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As much as I really want to like the Windows Phone and would love it to succeed, Microsoft doesn't seem to have enough control over the experience to guarantee

As much as I really want to like the Windows Phone and would love it to succeed, Microsoft doesn't seem to have enough control over the experience to guarantee that. Small data point: went to the AT&T store yesterday and, while waiting for a rep, played with a Nokia Windows Phone on the wall. I was meeting someone for beers in town and wanted to map out how long it would take to walk there. I looked and looked for a Maps choice in the home UI and I couldn't find it. I stood there for 3 minutes, scrolling up and down and nothing. Instead, there was AT&T Navigation (I didn't need navigation.. I just wanted some walking directions as an overview). There was also some app store showcase thing, which looked like something I would never want to use. It also displayed confusing messages in the square now and again, e.g. I think it said "Show Your Maps", which must've been an app they were promoting in the app showcase. So if I, an experienced geek (and an iPhone user), can't figure out how to bring up Maps on your AT&T Nokia Lumia 900 Windows Phone, then you have failed BIG TIME. I moved on to the Android phone next to it and got the job done.

deleted 14y ago
[deleted]
excuse-me 14y ago
Microsoft have never needed to appeal to a retail customer. So long as you can say to corporates: you want your staff to have access to your MS email system on their phones? Then they just need Windows Phone with Windows Phone corporate Email Server - just sign here. Exactly what RIM did with Blackberry and BES The question now is - is it too late? Are companies happy enough with connecting to corporate email from Android and iPhone to just let their users use what they want - or are they going to buy Windows Phone handsets for everyone?
- protomyth 14y ago
  Well, licensing Exchange ActiveSync to Apple for the iPhone might have been an error then. http://support.apple.com/kb/HT2480?viewlocale=en_US&locale=en_US http://support.apple.com/kb/HT2480?viewlocale=en_US&loca...
  - excuse-me 14y ago
    Not necessarily, it stopped Apple developing their own - and you can always "embrace and extend" so the next version of Exchange onyl works fully with Windows phone
freehunter 14y ago
I believe on Nokia the maps app is called Nokia Maps. This cannot be uninstalled, so I guarantee it was there. It might not have been on the start screen, but at least it would be in the list of apps. On non-Nokia phones, the map app is called Maps. Also cannot be uninstalled. Both Nokia Maps and Bing Maps are pinned by default on the start screen. It's possible for users to unpin them, and since it's a display phone it's likely people have been playing with it. If you couldn't figure out how to get to the full list of installed apps (same way you do on an iPhone, swipe to the side), that's not poor control over the experience, that's not Microsoft's failure: that's all on you. Windows Phone has poor control over the OS compared to the iPhone, so you point out Android as better. I'm beginning to think this story never happened.
sp332 14y ago
Nokia has a weird system of 3 apps, one for Maps, one for turn-by-turn navigation, and one for public transportation. I admit that seems like a problem, but as far as Microsoft goes, you can always use Bing Maps instead.

deleted 14y ago

[deleted]

excuse-me 14y ago

Microsoft have never needed to appeal to a retail customer. So long as you can say to corporates: you want your staff to have access to your MS email system on their phones? Then they just need Windows Phone with Windows Phone corporate Email Server - just sign here. Exactly what RIM did with Blackberry and BES The question now is - is it too late? Are companies happy enough with connecting to corporate email from Android and iPhone to just let their users use what they want - or are they going to buy Windows Phone handsets for everyone?

protomyth 14y ago
Well, licensing Exchange ActiveSync to Apple for the iPhone might have been an error then. http://support.apple.com/kb/HT2480?viewlocale=en_US&locale=en_US http://support.apple.com/kb/HT2480?viewlocale=en_US&loca...
- excuse-me 14y ago
  Not necessarily, it stopped Apple developing their own - and you can always "embrace and extend" so the next version of Exchange onyl works fully with Windows phone

freehunter 14y ago

I believe on Nokia the maps app is called Nokia Maps. This cannot be uninstalled, so I guarantee it was there. It might not have been on the start screen, but at least it would be in the list of apps. On non-Nokia phones, the map app is called Maps. Also cannot be uninstalled. Both Nokia Maps and Bing Maps are pinned by default on the start screen. It's possible for users to unpin them, and since it's a display phone it's likely people have been playing with it. If you couldn't figure out how to get to the full list of installed apps (same way you do on an iPhone, swipe to the side), that's not poor control over the experience, that's not Microsoft's failure: that's all on you. Windows Phone has poor control over the OS compared to the iPhone, so you point out Android as better. I'm beginning to think this story never happened.

sp332 14y ago

Nokia has a weird system of 3 apps, one for Maps, one for turn-by-turn navigation, and one for public transportation. I admit that seems like a problem, but as far as Microsoft goes, you can always use Bing Maps instead.