Five reasons why Windows Phone 8 doesn’t work for me [it's not the lack of apps]
When Microsoft first announced Windows Phone 8 late last year, it seemed to tick all the right boxes. It supported multitasking, it was finally compatible with multi-core processors, microSD card slots and everything users wanted to hear in terms of hardware support. Microsoft even added a ‘Kid’s Corner’ that allowed users to create a zone for their kids to play with their device without giving them access to everything. Yet, Windows Phone 8 is far from what I was expecting. After using a Windows Phone 8 smartphone for almost a month, I have realized that Windows Phone 8 is just not the right smartphone OS for me. It is not just the apps situation, which in my books is graver than what Microsoft likes to believe it is. It is a combination of many tiny UI irregularities that might seem inconsequential but become irritating if you have to go through them on a daily basis.
The first thing that impresses everyone is the fluid UI on Windows Phone 8 and its live tiles. I have been using the Lumia 920 and almost everyone who’s seen the phone is immediately drawn to its UI. The homescreen and the live tiles based UI is a masterstroke and Microsoft has done a brilliant job with it. For me, however, that’s where the good stuff ends.
Internet Explorer: I won’t go into details here but there is no ‘forward’ button. You just cannot press a button to go to the page you were on before you hit the back button. There is no back button in IE either but the system-wide back button works. You might say it is not a biggie but if you browse the Internet a lot, it gets irritating after a while. How can you not have back and forward buttons on a web browser? That too on IE, which till a few years ago had a monopoly in this space?
Battery/Network notification: You might think I’m nitpicking here but I do want my phone to show me the battery and network bar at all times. Whenever I have the display on I want to know what’s the network strength and the amount of battery left. Once I didn’t realize I had poor network connectivity in the room and started playing a game on the phone while I waited for a call. I had a zillion missed call notifications as soon as exited the building. I would have noticed the network issue had the phone showed me I was in a low-signal area. In another instance, the phone died on me while I was on a flight because I could not see how low the battery was and continued to play music till the phone gave me a 30-minute ultimatum to either charge it or else… Yes, I want to see the battery and network status at all times and not having to do it manually by swiping the top bar down.
Screen lock: I tend to keep a screen lock password on my phones. It is quite normal to use the power button to manually switch off the display after using the phone to immediately enforce the password lock. On Windows Phone 8 too there is an option that makes the phone ask for a password each time the screen is turned on but it enforces the password lock on the Kid’s corner too, which defeats the whole purpose of having a Kid’s Corner. If I had to give kids the password to my phone, why would they remain in the Kid’s Corner, eh?
Music Player: Windows Phone has the best music player app across all smartphone platforms. It gives artist information, recommendations, galleries and just about everything. Pretty cool, eh? It is. So I was scrolling through all my songs and played one. While it was playing I went back to my songs list. Big mistake. You see there is no way to go ‘forward’ to the ‘now playing’ menu without going out to the very first screen of the music player app and then swiping through screens with one that has a small thumbnail of the track playing. Then if you have to go back to check all the songs, you go back to the main screen, select the songs option and repeat. Yes, I would eventually get used to it but why should I add another step (or two) to a usual one-step process?
Notifications: I can still live with everything above (though you will have to live with me cribbing all the time), one thing I just cannot live without is a unified notification center. Yes, Windows Phone 8 has ‘toast’ notifications but it is too dry to eat with no butter or marmalade. These notifications come for a few seconds and disappear. After that you have to search every live tile to see which app had the notification that drives me nuts. The notification bar has existed on Android since day one, much earlier than when Microsoft started working on Windows Phone 8. It has almost become a standard and I’d like to know why Microsoft has decided to not implement it. I understand they don’t want to look like another me-too platform but at times, for the sake of the user’s sanity, you have to provide things that a user understands and uses.
And I haven’t even started on the apps situation. Microsoft might give out numbers regularly but there are not that many usable apps in the store. And let’s not talk about the search button that is omnipresent on every Windows Phone device. I have used almost every Windows Phone device available in the market at the moment and I have always ended hitting the search key accidentally that takes me to Bing. And even in cases where I have pressed it intentionally, it has been to search within an app rather than, er, Bing-ing. I wish the search button was more contextual aware. Same is the case with the back button that takes you through entire apps that you have been through. Why can’t it just take me a few steps back from the current app and then come the home screen than going into another app? It is not as if a user will remember the sequence in which they opened apps and use the back button to reach the relevant one. I for one, mostly use the back button to exit an app and would like to see the homescreen.
