Making the jump from Android to a Windows 10 mobile?

It's about time for my contract to come to it's 2-year end, so I'm pondering on which mobe to go for next and am actually thinking of moving to something completely different.

My current phone is an HTC One M8, which is unlocked, rooted and booted with a custom ROM. I've done this on all of the Android phones I've had and am used to having a fair degree of freedom, but I'm starting to feel like a change.

No, not to an iPhone, dummy - I'm eyeing up the Lumia 950XL and have read a few reviews which describe the specs (and camera) as being nothing short of amazing, but that the Windows app market is sorely lacking when compared to the Android one. As someone who doesn't really install a great deal of apps, I use my phone mainly to sync with my work's exchange server, playing music (streaming/MP3's) when I'm commuting, taking photos/videos and playing the occasional game so I'm not that fussed about having a bazillion apps to download.

Have any of you guys made the jump from Android to Windows 8/8.1 mobile? Did/do you miss Android?

I did and it didn't take me long to go back to Android. Windows on phones is just too limited.

I use both. Android on work phone, WP on personal phone.

Unless you want millions of apps (which you don't) WP is a far superior experience in my opinion.

Only thing which annoys my is the Spotify app does not work too well if you have a large amount of artists / albums saved in your lists. It takes a while to sync and it is a WP Spotify app issue only.

I've made the transition twice now

Two years ago I switched from android to windows. Hated it

Two month ago I switched from android to windows. Hated it even more

Android and ios have moved on leaps and bounds. Windows seriously hasn't, and that was me using both 8 and 10 tp

It was an itch I was trying to scratch

I'm Similar to PapaLazaru, but iPhone for work and w8.1 for personal, did try android didn't get on.
Check what apps you need is the first advice, check that the few you use are there. at the end of the day it cones down to personal preference, what you want and how you use it.

Three things annoy me about WP, lack of apps, even though I don't want a lot there's a few I really would like, mainly banking ones. However I actually find a lot if the time third party apps on WP are better than the official ones on android/ios, obviously third party can't be created for things like banks.

No payment system atm, there's meant to be an announcement soon, but not expected to roll out anytime soon(probably summer 2016 at earliest). MS did have payment but Google brought the rights to it and ms had to pull it. They've now poached the amazon head payments person.

Inconsistency with public feedback, some stuff they fix fast, other simple options that basically every man and his dog give the same feedback to and they seem to ignore it.

But overall imo it's the best OS, however iPhone is still the best all rounder.

The 950 and XL version and spec wise, beasts. You also get the wireless display dock (at least in the US) with the phone if you get it early as a bonus.

As always the downside is really the third party app support. It's what killed Blackberry for me on the playbook for example. At least Windows is half-way there though.

I'm tempted by a cheap Lumia 640 to try out and see if I can get any use out of a windows phone. (I'm hoping to get a contract free one for $59.99, or even $29.99 on black friday.. we shall see).

Now... if I'm realistic, what I use my phones for are:

Email/SMS/MMS
Website browsing (I prefer to use Chrome and Firefox)
Taking casual pictures and video, plus browsing them.
Music (Spotify primarily)
Checking Facebook and maybe commenting occasionally
Uploading pictures to Photobucket (although the constant notifications about canvas sales are peeing me off with photobucket).
Calls occasionally and sometimes work support calls
Video: Netflix; Youtube + playmovie purchase playback
Banking app sometimes, but I'm fine with the full website version anyway
Flashlight and calculator
GOOGLE MAPS!!! (I see Windows phone has Here+ or something?... I need something to replace this, as this is pretty much an essential feature)
I occasionally use my phone as a viewer for my action cam (Pixpro SP1)
Torque (OBD II car interface).
Skype/Hangouts so I can keep in contact with business people and family.

For me at least, that is a realistic list. Sure, I like to tinker and look for apps that are doing cool things, and android is awesome for that (like Torque or wifi analyzer and even work log analyzer tools etc).

If you do the same sort of list, you will probably find that a Windows Phone is actually more than adequate.

Here maps are fantastic, better than Google, for a start you can actually download maps by region, rather than the stupid 10mile radius thing Google maps has. It's available on android so you can give it a try.

The new map on wm10 combines the here maps, satnav and transport(public transport finder/timetable)

Thank for the replies, folks. I guess I'm still no further forward though because opinions are so polarising, with some people loving Windows Phone and some hating it.

