn't repeat what MS did with the Web, going from "Microsoft totally missed the Internet" to "there are no browsers besides MS Internet Explorer"...But yes, the hardware is nicely coming up to make universal apps a worthwhile approach. Between phones, smaller and larger tablets, hybrids, notebooks and PCs MS surely has great potential with that.
HungryTurkey - Friday, January 23, 2015 - link
My Lumia 1520 is ready for this update. Windows Phone is *SO* underrated and I'm sure 10 will make an already fantastic mobile O/S even better. I used to be firmly in the Android Camp and unfortunately, our office (aside from me since I'm key IT personnel) uses iPhones exclusively. So being very familiar with iOS and JellyBean (havent tried Android 5 yet), I still prefer my Lumia. Granted I game on my Xbox- not my phone and aside from Twitter, don't really get into social networking like FB, 4Sq and all that hullabaloo. Core functionality, however, is what WinPhone has in spades. That and the high end Lumias really do have FANTASTIC cameras. So if you are interested and haven't tried Windows Phone, consider it peeps... you may fall in love, too.ajlueke - Friday, January 23, 2015 - link
The current Verizon flagship, Lumia Icon, doesn't even have the Windows 8.1 update yet. I really wonder if Microsoft is going to get the carrier's to roll this update out in a timely fashion.jed22281 - Sunday, January 25, 2015 - link
Windows "Phone" 8.1, Windows "Phone" 8.1...Soon to be Windows 10 (for phones/PC/laptops/hybrids etc)
DroidTomTom - Wednesday, January 28, 2015 - link
I'm excited with what I see so far. I'll wait till it has been out for 6 months before considering it for my next phone purchase. If they come out with a decent qwerty 3.5" to 4" phone I could possibly get my wife upgrade from her 2010 LG Quantum Windows 7.8 Phone to Windows 10. (She does not like change and we even have a brand new backup sitting in box that I bought when it dropped to $35 on Amazon. And despite being dropped 1000 times without a case over 4 yrs, 1 yr of which we lived in a sand desert, not a scratch to the gorilla glass 1 screen)Wolfpup - Wednesday, February 4, 2015 - link
I'm still confused as to whether we should all be using the developer updates for Windows Phone 8...presumably they contain security updates that otherwise you don't get at all, or have to wait months or years for.I sure hope Windows Phone 10 does away with carriers doing updates and moves to an iOS like model.
And as for Windows Phone 10 being Windows 10...err....it's not, really, is it? I mean it's NT based of course, but so is 8 (so is the Xbox for that matter). I guess some programs in the store will be universal binaries that run on ARMv7 and have small screen interfaces? So...but I'm sorry, if I don't have a desktop and can't run x86 code from the 90s like I literally do on a daily basis on Windows 8.1, it ain't Windows.