14 DAY TRIAL // With Windows 10 Mobile in maintenance mode and Microsoft not planning any new features and devices, I guess we all agree that switching to Android or iOS is the only way to go.
And in the last couple of years, this transition has accelerated substantially, leading to 0 percent market share, but it also contributed to Android and iOS growing bigger.
Without a doubt, however, neither of these two mobile platform alternatives feels like home, and Windows Phone diehards know exactly what I mean. Windows Phone and Windows 10 Mobile have always seemed to be just the perfect mix of usability, eye-candy looks, and security.
Even if it lacked a large ecosystem to support its adoption, Windows Phone had one of the most loyal user bases out there, with hardcore fans sticking with it until the very last moment. There are people who’re still using Windows phones these days, even though there’s clearly no point in not making the switch right now.
While on Android there are more options to customize the platform’s look and feel in a more substantial way, not the same thing can be said on an iPhone, where the level of personalization is extremely limited.
In the last few months, I’ve seen many more people moving from Windows phones to Android just because of this, mostly searching for a way to customize their devices and get the closer to the original feeling of a Lumia.
“Are live tiles the Windows Phone feature you miss the most?”
When asked what makes a non-Microsoft phone feel like a Windows Phone, the answer is most often “live tiles.” And it certainly makes sense.
Live tiles have played an essential role on Windows phones, not only because they were the first thing users got to see after opening their devices, but also because they served as the main method of interaction with apps. There were even plans to evolve the concept of live tiles with more options, like a dynamic concept that would have brought further controls for each app, but all these ideas were eventually abandoned just like the platform itself.
Live tiles on an iPhone would certainly make the Apple device feel more like a Windows phone, but it goes without saying that this is something that would never happen.
Others told me that a non-Microsoft mobile operating system needs the clean and simple design approach that Windows phones boasted. Truth be told, Windows Phone and Windows 10 Mobile have been from the very beginning pretty easy to use and very straightforward, while Android itself may be considered by many a cluttered operating system.
On the good side, some features of Windows phones are still available, as Microsoft brought them to PCs as well as part of the company’s efforts to bring the platforms in sync. It’s not exactly the same experience, but things like live tiles, for example, have made the cut and are available in the Start menu. I’ve already proposed ways to evolve live tiles on the desktop, like bringing them to the desktop and turning them into modern-style widgets, but it remains to be seen if this idea ever gets some attention or not.
For now, Android and iOS are the only options for mobile users, no matter how much time we spend looking for alternatives. Living with one of the two, however, is a must, and this is why I’m asking you: what features could make an iPhone feel more like a Windows phone? Is there anything that would make the transition smoother for Windows 10 Mobile diehards? Should the live tile concept stay alive on mobile?