Update 8.1 has turned my off Windows Phone

hadoken13

Since update 8.1 was launched I have had so many issues on my Lumia 920.

Personally I'm just about to give up on Windows Phone. I've had one since the Lumia 800 came out and there are still so many issues. Currently have a Lumia 920.

Since the 8.1 update:

• Battery drains a lot faster now
• I can't get the compass working (resetting and restoring does nothing)
• No quick link for turning on/off data connection (I still don't have the 8.1.1 update)
• Can't upload full-res images to Sky drive
• Battery Saver settings are terrible - try turning off for an app and then having to navigate back down the list of apps
• Apps like Viber never give push notifications (although I'll admit that this has more got to do with the app than Windows)

No Cortana in Ireland (work phone so can't change regional settings)
Microsoft is paying more attention to apps on other platforms - just check out office and Skype on iOS or Android, they are far superior to what is on Window's Phone.

Third-party apps are not always superior to official apps.
Xbox music is pretty crap too.
I use UC Browser as the IE app is ****.

Edit damn can't change the title - supposed to be 'me' instead of 'my'

beauf

I had the data toggle in an update. But no Denim. I was on the developer preview. So I reset my phone back to factory settings, set my region as UK then got the denim update with Cortana. It says 8.1 Update, version is 8.10.14210.341. I was having problems with my Irish phone numbers so I've now set it back to Ireland and I've lost Cortana again.

Interesting that there where a lot of apps different in the apps store when I switched between UK and Ireland. Very annoying they filter the app store like that.

TBi

beauf wrote: »

I was having problems with my Irish phone numbers so I've now set it back to Ireland and I've lost Cortana again.

Turn off international assist and you won't have any more problems with phone numbers.

CatInABox

Yeah, you'll get stuff like this on any phone OS after an update, to be honest, particularly on "older" phones. Look at all the people talking about problems with the iPhone after an update for example. Not excusing or belittling your issues here, but just trying to provide some prospective.

There are some issues in your list that I agree with, like your complaint about battery saver, which I'd expand to include the entire "Settings". It's got no method, it's just pure madness.

With Viber, and other apps, the "App Gap" has changed from being a quantity issue to being a quality issue, a lot of apps just are not well made on Windows Phone. It's got little to do with Windows Phone, except as a consequence of low market share though.

Not sure on your full resolution issue, again, perhaps that's an "older" phone issue rather than anything else, as this works on my 930.

Xbox Music has been fine for me, but then I don't really like the social aspect of Spotify.

The Microsoft Apps on other platforms is actually a consequence of the Windows 10 direction, it frustrating, but you can see why they'd do it. They've essentially decided that development on Windows Phone 8.1 should stop, as Windows 10 (along with Universal Apps) would render it defunct anyway.

While Windows Phone 8.1 has issues, every other OS also has there own issues, issues that will be more evident on three year old phones.

At the end of the day, it'll still just come down to personal taste, and for me, the rough edges and issues that I run into are more acceptable than the rough edges and issues on other platforms. In saying that, I have recommended all three platforms to people that have asked me for advice, and I recommend based upon what I think is right for them, not what is right for myself.

hadoken13

Don't get me wrong, I want to stay using a Windows phone but there are so many issues that Microsoft aren't resolving. The only people that don't appear to have issues with the 8.1 update are people that rooted their phone (or applied the developer preview). I even convinced my girlfriend (HTC 8S) and two sisters (Lumia 520 & 620) to move to Windows phone. I will never move to Apple - hardware is great but interface hasn't changed in years, no SD card, stupid charger.

Windows 10 will be out and there will still be no Cortana in Ireland (Google Voice and Siri have been available for ages) and due to Vodafone and other carriers being dicks other updates take ages to arrive i.e. denim.

I vaguely remember somethign about Microsoft stating that when Windows phone was first launching that everyone who buys a Windows phone will receive updates at the same time but pressure from carriers changed this - Apple is in such a strong market position that they can push updates out to all their phones.

bidiots

hadoken13 wrote: »

Windows 10 will be out and there will still be no Cortana in Ireland (Google Voice and Siri have been available for ages)

Cortana either uk or us settings at least works, excellently. Siri is atrocious.

hadoken13

bidiots wrote: »

Cortana either uk or us settings at least works, excellently. Siri is atrocious.

Ye but when or will it ever be released without having to fiddle with settings.

Another thing that doesn't work well after the 8.1 update is the store updates. Take yesterday for example, 12 updates showing in the store but today there are none. I have to manually go into the store app and click check for updates and then they show up.

CatInABox

Microsoft did indeed promise that everyone would get the updates, but as you say, they ran into the realities of the carriers. "Preview for Developers" is their way around this issue, and it's one that been lauded for it's success.

Of course, Apple doesn't have this problem, but then Apple is Apple, and they can force the carriers to dance a jig if they wanted. Google does have that problem, or at least they have that problem if you don't have a Nexus phone.

For all the great strides that Microsoft has made reinventing themselves over the past three years (and they have made many), there are still some areas in which they are still comically inept. They are totally region based, and seem to struggle to even think beyond America at times. Look at the Microsoft Band, something that has been a surprise success for them, it's still doesn't have a release date outside America. Hell, they can't even produce enough to keep up with demand in America, never mind other countries.

It's frustrating, but then, that's Microsoft, a company that can snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.

hadoken13

Still having so many issues since the 8.1 update 1 and Denim on my 920. I reset my phone using the software recovery tool and issues persist. Driving mode doesn't read my text messages any more, apps take a few seconds longer to load, battery is terrible, apps freeze etc.

Anyone have any solutions to driving mode not reading text messages?

hadoken13

Just an update on this, I finally ditched my Lumia and went over to the dark side, or Android by buying a OnePlus One. So far so good - less issues than my Lumia and far more apps. But Windows phones still do a lot more things way better than Android i.e. contact sync, Bluetooth, iTunes sync etc. and I miss the camera apps and settings on my Lumia.

theothernt

So, you're saying you'll be back one day? ;-)

TBi

I've gone android too from a 930. OnePlus One aswell. Camera is shocking in it though. Might sell it off but i'll probably stay with Android.

hadoken13

theothernt wrote: »

So, you're saying you'll be back one day? ;-)

I more than likely will. All depends on how stable the official Windows 10 release will be and if they will release a proper successor to the 1020 or keep releasing low-end handsets. Although I am getting the hang of Android and the OnePlus One - learning new stuff every day.

I got a Lumia 830 just before Christmas. The poor quality of the apps and the poor rendering in IE sent me back to iOS unfortunately. It's a shame because I loved the Windows Phone interface.