The real Windows Phone ‘app gap’ is with the smaller apps
Microsoft and Nokia have been proud about getting the top iPhone and Android apps over to the platform. I am and continue to use Windows Phone and I love it but my issue isn’t with the top apps. In fact, I don’t care at all about Instagram. What I do care about is when I get a car and it has a custom app that unlocks the doors and that’s only available for Android and iPhone. And then my ADT alarm system has an app that I can’t download. And I can’t even order food from Seamless web to moan over. 2 billion downloads is great. But Microsoft still hasn’t convinced developers that the synergy and sales between Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8 are compelling enough to put them on par with iPhone and Android. That’s been and continues to be a huge thorn and unless they start to talk about sales numbers and really give developers an incentive to get these mid-range apps out there then this isn’t going away. And yes it’s hard to convince someone to buy a phone when these apps are all missing and they’ll need to give them up.
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Yep.. I’ve had two Windows Phones and I’ve gone back to Android because of the Apps really… I just can’t find the same ones that I want on WInPho that I have on Android..
I think the problem is that Windows Phone was late to the game as it were, they’re trying to play catch up and it doesn’t seem to be working.
I liked the phones, but when I can’t do what I want on them, then there’s a problem..
I love WP but
From the users perspective I miss messenger support
Ms messenger is gone skype doesn’t integrate
Facebook compared to ios / android – poir
Most of all no VPN support which blocks the OS from being used in (at least our) enterprise environmet
From a developers perspective
No real multitasking (I don’t ask for android like – ios capabilities would be enough)
And I don’t understand the “battery saving excuses”
Even when docked…
And on ios I have no battery problems at all
Clipboard access missing
Things like these simply disabled certain types of apps being built
And promises like VPN will be available in GDRx don’t help.
I understand multitasking, clipboard and things like these are political.
But why does it take years to have,VPN?
WPx is great but a lot of companies need / enforce secure communication
Will they wait?
No they can’t they’ll inest in …. devices
Will they change next year?
For sure not
Any reason for xxx to build a “door unlock app” for WPx? No, because most companies use ios
Furthermore – do I want my car to be unlocked via an open network connection? Definitely NO
Unlock my burglar system?
Control my house automation?
I always wonder how is this Microsoft’s (or Nokia) fault, problem or issue?
Like you said… 2 billion downloads… what more can or should be done to convince developers of anything??
It’s primarily because these companies are single sighted. If they are into banking or alarms, or cable tv, they have no concept of is happening on the mobile landscape. It’s sad, because they certainly should. If the CEO sits in a meeting and hears that his minions created an app for iPhone or Android, he figures that’s good because he has heard those names, or is most likely using one of them. He doesn’t question why not some other minor platform.
Maybe Microsoft and Nokia need to gift these companies with a half dozen Lumias (or more). When WP gets into the hands of key users, the need for an app might change rather quickly. A lot more quickly than your or my begging. Actually, I think that’s a better strategy than paying them to develop apps.
you’re 100% correct here david…