Choose the best OS for your smartphone: Windows Phone or Android. Windows Mobile or Android: WinMo is better than you think! Better android or windows phone 10

This post is a site user's own opinion and experience using Windows 10 Mobile Preview Builds.

Many regular readers somehow thought (and some decided) about switching to the preview version. I myself was a tester of three builds, and this article is intended to talk about the non-obvious and not immediately noticeable details of the new system, which for some may be critical.

This material is primarily intended for those who are not sure whether they should become an insider and test new builds themselves and send bug reports.

I tested the system only on Microsoft Lumia 532, and in this material I will reflect only those aspects that do not depend on the device. There is a possibility that some items will disappear in build 10525, but from experience this is far from a fact.

pros:

1. Notification Center.

This is the main advantage of the new system. This is access to an extended list of switches, deleting individual notifications, the ability to respond to notifications. I believe that this is exactly how it should have looked since Windows phone 8.1. It remains to make it translucent as in the desktop "top ten".

2. Start screen.

The appearance of the desktop and the list of applications also deserves praise and the question "Why not do it right away?", After all, this is the appearance that was on desktop Windows 8.1. It seems that this change is insignificant, but only at first glance - it was the same with the picture on top of the tiles in Windows phone 8.1.

3. Joystick on the keyboard.

A very cool alternative to moving the cursor with a magnifying glass on apple devices, which is one of the most convenient.

A feature sorely lacking in 8.1 during backup recovery. And the rest is a very competent approach to the implementation of the function. I would also like to see the download speed - sometimes it is useful.

5. New system apps.

I want to note right away that this does not apply to all applications, and not to the full extent. This plus is at the intersection of new features and new bugs. This includes new office applications, mail and calendar, music, calculator, alarms and clocks, and especially a new browser. The new phone applications, messages and contacts are called advantages, alas, the language does not turn.

Minuses:

1. Scaling bugs.

Under this concept, I combine incomprehensible text wrapping in the store, very large or vice versa very small interface elements, etc. It looks disgusting from every point of view. I really hope this is just a bug and not a feature.

2. A bug in the notification shade.

Perhaps I find fault, but some of the additional icons cling to the eye when the curtain is lowered, which then disappear. If this is done in order to show that they are there, then why the "Expand" button?

3. Keyboard bugs.

These are probably the most annoying bugs in the system. When manual typing occurs, instead of some letters, neighboring letters can be entered, and only with a certain sequence, i.e. in other cases, the letter is active; autocorrect often works incorrectly and often suggests capitalized words in the middle of a sentence. Personally, I'm "tired" of changing "On" to "not" and vice versa; the keyboard itself is smaller than 8.1, possibly due to the same scaling issues.

4. Incorrect background work of applications.

Everything is very bad here for those who are not advanced. If you do not correctly configure the background operation of applications, then with battery saving turned on, for example, you may not hear the alarm clock in the morning. In other words, what was protected from crooked hands can now be in them. And even turning off the seemingly background work of applications, some of them can send push notifications.

5. New multitasking menu.

In the multitasking menu, compared to 8.1, the animation of closing applications is very slow. Combined with the lack of a "close all" button, this is a little depressing. Also, when you open this menu in landscape orientation, it will allow you to close applications only in it and does not rotate vertically.

6. Lock screen bug.

The screen after unlocking may not light up or light up immediately, while the date and time appear with a delay.

Many lament about the lack of Russian Cortana, but not many people know that there is a fairly convenient voice control in Windows phone 8.1, which greatly simplifies the life of headset users. And this insanely useful feature in Windows 10 Mobile has simply disappeared.

8. Spoiled implementation of working with two SIM-cards.

In Windows phone 8.1, work with two SIM cards is insanely convenient. Thanks to the switches and different color indications, it is simply impossible to confuse where you are making a call from and where the SMS came from. In the mobile "top ten" this is done clumsily and absolutely not intuitively. Again, a nod to the phone applications, messages and contacts.

In addition to what I have listed, there are other strengths and weaknesses of the new system, but I have described only those that were forced to roll back to a stable version of the system. There are crashes and reboots, the battery eats like crazy. Perhaps the expense is connected precisely with my device, but the fact that it works 3-4 times less from one charge makes you at least think about the advisability of being an insider.

Some things may seem like small things, but as Windows phone users, we know that a positive user experience is all about the little things.

The rejection of old solutions that worked well in favor of new ones, in theory more convenient, involuntarily evokes memories of the times of Windows Phone 7.5 and the wonderful Zune program, which has sunk into oblivion along with intelligent synchronization (including via Wi-Fi) and the ability to update your phone and download applications via computer. And all for the convenience of the mass-storage format and over-the-air updates. In the end, it was possible to leave both options for interaction.

Write in the comments why you fell in love or were upset about Windows 10 Mobile, as well as your comments and suggestions on the content of the article.

