The question came in Just before our last Insight podcast, and a very pertinent one it was too. Given all the cross platform releases by Microsoft and Nokia's HERE, surely many of the unique selling points of Windows Phone have now been removed - why would anyone now buy a Lumia, for example, rather than an Android or iOS smartphone for the same money? Great question, and it deserves a great answer... Here are 10 reasons why you might still want to go down the Windows Phone route.
As an AMOLED fan for years, it's been fascinating seeing the way technology in the LCD world has caught up in terms of contrast and colours. In fact, judging from my tests and tables below, it seems that the choice of screen technology for smartphones is now pretty clear cut. My advice to go for AMOLED three years ago was sound, but it seems that things are now reversed. This article features the Lumia 1020, 830 and 1520, by the way.
Is it the shiny, shiny phenomenon of something new? Or the feel of cold metal and the satisfaction of larger screen and as much storage as I wanted? Either way, I find myself compromising one of my deeply-held 'must haves' (in the 1020) and using the Nokia Lumia 830 as my main smartphone, following on from my review and other tests. It's an Autumn miracle, perhaps?
As covered here recently, (Xbox) Video now has support for subtitles, an area which I hadn't explored before on AAWP. And, in all probability, is something you haven't looked at either. Here then is how to add subtitles to a personal or commercial/public video and to view them on your Windows Phone 8.1 device.
The headline might lead you to suspect a horrendous mismatch, but there's more to the story than this. The 1020 is the gold standard in currently-sold camera phones, of course, but the new Lumia 830 turns out surprisingly well against it for most shots, despite being massively outgunned in the physics stakes. Xenon-aside, once the matching software turns up for the 830, we could have a rather tasty little 'affordable flagship', to use Nokia/Microsoft's marketing term.
Following on from last week's immediate look at the Lumia 735 and subsequent review, it's the turn of Microsoft's Lumia 830 to get double-header treatment from the All About Windows Phone team. The main review will follow next week.
Notable at the Lumia 830 launch was the tag line "the affordable flagship", and Microsoft was right, the Nokia Lumia 830 is terrific value for what you get, as you'll see soon in our hands-on review. However, what's evident from both comments across multiple stories here at AAWP and from the perception of Windows Phone in the tech media, is that what's needed is a genuine flagship, something that has everything but the kitchen sink thrown into it and never mind the price, or indeed eventual sales figures.
The Microsoft Lumia 735 is the new mid-range Windows Phone handset for the festive period. Arriving in stores this weekend in the UK, this is our first look at the handset that Redmond hopes will make its Christmas - the Lumia 735 certainly has the potential to deliver. The hardware is mature, Windows Phone 8.1 with Lumia Denim meets the major bit of consumer expectations, and there is a clear marketing message behind the handset - this is the 'Selfie' smartphone.
It's hard to pick up a Sony Xperia Z3 (as I did for my recent camera comparisons) and not be reminded about the current Windows Phone flagship smartphone, the Nokia Lumia 930. The sizes are very similar, then there's the metallic feel in the hand and positioning in the market as well. Here's my blow by blow comparison...
With slight apologies for the cumbersome headline.... You see, the exact same camera unit is used in each of the two sets of smartphones, meaning that this test applies to any combination. Nokia/Microsoft seems to have standardised on the 20MP, 1/2.5" PureView oversampling camera for its latter day flagships, while the Sony Xperia Z3/Z3 Compact uses a similar 20MP, 1/2.3" oversampling system, in theory outgunning the Nokias (for a change). And, this being me, you just know I'm going to throw in a wildcard....
