Thank God Apple supports their iPhone, Microsoft abandons Windows Phone users

[Sital]

It's a huge deal. Cause Windows Phone OS is a brand new OS which is not backwards compatible with the older Windows Mobile 6.5 OS.

Now for the second time in 3 years Microsoft is saying there will be no upgrade path for Windows phone 7.5 users. Microsoft has currently less than 5% market share in the smartphone market. They have such a small base to began with and will alienate the early adopters.

I can't help but wonder if this isn't a big deal. My experience is that most people (i.e. my friends and family ) have no idea when a new software version is released or if they do they still don't update. They just go on their merry way and get a new phone when their contract is up.

 

[Pompiliu]

GG Microshit! Glad i diddn't buy a lumia as my 2nd phone. I went with iphone, so now i have two 64 gigs iPhones 4s. Black and White!

 

[cynics]

GG Microshit! Glad i diddn't buy a lumia as my 2nd phone. I went with iphone, so now i have two 64 gigs iPhones 4s. Black and White!

? Which one do you prefer? What are some of the major differences you notice? Lol

Seems silly (to me) to say I wanted to try something different so I got the same phone in a different color. And we both know the next iPhone will have a feature that doesn't work on the 4S.

 

[aneftp]

Ok, let me ask you guys a question.

If Apple announced last week, there is no upgrade path to iOS6 for the iPhone 4S.

And you were in the market for a new phone. Would you still buy the iPhone 4S? Knowing full well some apps will not work with the new OS.

 

[aristobrat]

Ok, let me ask you guys a question.

If Apple announced last week, there is no upgrade path to iOS6 for the iPhone 4S.

And you were in the market for a new phone. Would you still buy the iPhone 4S? Knowing full well some apps will not work with the new OS.

http://mlkshk.com/p/GXR5

 

[elistan]

Having been an iPhone 2G owner (iOS 3.1.3 only) until I got my 4S, I know full well how frustrating it can be when your device doesn't run the current release of the OS. Many (not all, of course) app developers would mark their app for only the current OS at the time. Other apps would utilize features only found in the current OS. So my pool of available apps was shrinking day by day... But it was nice having three years (2007 to 2010) where I had acess to the latest and greatest. I'm expecting the same from my 4S.

Knowing I'd get less than a year of running the current OS from a new device would make me really, really not want to buy it.

 

[Lindenhurst]

So windows phones get a make over but not full win8. And iOS gets a make over but not full iOS 6. Thank god?

You are not allowed to say that here!
It may cause some to spill their Koolaid.

 

[Rodimus Prime]

I agree with the general sentiment, but Microsoft can get away with it. In this particular case (in general they can't, legacy is a big problem there) but as so few Windows 7 phones were sold to begin with...not a big deal. It certainly doesn't instill any confidence, I agree there.

It is a catch 22. MS is really trying to get a new mobile OS and in the quickly changing world they are trying to get it right. Making core changes to take advatage of new hardware can be risky and in this case it is an example of that risk. If MS wants to get stay in this market this has to be the last time they pull this stunt. It is really going to hurt adoption right now and they will have to prove that this will be the last time in a year with WP 9.

 

[scott craft]

The only issue is WP8 apps not running on WP7. With the WP marketplace just reaching 100,000 apps and WP8 devices not being released until the holiday season, how long will it be before purchasers of the Lumia and Titan 2 can't get the latest apps? For first generation purchasers like me it's a non-issue since I'll be upgrading in November.

With the integration Microsoft is trying to implement between phone, tablet, pc and xbox the path they are taking with WP8 is necessary, albeit a painful one for some users. It's unfortunate they couldn't have done this from the start, but better now than one or two years from now.

 

[aneftp]

The only issue is WP8 apps not running on WP7. With the WP marketplace just reaching 100,000 apps and WP8 devices not being released until the holiday season, how long will it be before purchasers of the Lumia and Titan 2 can't get the latest apps? For first generation purchasers like me it's a non-issue since I'll be upgrading in November.

With the integration Microsoft is trying to implement between phone, tablet, pc and xbox the path they are taking with WP8 is necessary, albeit a painful one for some users. It's unfortunate they couldn't have done this from the start, but better now than one or two years from now.

Yep and that's the big issue I've had with Microsoft's announcement. Original Windows Phone users like the HD7, Focus back in November 2010 got a full 2 years support.

With the Lumia 900, Focus 2, Titan 2 (phones released in April/May 2012), less than 2 months after their release, Microsoft has basically said, it's over. Not upgrade path to Windows 8.

