Anyone other than Microsoft Techs have a Windows Phone - Or want one? (iPhone, law)

[pcity]

The Nokia 520 running Windows Phone 8 is the top-selling no contract phone on Amazon. Someone must be buying them.

[Teckeeee]

Originally Posted by pcity

The Nokia 520 running Windows Phone 8 is the top-selling no contract phone on Amazon. Someone must be buying them.

For that price it actually peaked my interest. A family member would be interested for sure at that price unlocked and just go prepaid.

[Miker2069]

Originally Posted by adyn

Both my brothers have them and several people that I work with have them that aren't in an IT field.

Windows Phone has around 3.8% market share right now. It's rare, but it's out there.

What is the purpose behind the question, if I may ask? You seem to have a predisposition about the subject, do you think WP is worthless and trying to be trendy? Why is that?

Good Question and I should have added that to the original post.

I would like to develop apps for the platform, but I do not *see* any traction. Given I can't see everyone or everything, maybe I am missing it and there's a ground swell or under ground movement brewing. I don't think so though. I think Windows Mobile will be big in corporate as you can include it in corporate policies but on the consumer end (where MS is pushing...) not so much

[Miker2069]

Originally Posted by Skunk Workz

We have a bunch in our family: I'm the sole Android user, but I'm in IT and more techy than most of them.

Both of my sons (17 and 21) have them, and like them. They are both techy, and could have had any phone they wanted at each upgrade. Both chose the Windows Phone 7 phones when they were new, and chose to stay with WP going from 7.5 to 8 earlier in the year. Both had WiMo phones when they were younger prior to iPhone or Android even existing.

My wife has one (7.5) because she saw the boys phones a few years ago and liked them. She may go to Android for her next one, but hasn't decided yet. She's not techy at all, but also likes her Win8 laptop just fine (she says it's just like the phone, so she doesn't see what the fuss is about!).

Both of my parents, and my MIL have them (again, decided on them after seeing the ones my kids had).

My MIL is the least technical person on the planet, and probably doesn't even use any feature of the phone other than making calls and texts. She probably couldn't even tell you that it's a Windows Phone.

My Parents were Palm Phone users, and like the Windows Phones well enough. Dad recently moved to a new WP8 phone after breaking his old one, and Mom says shes going to once the price comes down a bit (won't part with $50). I think they stay with them because they have everything working the way they want, and could make them work similar to how they made the Palm Phones work. They are sort of technical users (they've had computers since the Commodore 64, and use them every day), but see them as tools, and nothing more.

+1 for the C64 reference....the good ole days

[Miker2069]

Originally Posted by pcity

The Nokia 520 running Windows Phone 8 is the top-selling no contract phone on Amazon. Someone must be buying them.

Hmm, very intriguing. As I mentioned in a subsequent post. I'm a developer (primarily android and work with a iOS dev). I *originally* was a windows mobile fanboy, going back to Windows CE. It was the bees-knees. Microsoft was *there* but I think they missed it (and I blame Balmer 100%). Anyway ancient history, in the here and I'm just wondering if there's enough of a base to justify incorporating it into my portfolio.

[rado26]

I have a windows phone for nearly a year. It is a great phone, and reminds me a lot of my pc. Works well ! I like the Live Tiles and been able to re size them. It is a wonderful phone. However, it lacks the apps that the Android has. I wish it had the magic jack app mainly, and will be getting an android in the near future. Hopefully, a Sony. I don't like having the same type phones as everyone else. Most people I know have samsungs and iphones. The Nokia phones are very strong too, and have always been my first preference for that reason.

[adyn]

Originally Posted by Miker2069

Good Question and I should have added that to the original post.

I would like to develop apps for the platform, but I do not *see* any traction. Given I can't see everyone or everything, maybe I am missing it and there's a ground swell or under ground movement brewing. I don't think so though. I think Windows Mobile will be big in corporate as you can include it in corporate policies but on the consumer end (where MS is pushing...) not so much

If you're out to develop apps, right now it's not ideal to be solely on WinPhone, however if you have an app that you're cross-supporting, then it's a good thing to be able to do, plus it looks good on resumes and overall knowledge generally makes for a better set of future doors to open.

[K-Luv]

Originally Posted by Miker2069

I've been asking this for a while but still seems the same. Anyone other than a Microsoft tech,admin,dev or in IT have a Windows Phone? Only people I see with it are men in the IT business who seem to wanna make it work. I don't see the average person go out of their way to get one, or even more important any tweens or teenagers wanting one because it's cool.

Seems like a Zombie, it's out there but no life behind it.

Yeah, I see them here and there.

Originally Posted by adyn

If you're out to develop apps, right now it's not ideal to be solely on WinPhone, however if you have an app that you're cross-supporting, then it's a good thing to be able to do, plus it looks good on resumes and overall knowledge generally makes for a better set of future doors to open.

Well, 3.8% of total market share is still a lot of effin' phones. Not to mention that mapping the APIs needed to port an app from platform to another can be PITA for one-man dev "teams".

[MikeJaquish]

Originally Posted by K-Luv

Yeah, I see them here and there.


Well, 3.8% of total market share is still a lot of effin' phones. Not to mention that mapping the APIs needed to port an app from platform to another can be PITA for one-man dev "teams".

Market share outside the US is more impressive, with double digits in some European states:
Windows Phone boosts Europe market share - FT.com

[shmoov_groovzsd]

As an insider, the growth has been steady and strong. The problem is, these days, if its not breaking some kind of barrier its a non entity. While there is obvisouly some validity to that, its more on the adoption rate as it relates to retention rate.

So while MSFT is growing, they are also keeping customers and the customers are very happy. Go ahead and look at just abut any review for a Nokia Windows Phone on Amazon.

Personally I have used them for the past 2+ years and think they are great for what I need it for. But the reality for someone like me is, that I go through new phones every 30 days as an average and not just on one operating system or carrier. Whereas perhaps an average consumer might trade up every two years. They want something that is upgradeable and high tech for as long as possible for obvious reasons.

My whole family is using WP. Its not that there is one better than the other, but like many tools out there, once someone shows firsthand how something is done or how easy it is, clearly that is a tangible benefit to them.
A salesperson pushing a Galaxy S4 on selling some new whizbang feature is neat, but not so sure how well that salesman could push other devices or OSs. Its not fair in many ways, but definitely its worth doing some due diligence.

For the record, my 60+ year old father in law was given a Lumia 925 coming from a LG feature phone for years. The amount of stuff on the 925 is mind boggling to him. The reason I am mentioning this is that not everyone reads tech blogs or is at the bleeding edge of mobile technology. What exists now for someone that is an average user, even on e Windows Phone, is pretty impressive and should hold someone like that over for quite some time.