This is not to say that there is nothing good with Windows Phone 8 and I’m sure many of you using it actually love it. However, it doesn’t work for me and I’m unwilling to make all the compromises that the platform asks me to and I’m not the only one. And that’s a pity as devices like the Nokia Lumia 920 and Windows Phone 8X by HTC are great pieces of hardware and design and it is nothing but Windows Phone 8 that stops me recommending these devices over other Android smartphones. Read any review of these two phones and most of them will end with an if – if you can live with Windows Phone 8 then it is a great smartphone. Unfortunately, I tried and I cannot live with Windows Phone 8. Not till the time I have devices running on iOS and Android to choose from or Microsoft ups its game.
Comments
Showing 52 Comments
First of all I would suggest you learn how to use it before you start judging.
First multitasking I cant believe that in a month you don’t even know how it works the back button on multitasking, when you press for more than 1sec ull get the multitasking windows same as ios or android so stop making comments like that.
Second what about skydrive integration not even google drive or icloud could do a similar integration, I’ve been using all platforms blackberry, ios, android, wp7.5, and know wp8 and ill stick with it, because the integration between devices like windows 8, surface tablet, wp8 and xbox its great…
I agree it is a lack of apps but its getting better and popular and the notification center I admit it it is a fail but its the first wp8 devices they are gonna get better and better as android did even when android its more insecure and buggy
But at the end windows phone are great devices with a great capacity and the most fluid UI known for now, so before judging or make opinions like that try it, or if you don’t know ask because the UI its very intituive like ios, no offense but learn how to do reviews, poor content.
It sad to see such a article from a person like you. You other articles are very good but this one just says one thing about you, you are picky and IOS fanboy. Please be more appreciative and the cons you have mentioned are not cons !! A user just needs time to adjust to new OS.
I would recommend people to use WP8. Its a wonderful piece of OS.
I would just like to point out that you are wrong about the Music Player portion. There is a very easy (and completely universal!) way to access the “Now Playing” screen. Simply tap the Volume Up or Down button (it will not change the volume) and the “Now Playing” bar will appear from the top of the screen. This bar contains the current volume; your current ringer/vibrate setting; previous, pause, and next buttons; as well as the artist and title of the current song. Tap on the song information and it will take you to the “Now Playing” page. Keep in mind, this works from anywhere on the phone (as it is brought up via hardware buttons).
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Abhijeet Haval 122 days ago@HK6:
“Tap on the song information and it will take you to the “Now Playing” page.”
I didn’t know that. It brought smile on my face when I watched it happening on my Windows Phone. Thanks for sharing.
Hi,
I think after even after all the bashing Rajat has been taking must have been making him happy only as he can see so many comments on his post on this respectable blog site. However, I would like to tell all people who have read this totally incorrect review of WP8 (Rajat has given his hands up to the phone Lumia 920 itself), I have been using WP7.5 for 1 year, 7.8 for about a month and now using WP 8 (Lumia 920). All I can say after reading this Opinion blog is that the writer needs to first learn how to use a new OS and then share his opinion on a website which mostly helps new adopters make a decision. Seems like Rajat is a apple or andorid fanboy who had preconcieved notions about WP8 and just used the phone for 1-2 hours without making use of fantastic UI that WP offers which is so intuitive and uncluttered like IOS and Android.
I would tell all why choose WP8.
Live tiles is a great concept and just a glance tells u all.
This guy keeps cribbing about notification, you can get all notification on your lock screen.
You lock screen can pick up pictures from different apps like FB< India Today, TOI and many more and display randomly.
Like IOS and Android, you cannot see battery status when playing games. So that not a disadvantage!
If you want to buy Nokia windows phone, pick them because they offer free lifetime maps and navigation application which doesn't even require you to be connected to any mobile network to use it.
The placement of Volume rocker and Lock screen is placed very well to allow one hand operation.
Regarding music player, you can set now playing on your lock screen, so when you unlock your phone you see now playing and can change tracks from there.
To adjust volume, you don't even need to unlock your phone, just press volume rockers on locked phone to adjust while your song plays.
Did you know all that Rajat? Pls don;t write stupid articles like these in future as I follow BGR india website regularly.
Raj
I think Ragat should update the article with details given in the comment to stop misleading new readers. I am glad I read the comments as well as the compromised article.
So much comment seen first time other than Apple post…its indicates WP8 has got something great?
Hey Guys,
I haven’t had the privilege of using a Windows 8 phone but I’ve been using Windows 8 and I like it.
After reading this article I thought that windows 8 phone is not as intuitive as it sounds. I read all the comments, and I think the author should use the phone first and shouldn’t have any preconceived notions.