I guess I'll just continue to read reviews and carry on looking at what other handsets are out there. I was hoping to get another HTC as I've always been a fan of their devices and UI's, but the new One A9 and it's iPhone-aping design has got me worried that they've totally lost it.

I have gone from Blackberry to iPhone to Andriod and now Windows Phone 8.1 on a Nokia 830.

I still have an iPad so uptodate with iOS stuff. iOS i still think is the better OS, but limited to being customisable, and i dont mean being able to change everything, but having your agenda for the day on the screen without having to pull down notifications etc.
Windows i believe to be better than Android, however the apps are the biggest let down. I dont need loads, but even things like bank apps are just not here yet.
Here + is a very good alternative to Google Maps and has been very good for me so far.

I am thinking of going to Android from Windows!!

For me Windows is the one. I recently purchased an LG G4 to try using Android full time, but it just didn't do it for me, although the hardware was fantastic.

I love tiles and live tiles over random icons. The new Windows 10 apps like Outlook for all my email accounts works really well and Edge is a better browser than IE11, although it sorely misses an ad blocking solution. There are also quality third party apps like readit, which is the best reddit app I have used across Windows and android.

A Lumia 640 will do me for now, but Windows sorely needs better hardware.

If you're that unsure, get a 640 xl, And see how you get on, like it then upgrade, don't like it sell it.
640xl can be had for £160 and you even get a £10 voucher from Argos atm, to spend on other stuff.

Don't.

As much as I love the design of the platform I can't live with it.

Latest frustration caused me to visit a Spanish phone shop and buy an Android phone to use whilst away.

Every App MS develops for Windows phone has a better version Android!

There is always something you can't do, it will be random and annoying each time. I really don't use many apps but every now and then you need one to do something.

Can you cast to a chromecast on a windows mobile?

Freefaller said:

Can you cast to a chromecast on a windows mobile?

Click to expand...

There isn't a native Chromecast app for Windows mobile users but Tubecast offers Chromecast support:

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/store/apps/tubecast-for-youtube/9wzdncrdx3fs

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/store/apps/tubecast-for-youtube-pro/9wzdncrdx3g3

Google haven't released an APK for the platform as they don't support it.

POB said:

Don't.

As much as I love the design of the platform I can't live with it.

Latest frustration caused me to visit a Spanish phone shop and buy an Android phone to use whilst away.

Every App MS develops for Windows phone has a better version Android!

There is always something you can't do, it will be random and annoying each time. I really don't use many apps but every now and then you need one to do something.

Click to expand...

THIS.

The lack of apps just destroys the feasibility of using Windows Mobile - its insistence and contact pushing of Microsoft products on the platform is so annoying - you HAVE to use Bing search and maps (which is just horrible compared to google).

Sadly now that project Astoria is dead I wont be going back.

Christo said:

THIS.

The lack of apps just destroys the feasibility of using Windows Mobile

Click to expand...

Lack of apps sneaks up on you in unexpected ways.

I can pay on my phone for parking in my local car parks using an Android App.

I would have to ring up on Windows Phone, or do something stupid like tether my Android tablet to my Windows phone to use the app.


Stupid car parks fault. Can cost over £5 easily but the machines only accept coins .

POB said:

Don't.

As much as I love the design of the platform I can't live with it.

Latest frustration caused me to visit a Spanish phone shop and buy an Android phone to use whilst away.

Every App MS develops for Windows phone has a better version Android!

There is always something you can't do, it will be random and annoying each time. I really don't use many apps but every now and then you need one to do something.

Click to expand...

I like Windows OS. My cheap lumia 520 phone is two years old yet still as fast as the day I bought it. Love how so much of it works but....

...I'd have to agree with the above. So much either doesn't work, or doesn't work as well as IOS/Droid.

Christo said:

THIS.

The lack of apps just destroys the feasibility of using Windows Mobile - its insistence and contact pushing of Microsoft products on the platform is so annoying - you HAVE to use Bing search and maps (which is just horrible compared to google).

Sadly now that project Astoria is dead I wont be going back.

Click to expand...

Personally I find some aspects better , for example the offline ability of Nokia/MS Maps much better on WP. But when most web site uses Google maps references, links, none of that works on Windows Phone.

I also like the way I can keep aspects of my google accounts seperate on windows phone. Whereas on an Android phone it connects them all.