The version of Windows 10 for smartphones is what we have all been waiting for. It is assumed that the new version of the OS will be shown in September - just a few weeks after the release of "dozens" for desktop computers. But isn't it all too late?

"Microsoft Gives Up"

Many desktop and laptop owners have enjoyed Windows 10, but manufacturers, most users, and industry experts are still shaking their heads in doubt. Kantar Analyst Carolina Milanesi:

"The bottom line is that Microsoft - in my opinion - has given up trying to be the third ecosystem in smartphones and is now trying to make Windows 10 users work with its services on other devices, regardless of platform."

Focus change

Milanesi believes the recent restructuring at Microsoft suggests that Microsoft Mobile's portfolio of devices will shrink significantly in the future. The new leadership, the analyst believes, will focus on top-end Windows 10 Mobile smartphones and gadgets for corporate clients. All other types of devices will be produced by Redmond partners.

The expert adds that the main problem of mobile Windows - a weak ecosystem - will not go anywhere with the advent of Windows 10 Mobile. The current Microsoft, however, is not particularly concerned about this - the company simply offers its services to competing platforms and earns not by selling gadgets, but thanks to the capabilities of its services.

According to IDC, in the first quarter of 2015, Windows Phone occupies only 2.7% of the global smartphone market. For comparison, Android has a similar figure of 78%, iOS - 18.3%. This is a little better than at the beginning of the year, but still not enough - after all, in the long years of its existence, WP has never managed to capture at least 5 percent of the market. The first partners of Microsoft - HTC and Samsung - have lost interest in the system (except for "carrier" smartphones for the US). Today, interest in Windows Phone, apart from Microsoft itself, is shown mainly by little-known companies that are not able to provide any significant supplies and sales.

Fighting Fragmentation

But for the majority of "faithful" (as in the text - ed. note) Windows Phone fans, upgrading to version 10 Mobile is great news, believes Ernest Doku, an analyst from Switzerland. The expert is enough for Microsoft: the company offers software updates for both new and old devices - for the same Android, the situation is simply unthinkable. This is a plus for buyers - they can absolutely buy the cheapest Windows Phone, because even on it you can enjoy many of the advantages of Windows 10 Mobile compared to WP 8.1.

Now Redmond, writes Doc, needs to do another right move - to conquer the mobile market with affordable smartphones. In Africa (especially sub-Saharan Africa) and Asia, $80 devices are often the only way to access the Internet, and it would be unwise to ignore such opportunities for growth.

Survive in the harsh smartphone market

But like Milanesi, Doku doubts that Microsoft has the power to change things in the mobile market. And if the release of Windows 10 Mobile does not yet coincide with the announcement of new and very interesting smartphones, then everything can end very badly:

“… As always, hardware is the key to success, and a strong device portfolio is essential to keep Microsoft in the expensive and uncompromising smartphone game.”

Electronics manufacturer Apple deliberately provoked a war for the future of computing when it unveiled the first iPad. This tablet strikes a comfortable balance between ease of use, screen real estate, and portability for handheld use. It didn't take long for Google and Microsoft to recognize the importance of tablets.

For its part, Microsoft decided to explore the new category before making a bet. Google responded to the iPad threat fairly quickly by releasing its Android Honeycomb operating system to run on third-party tablets. It took some time before Microsoft realized its mistake with the tablet category. The company has changed course on all fronts, bringing the world its own line of Surface tablets and also bringing Windows 8 and Windows 8.1 to tablets. New Surface tablets, as well as tablets from other manufacturers, run today on Microsoft, which offers a unified Microsoft vision of operating systems for laptops, desktops, tablets, and smartphones.

Tablet on Windows 10:

Some people say that Windows 10 tablets and Android tablets are no different, that they do the same thing in the end. These people are wrong; Google and Microsoft have a completely different view of tablets and their capabilities, so you need to understand the difference before you decide which tablet you really want to buy.

Windows 10: Differences

The differences between Microsoft's and Google's approach to tablets are immediately apparent, just by looking at the devices that are available on store shelves. Fearing Apple's dominance in the high-end zone, Microsoft has turned its attention to high-end tablets. In addition to the expensive segment, Microsoft and its partners are betting on universal devices, believing that the user wants one device that can do it all.

android tablet: Google Pixel C.

Google is taking a slightly different approach with Android. There are over a thousand different Android tablets, most of which are official and others not. There are small tablets with 7-inch panels for users who only want to watch movies and read books. There are tablets that have been pushed to their limits in the Android ecosystem. For example, a tablet demonstrates high performance.

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The quality of the Android tablet you get is only limited by the amount of money you are willing to spend on it. The open nature of Android, and the constant need from hardware manufacturers to create the best processors for their tablets, has forced Android to demonstrate brute force. For example, the latter runs on an 8-core processor, which means that there is practically nothing that this tablet cannot do. It also uses an amazing resolution AMOLED display. This is an incredible technology with very deep blacks and vibrant other colors. The 8-inch Galaxy Tab S2 entered the market with a price tag of 32,000 rubles.