Dude, First of all, your post is so pathetic… It gives an impression that your are very much biased and you dont like other platform other than ur Anroid. When you write such blogs be fair (do justice to your profession). I am sure if you have ever used an anroid or ios you would have come up with a list of complains about each system. No system is perfect, I have used all the systems and I am so much sure that the each systems has its positives and negatives. Have you ever done a review on anroid or an ios. If so please post it. Know what, People like you with such crap reviews are the reasons y some thing like a WP is finding difficult to gain popularity.
I was laughing while reading this “Yes, I want to see the battery and network status at all times and not having to do it manually by swiping the top bar down.” Dude, is this the reason you dont like WP.. lol. Ill tel you the reason y. You should be using some anroid handset which will be draining your battery and you are so accustomed to checking your battery status all the time that you miss this feature very much. Ill give you an advice, put up a live time for you battery status right up the center of your phone screen. This will help you out. I wanted to write more about your post and “famous finding about WP”.. its a waste of time. you are biased and you will always be.
Right info you updated here what i felt since i started to use windows 7.5. Really some back bencehers are working there and creating this platform without any dreams in mind. Further worst UI i have ever seen in smart phone… It is not at all ok when compare with even symbion…. Poor people will design poor OS like Windows…
Dear guy get rid of windows platform and switch to other OS…. Even Nokia dont have idea which OS will succeed.
One request to Microsoft is that please hire some brilliant peoples.
Cons. Single front page/home page
No Theme can be set.
Worst UI
Poor Music player options
cant set anything in consumer favor
no battery indication. Often it hides and irritating to check the remaining battery life often. as well as network signal.
a lot more can be shared,…. I will never turn towards windows phone hereafter….
Hi Guys,
I use windows 7.8 since last one month. Please check the black berry new OS and android. If you are phone lover, you will not like windows phone.It seems that you all guys want to have some nokia 6600 or 1100 to just make a call or to receive a call or to just check E-mail. In windows, Even in dialing window there is no paste option.No dial option available from any page if OS identifies some nos in mail. Email cant be sent with some attachments if you want to forward an old mail with new attachment. No forwarding email can be edited. No music equalizers available to set to users taste. No statistics available about battery life. No Recent app list. No pic or theme can be set in home paeg. Boring home page with some colors. It is irritating when see daily. Simply changing color is not enough. No pic selection option. Need to select and delete one by one. No video streaming in webpage. It is opening in new window. No notification panel. I often go through the all tiles to see how many mails received and sms and others. Many more NO can be said. Because it is not at all good OS when compare with blackberry or IOS or ANDROID. Hi Mr.RAJAT I support you.
Hi Guys go to the other websites and see the review… Everyones feel is same like mine and Rajat. Look into the second sales websites eevery one is trying to sell their WPhone. Every one is saying that i don’t want windows phone unless you provide it freely. Big thanks to Mr.Rajat for expressing major people’s mind voices.
Because you are expert. The person who has lack of knowledge about smartphone can shift to normal old mobiles with keypads and small screens…
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RKA 121 days ago
Karthik
Some of the ur points and mine in ” ”
Cons. Single front page/home page ——– “I think that is the whole purpose, rather than going to different pages you have everything in one place. If this is not gud for you, I think ur a traditional user who beleives in static icons spread across different pages.”
No Theme can be set.—— “I feel Anroid is best for you, you can change whatever theme u want.”
Worst UI —– “If you have read news recently, WP OS was one of the nomination for best design, I think you dont appreciate the freshness that WP brings to mobile”
Poor Music player options ——- “Again, unnecessary bashing, If you have checked the features the what the music player is providing with the bio of the singer/ band, related artists, related genere, wall art, loch screen changes with the current song ”
no battery indication. Often it hides and irritating to check the remaining battery life often. as well as network signal.— “WP has a very good battery life, I am not sure y do u wanna bother yourself with the battery, and also it has a battery saver feature so your phone wont be dead if you not charged for 24 hrs.”
a lot more can be shared,…. I will never turn towards windows phone hereafter….—— “This is my personal opinion, each phone has its positives and negatives.. windows phone is a pleasure to use and It has its drawbacks, like other phones. but I feel it deserves more respect than the way you bash it.”