There is no guarantee developers will support Windows 7.8 with apps like HBO go, WatchEspn, Pandora etc that are currently missing in the markeplace/app store.

With Apple, you know their flagship product will get full software support for at least 24 months from it's initial release date.

 

[Lindenhurst]

Hopefully the ATT store reps aren't pushing the Lumia as we speak. WHen I went in to browse a few weeks ago, they were pushing the Onex X, and they told me the Lumia had camera problems ( Hadn't heard that before), but as I stood there I noticed 75% of the people waking in were headed right to the iPhones. I currently use a Note, and couldn't see why there wasn't more people lokign at them, but I guess to each his own. When I asked about the Note, I was told it was not worth while ( I didn't tell the rep I used one) Apple has the marketing to persuade the masses to want their product( yes the phone is quality as well).
Is there a difference in what the reps get paid commissions on the various phones? I got the feeling they were really pushing the One x's.

 

[ucfgrad93]

I read the Giz article and one of the guys commented (and I agree). First there was no upgrade path for Windows Mobile 6.5 to (windows phone 7).

Now no upgrade path from Windows 7 to Windows 8. Only skinned Windows 7.8

Unfortunately, this seems to be a disturbing trend.

 

[chiefpavvy]

Unfortunately, this seems to be a disturbing trend.

Yes, although Windows Phone 7 was such a giant leap over Mobile 6.5 I will forgive them for that. This one, I don't know. Windows 8 doesn't seem to be a giant leap under the hood, just cosmetics and aesthetics. At least the 7 apps will run on 8 but as the reverse is not true, that sucks.

I give Microsoft a lot of credit for pushing on with Windows Phone, I think it is better than it gets credit for. It's a refreshing change in mobile, very bold in my opinion. I'm not entirely down with the whole 'Metro' stuff and I won't be replacing my iPhone but it is nice to have another credible choice.

 

[Rodimus Prime]

Unfortunately, this seems to be a disturbing trend.

I agree. I hope they end it and this change is a change so they can scale it better as time go one. It may be WP7 had some massive design flaw in that it does not scale up very well.

 

[aristobrat]

Apple has the marketing to persuade the masses to want their product( yes the phone is quality as well).

What's interesting to me is how Apple markets the iPhone. It's just commercials shows how some of the features work.

Is there a difference in what the reps get paid commissions on the various phones? I got the feeling they were really pushing the One x's.

Someone posted this a week or two ago on a blog I read. Obviously, it only speaks to the dealer they work for, but comments like below have been posted on MacRumors from folks working directly for the carriers. Seems like it boils down to the iPhone being expensive for carriers to buy and subsidize, so they don't pass along the normal incentives for selling it.

I work for an AT&T authorized dealer, and we get paid 3 to 4 more times to sale and android device than we do for an iPhone. We do not make money on an activation or an upgrade of an iPhone device and we have only started to make about $5-$8 on the data feature where as we make between $10-$20 on the activation/upgrade on android/windows/blackberry and we make another $10-$50 off the data feature. Money talks so we have all converted to Android devices to sale them more. Our company just doesn't make the money on iPhones because of Apple's high cost.

http://www.phonearena.com/news/Does...Tales-from-the-inside_id31188/comments/page/3

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It may be WP7 had some massive design flaw in that it does not scale up very well.

Right, WP7 doesn't apparently support multi-core processors. How the heck you "re-invent" your mobile OS (for a launch at the end of 2010) and not have architected it for freaking multi-core support?!?!?!?

 

[google]

They could have easily made the Lumia 900 or Titan 2 with dual cores if they wanted. I think we were just beta users for MSFT to see how well it does. No wonder they were giving away these phones recently like candy to a kid.

 

[mbell1975]

They could have easily made the Lumia 900 or Titan 2 with dual cores if they wanted. I think we were just beta users for MSFT to see how well it does. No wonder they were giving away these phones recently like candy to a kid.

You mean this Lumina 900 isn't a real smartphone? No silly, you were just a beta tester

 

[elistan]

I can't help but wonder if this isn't a big deal. My experience is that most people (i.e. my friends and family ) have no idea when a new software version is released or if they do they still don't update. They just go on their merry way and get a new phone when their contract is up.