Android tablet:

The rapid development of new designs is dictated by the fact that Android tablet manufacturers often take risky decisions, unlike other hardware manufacturers. The Lenovo Yoga Tab 3 Pro tablet, for example, offers users a 10.1-inch display and a built-in projector for just $449 ($32,000). We recently reviewed Lenovo's latest tablet and categorized it as one of the best tablets for Android content consumption.

Android tablets can be very, very cheap. For comparison, the Lenovo Tab 2 A7 tablet costs about 6,000 rubles. It is powered by a 4-core processor and offers a 7-inch display. Android tablets are very diverse in color, size, price and experience. Everyone supports Wi-Fi, some support mobile plans for always-on, 3G and 4G.

Windows tablets, of course, also have some variety, but the number of offerings from hardware manufacturers simply cannot be compared with Android. Instead, most Windows 10 tablets are focused on consuming and creating content. And you can't really do the same with an Android tablet just by plugging in a mouse and keyboard, they just aren't capable of delivering the Windows 10 and tablet experience on that operating system.

Tablet on Windows 10: HP Pavilion X2.

Tablet on Windows 10: Microsoft Surface 3.

Android tablets have the best features you can find and entertainment apps in abundance, but they are still positioned as companions to other devices. Microsoft is willing to bet that you want to combine your main computer into a tablet. Again, your choice depends on your operating system preference.

android tablets vs tabletsWindows 10: Software

The hardware advantages of each platform are closely related to their software.

Designed for work and play, Windows 10 on tablets uses a number of hardware tricks to strike the right balance between casual media consumption and Word, PowerPoint, and presentations. You may have heard that Windows 8 is about balance and have not heard. You heard everything right.

Windows 10 uses other tricks to make the transition from laptops or competing iPads easier. Connecting or disconnecting the keyboard changes the system modes. When tablet mode is active, apps fill the entire screen and on-screen controls become larger. Pressing the start button will switch you to a full-screen menu, complete with auto-updating tiles. When tablet mode is off, the Start screen becomes the Start menu and applications can be launched using the mouse and keyboard. Again, apps from the Windows Store work side by side.

Windows users can work with two applications at the same time on the screen in tablet mode, which Android is still working on. There is also support for multiple users. Microsoft has also effectively addressed issues with mouse, keyboard, stylus and touch support.

Android on tablets

Android is an operating system focused exclusively on touch control. This is normal since most users want to interact with tablets for media consumption. Only the right size matters.

Some Android hardware partners have made changes to the operating system, offering things like the ability to run two apps at the same time. This is not the most versatile solution, however, as the applications available in this mode of operation are quite limited. Android also offers multiple user accounts, so you can share games and apps with your child or spouse without time-consuming setup. You get access to a huge number of apps as the Android store offers thousands of apps. Windows is still catching up. We should also mention that all programs purchased for tablets and smartphones are available on both devices. Windows 10 offers a similar solution, but few people have a Windows Phone.

To make the choice easier, you can think of Android tablets as very large smartphones. They also offer to perform simple tasks and switch between them. Read, watch and listen, these are the most popular activities for Android tablets. Content creation is better implemented on Windows 10 tablets.

Security is becoming an issue for Windows 10 tablets and Android tablets. In recent years, app developers have been targeting Google Play to deliver malware, just as they attacked Internet Explorer on Windows last year. Most tablet manufacturers include software on their devices designed to scan and catch malware. Windows remains a target for hackers, but the situation is no longer so critical. Microsoft includes its own security software for Windows 10, Windows Defender, for free.

android tablets vs tabletsWindows 10: What to buy?

Choosing whether to buy an Android tablet or a Windows 10 tablet depends on your needs. Some do not need, because they are not going to, to connect a mouse or keyboard to their devices. Android makes sense when users prefer the pure use of a tablet.

For those looking to cut down on the number of devices they use in the home and keep their workspace clean, Windows 10 tablets are a good plan. Windows tablets offer desktop features and full-sized USB ports that you simply won't find on Android. Even better, they boast mouse support, which most users won't appreciate until they try to change formatting in a document. Just like with a laptop or PC, you have to decide what you want from your tablet and then make a decision.

July 29, 2015. The software giant would like developers to also create applications for the mobile version of the new OS. But the mobile app developers themselves aren't confident that Windows 10 will be worth their time, given the small market share of Windows mobile. According to market research firm IDC, Windows owns just 3.2 percent of the smartphone operating system market. The share of Android, for comparison, is 79.4%, and iOS - 16.4%. As a result, developers may have difficulty monetizing their software products.