Rajat, I’m probably not as annoyed as you are, but these issues are problematic for me as well. I have the 920 and it is a fascinating phone. The hardware is the best out there, but WP is lacking. My first smartphone was a Nokia N75. I left it to go to iphone, but ended going back to the N75 because at that time the iphone didn’t have wifi, wireless teethering, office, pdf, and had a bad camera with no video. Then again in 2009 I ended up with a Nokia E71x because the iphone 3G and Blackberry 9700 didn’t have wireless teethering. The issues with WP reminds me of that same experience. When the iphone came out it was young and therefore lacking and needed to grow up…since that time it has. WP8 is in the same position although starting at a better place. The os is young and it shows. You could say that you expect more from MS, but I also know that it takes time to create stuff. I will say that in the 3 months that the phone I started with is not the phone I now have there have been many improvements to the phone. I also understand that there is a update coming from MS that will address some of these shortcomings like notifications. So I’m sorry you jump off the boat, but after the update I hope you will try it again and see if there is any hope for the WP os. Looking forward to that article.
Rajat, i am a regular reader of your blog but this time i am dissappointed. you should know that not all smartphone platforms can be similar. it will be totally annoying. i was using xperia j with android 4.0 and it was boring to use android but now i have lumia 800 and it is pretty well to use a new UI to get a fresh experience. windows phone 7.x and WP8 platforms are beautifull for me and i haven’t any problem with it.Though WP8 has less app than android but remember this is a new platform for dovelopers and apps are developing at the rate of 500 apps + games daily.so it is clear that after sometimes there will be a windows phone store full of terrific apps
and games.Just wait and watch.
And i will suggest you to use more your nokia lumia 920. you will love it surely.
.
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Rajat Agrawal 122 days agoHi Nihal,
Thanks for being a regular reader. I listed out just “a few” of my pet peeves that I encountered regularly after using the Lumia 920 for a month. I’m not saying WP8 won’t work for anyone, but in its current state I would prefer iOS or Android as I, as a user, am compromising on way too many things. It is my personal opinion on why WP8 does not work for me, but that doesn’t mean it won’t work for you too.
lack of notifications is the biggest issue for Windows 8, and that is the only reason I am keeping away from it or else by now I would have upgraded my Lumia 710 (which I am not using anymore) by now..
Your complaint on notifications is the only valid one that I you made as well as the issue with the music player. Everything else is simply ignorance on your part.
As has been mentioned holding back enables the multitasking that has been present since 7.5 (been about a year now), the back button is standard and is one of my favorite additions. If you want to go back to the start screen press the windows button. If you want to go back press the back button. If you want to do a search then you need to either use the voice options with tellme or use bing. WP8 alas doesn’t enable the same features as Windows 8 where every app can integrate into search, however, apps can integrate into the voice options (accessed by holding windows button).
Want to access what is currently playing? windows button, music/videos, now playing. It’s not hard and you can always access what is currently playing as well as next, pause and previous buttons from the lock screen or volume control.
As a developer myself, allow me to touch on the “app situation.” For the most part every app you could want is available for Windows Phone, many of the things you require an app for in iOS or Android are built into windows phone (facebook, twitter, linked-in etc). The only notable apps missing are the specialty apps, for example, my bank offers an app for mobile banking on iOS and Android but not Windows Phone. If you are looking for specific apps that accomplish a very small thing particular to only a handful of people (relatively speaking) windows phone will likely not have an app for it. If you want an app you’ve heard of, windows phone will have it. Furthermore, the quality of Windows Phone apps is above that of Android (which has almost no requirements for verification) and windows phone apps are more versatile then iOS apps allowing you to integrate with the phones voice services (tellme, accessed by holding windows button), share to all your contacts by email, text, facebook, twitter etc.
While it is valid for you to dislike a phone because it does not function exactly like you want it to, it is irresponsible for you to write a story on the phone and attempt to persuade others that they shouldn’t like it either.
Its a stupid article.
I have a Lumia 920 and so have here is a list of my complain:
1. The search button is too sensitive. I keep accidentally tap it and exit my current app. I wish there’s a option to switch it to double tap. This is the same problem that people experience on XBOX with the power and DVD eject buttons.
2. The music player has no rewind or forward options when playing a song. I thought these are basic features of a music player.
3. Custom sounds for SMS/Email are not allowed.
4. Browser has no forward button. This is such a pain in the a$$.
5. App such as Skype does not allow custom ringing sounds and there’s no way you can switch between different accounts.
Even with all these limitation, I still prefer Windows Phone over Iphone or Android.
Ya i agree with this artical wp8 is very disappointing me and all wp8 user there are no stutus bar no more theme no show all files in memory card, and lots of basic features are missing …
dude windowsphone 8 is best OS than i and Android,, lumia 920 is awesome,,, tile concept is best than icon as widgets are not a part of every apps,, and i needs me to be updated throughout so TILE,,, GO and rewrite the article
Ddude windowsphone 8 is best OS than i and Android,lumia 920 is awesome,tile concept is best than icon as widgets are not a part of every apps,and i needs me to be updated throughout so TILE, GO and rewrite the article