Your friends and family seem to be in the minority these days.
This one source indicates that most iOS users are pretty good about updating their system. In two weeks, 3/4 of iOS 5 users he was seeing updated from 5.0.1 to 5.1.0. Despite the frenzy with each iPhone release, it sounds like many iOS users are actually pretty update-savvy. (It helps that Apple makes it easy to update, too.)

http://qph.cf.quoracdn.net/main-qimg-ddac8d000b5e3e4657272a0526970de8
http://www.quora.com/iOS/Where-can-I-find-an-current-statistics-for-iOS-version-usage

 

[Sital]

Your friends and family seem to be in the minority these days.
This one source indicates that most iOS users are pretty good about updating their system. In two weeks, 3/4 of iOS 5 users he was seeing updated from 5.0.1 to 5.1.0. Despite the frenzy with each iPhone release, it sounds like many iOS users are actually pretty update-savvy. (It helps that Apple makes it easy to update, too.)



Image

http://qph.cf.quoracdn.net/main-qimg-ddac8d000b5e3e4657272a0526970de8
http://www.quora.com/iOS/Where-can-I-find-an-current-statistics-for-iOS-version-usage

You may be right, and certainly Apple has made it easy to update. I just don't think many people follow what software version they are on - they just receive a prompt to update so they do.

 

[jman240]

For the updates that WP8 hardware and software will bring this will really heat up the competition.

NFC and NFC powered payments, offline maps, OTA updates, Opt in to update without carrier consent just like iOS, proper micro sd card support, multi core, native code for apps, sql lite engine, in app purchases, enhanced multitasking which makes things like skype usable, higher screen resolutions.

Sounds pretty significant in such a short time. I guess something had to give and that was backwards hardware compatibility.

 

[KAB2010]

Wirelessly posted

For the updates that WP8 hardware and software will bring this will really heat up the competition.

NFC and NFC powered payments, offline maps, OTA updates, Opt in to update without carrier consent just like iOS, proper micro sd card support, multi core, native code for apps, sql lite engine, in app purchases, enhanced multitasking which makes things like skype usable, higher screen resolutions.

Sounds pretty significant in such a short time. I guess something had to give and that was backwards hardware compatibility.

About the opt in to update part.. Wouldn't that mean windows phone will no longer have carrier bloat ware just like the iPhone? How could they convince carriers to do this when they've been allowing it on previous versions?

 

[jman240]

Wirelessly posted



About the opt in to update part.. Wouldn't that mean windows phone will no longer have carrier bloat ware just like the iPhone? How could they convince carriers to do this when they've been allowing it on previous versions?

As far as I've seen there is no carrier bloat on WP7. Any pre-installed apps can be removed. My mom uses one, I don't so I can't verify right now.

http://www.wpcentral.com/att-bloatware-getting-better-windows-phone-7

With AT&T, the carrier software has been reduced to five applications on Windows Phone 7. No longer do you have to worry with trial versions of Ms. Pac-man or banking software and best of all, what's installed can be uninstalled.

The opt-in is to bypass the carrier for updates so essentially, yes, it will be like the iPhone in that regard.

http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2012...rovide-an-escape-from-carrier-update-tyranny/

However, enthusiasts will have the ability to opt out of the carrier restrictions—likely with some kind of "this will void your warranty" disclaimer, as their phone will probably cease to be eligible for carrier-provided tech support—and manually install updates as they become available.

 

[MrKennedy]

Wirelessly posted

Is this really that big of a deal? Microsoft is still supporting windows phone 7.5 devices upon release of WP8. The new features require new hardware that isn't present in the current lineup.

 

[lordofthereef]

They could have easily made the Lumia 900 or Titan 2 with dual cores if they wanted. I think we were just beta users for MSFT to see how well it does. No wonder they were giving away these phones recently like candy to a kid.

Could they? My understanding was the OS didn't support dual core. Same goes for higher resolutions (no support). I could be wrong about the prior, but certainly not the latter.

Not saying what they did was ok, by any means (I am happy I returned my Lumia based solely on screen resolution gripes at the time), but I am also not sure dual core was an option at the time.

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Wirelessly posted

Is this really that big of a deal? Microsoft is still supporting windows phone 7.5 devices upon release of WP8. The new features require new hardware that isn't present in the current lineup.

Apps currently are abysmal. This announcement basically guarantees that those on WP7 won't be getting much, if any, new development in terms of software for their phones. In other words, if you just signed a contract for a WP7 phone, I'd say it's a pretty big deal.

 

[kdarling]

About the opt in to update part.. Wouldn't that mean windows phone will no longer have carrier bloat ware just like the iPhone? How could they convince carriers to do this when they've been allowing it on previous versions?

With all the extra storage memory available, I personally don't see much reason to worry about "carrier bloat" these days.

Those apps are no different than many of the other preinstalled apps which a person might never (or rarely) want to run.

Just leave them off the homescreen