CNBC's Arjun Kharpal's "Windows 10: Why app makers aren't impressed" explores why developers aren't excited about the Windows mobile platform, while citing the benefits of new Windows 10 features designed to make their job easier. The new Windows 10 is very attractive, but at the moment developers see mostly low market share for the mobile version of Windows. We are, of course, talking about the upcoming Windows 10 Mobile, since the market share of Windows for PC is not just high, but truly gigantic.

Andreas Rasmussen, managing partner at mobile app company Nodes, told CNBC:

No one has a demand for Windows applications and the only reason for this is market share.

The founder of the famous popular game FlowFree from Big Duck Games, Mike Newman notes:

There are also concerns about the problems that Microsoft faces in the mobile direction of its activities. Earlier in July 2015, the software giant announced plans to cut 7,800 jobs in its device business, acquired last year from Nokia for $7.5 billion.

Codeglue's Rocket Riot, co-founder of Codeglue's popular Windows 8 mobile game, Peter de Jong, points out:

This is worrying. If their market doesn't grow, and if Microsoft doesn't support it anymore, then the market won't come out of nowhere.

Microsoft has acknowledged its past problems and has changed strategy with Windows 10. The Redmond-based software giant is offering Windows 10 as a free upgrade for those who previously purchased Windows 7, Windows 8.1, and Windows Phone 8.1. Thus, the company hopes to increase the number of users of its platform.

In addition, Windows 10 has two such key features that developers may find attractive. The first of these is called “Universal Apps”, which allows developers to write code only once, and in the end it will work on different types of devices, both mobile and personal computers. Minimal modifications will be required. Thus, they may become less visible to developers and, ultimately, to users who will receive the same set of applications for all their Windows devices.

De Jong says the feature isn't as easy to use as Microsoft says, but most of the developers CNBC spoke to thought it could be a time saver because it doesn't require writing completely different code snippets for different devices.

My Talking Tom app developer Outfit7 told CNBC:

Our newest game, Mars Pop, was our first universal app, and thanks to this feature, we were able to save a lot of time during the development phase, as a result, the game is available on both Windows and Windows Phone platforms.

The second is a feature introduced by Microsoft that makes it easier for Android and iOS app developers to make their software products compatible with Windows phones. About a Microsoft representative. After all, developers usually have to write separate code for competing mobile operating systems. However, the process.

Developers welcome this opportunity provided by Microsoft, as well as universal applications. Newman expressed his opinion on this issue:

This is really interesting and will make it much easier for us to port new applications and software updates to Windows in the future.

Will universal apps and the ability to port software from popular mobile platforms boost Windows 10 Mobile's market share?

Windows 10 Mobile may not be the ideal mobile operating system, but it has some features that Android lacks. We've picked 5 Windows 10 Mobile features to add to Android.

1. Home screen

The Home screen is one of the few unique features of Windows 10 Mobile. And I'm not talking about tiles, although they are also very comfortable.

My favorite thing about the Windows 10 Mobile home screen is the vertical scrolling. It sounds trite, but for daily use it is very convenient. Android users need to swipe left and right to find the desired app.

2. Tiles

Another feature of the Windows 10 Mobile home screen is tiles. This concept provides excellent continuity. I really enjoy using animated tiles that display constantly changing images, missed calls or messages. Widgets on Android can hardly compete with tiles on Windows 10 Mobile.

3. Easy one-hand operation mode activation

Few people are able to control the 5.7-inch Lumia 950 XL smartphone with one hand, but sometimes it is simply necessary. Windows Mobile 10 has a handy solution to this problem: pressing and holding the Windows button activates one-handed mode, which effectively cuts the screen in half. You can return to full screen mode by long pressing the Windows button.

It is worth noting that a similar function is used on some Android smartphones, but, as a rule, you need to press an inconvenient key combination to activate it.

4. High performance

Windows 10 Mobile is an extremely fast operating system. Even weak smartphones like my old Lumia 630 show smooth animation and menu navigation. However, if the smartphone has less than 2 GB of RAM, problems may occur. Microsoft should increase the minimum amount of RAM to 2 GB for Windows 10 Mobile to run perfectly on all devices.

5. Continuum: Use your smartphone as a PC

Continuum is considered one of the main features of Windows 10 Mobile.

Thanks to the Continuum function, your smartphone can be used as a personal computer. You can connect a Continuum-enabled Windows smartphone to a monitor, as well as add a mouse and keyboard, and use the system as a primary PC.

On the connected monitor, you will see the familiar Windows desktop, and many universal applications. This feature is especially useful if you are working with text documents or creating a large number of presentations. Also you can connect HDMI TV and projector.

Output

Although Windows Mobile 10 has its drawbacks, Microsoft offers a very interesting operating system with an intuitive interface. I hope Android smartphone makers take note of the key features of Windows 10 Mobile and add them to their devices.