Windows Phones- Reliability Issues

TBi · 07-10-2014 10:23AM

hadoken13 wrote: »

All quiet here when you mention a load of problems

Shhh!! Windows Phone never has problems! Which is a problem because when something does go wrong no one knows how to debug it!

beauf · 07-10-2014 10:19PM

hadoken13 wrote: »

But his point about the Google apps are very relevant - very little support by Google for Windows Phone, even though they have plenty of apps on the Apple store. I'd rather use an app then go through the browser. However, I agree on the argument with the lack of apps - let's be honest there aren't too many of the premium apps that most people use that aren't available in the Windows Phone store.

Which google apps. Because a lot of them are direct competitors, bing, office, One Drive, One Note.

hadoken13 wrote: »

Back to the reliability of Windows Phones, I am having problems with my 920 since the update to 8.1. The phone hangs a lot when changing the mobile setting, the compass no longer works, the store shows updates some days then on other days no updates show, even when there are updates available - I have to install another app to get the other updates to show.

Did you have problems before? are you on the developer update or the official release?

I find the updates are regional. They are on the US/UK store sometimes but not on the Irish one. Or appear much later. What are you missing in the apps that you need the update for?

hadoken13 wrote: »

My sister has a 520 and Whatsapp & Skype work intermittently. She has other issues with the phone hanging in settings. My girlfriend has a HTC 8x (I know it's a very basic model which 8.1 will not be installed on) and is considering going back to Android with all the problems.

The 8x is not a basic model. That was the 8s. There is meant to be an update coming. Again what in the update are you looking for that you are missing?

http://wmpoweruser.com/windows-phone-8-1-update-to-hit-htc-8x-in-late-october/

hadoken13 wrote: »

I actually convinced most of my family to go to Windows Phone (my other sister has a 720 and has a few issues) and hate to see all these issues.

So I can justifiably say that there are issues with Windows Phone's reliability.

I like Windows Phones but am seriously considering moving to Android when I next upgrade.

Windows phone is still a new OS relatively speaking. Android has its own problem. Especially at the low end. I don't think you are going to avoid some problems no matter which you switch to. IOS is the most mature, then Android then WP.

All that said, I would consider moving back to Android, but not if I can only get a low end device. You'd need to be getting a MotoG or better.

caycro · 07-10-2014 10:32PM

I have had a Nokia 800 for two years and have loved it. Sadly, cannot upgrade the software ( i knew this when bought it so got it cheap, 120e) and now skype is not being supported. whatsapp doesn't push notifications as regularly as it should but apart from that, no problems. Himself bought the 625, battery life not as good on that as mine tbh but the phone is great too. Can be used as a wifi hub so saved us buying a mobile wifi hotspot when we needed one last year. At 160e and unlocked after 3 months, it was a good price and a heck of a lot cheaper than the Apple.

beauf · 07-10-2014 10:37PM

I think it works better than Android as a phone. As a smart phone it has some limitations. The browser on IE is poor. Esepcially the lack of fwd and back buttons. Half the time back takes you out of the apps, and when you go back its forgotten where you were. Things like that are annoying. But I love the speed of the OS even on a cheap 520.

hadoken13 · 08-10-2014 08:53AM

beauf wrote: »

Which google apps. Because a lot of them are direct competitors, bing, office, One Drive, One Note.

A simple official Gmail app and a Google Search app - the Google search app on the phone is crap and setting the default search to Google isn't great either - and let's be honest, Bing search is really crap even on a PC.

beauf wrote: »

Did you have problems before? are you on the developer update or the official release?

I find the updates are regional. They are on the US/UK store sometimes but not on the Irish one. Or appear much later. What are you missing in the apps that you need the update for?

Had a few before the update but not nearly as many as since the update. My store update issues have nothing to do with the region. For instance today I have 25 apps waiting to be updated, in a few days I may go into the store and it says no updates are available. I then have to reset the phone, set the time and date and then the apps are showing for updates again.

beauf wrote: »

The 8x is not a basic model. That was the 8s. There is meant to be an update coming. Again what in the update are you looking for that you are missing?

http://wmpoweruser.com/windows-phone-8-1-update-to-hit-htc-8x-in-late-october/

No 8.1 coming for the 8s model.

beauf wrote: »

Windows phone is still a new OS relatively speaking. Android has its own problem. Especially at the low end. I don't think you are going to avoid some problems no matter which you switch to. IOS is the most mature, then Android then WP.

All that said, I would consider moving back to Android, but not if I can only get a low end device. You'd need to be getting a MotoG or better.

4 years old all the same (if you include WP7). Don't like IOS at all - hasn't changed since inception.

beauf wrote: »

I think it works better than Android as a phone. As a smart phone it has some limitations. The browser on IE is poor. Esepcially the lack of fwd and back buttons. Half the time back takes you out of the apps, and when you go back its forgotten where you were. Things like that are annoying. But I love the speed of the OS even on a cheap 520.

In the 8.1 update you can swipe back and forward on the browser to navigate pages.

beauf · 08-10-2014 09:40AM

I just use the google website to search. I just think that method worked better for me.

What are these updates? For what apps? I only get a handful of updates in a month. What new stuff are these updates adding? On the Android phones we have they get a ton of updates but they are mainly games and such.

Do you have a 8s or 8x? I thought on the developer preview even the 8s got 8.1 ill have to find a link. Its worse on android the low and even middle end phones often never get an update from the manufacturer our the network. We've two dual core android phones both stuck on 2.3.6 for this reason. Have had the same problem on almost all the budget androids that we've had.

4yrs is still new in os terms. Though MS have been very slow with adding features and fixes.

Didn't know about the swipe. Thanks that might be handy. Its still not a patch on opera on android Imo.

theothernt · 08-10-2014 10:52AM

hadoken13 wrote: »

No 8.1 coming for the 8s model.

The 8s and 8x are getting 8.1 Update 1...

http://blogs.windows.com/bloggingwindows/2014/09/24/new-update-for-windows-phone-preview-for-developers/

hadoken13 · 08-10-2014 03:58PM

theothernt wrote: »

The 8s and 8x are getting 8.1 Update 1...

http://blogs.windows.com/bloggingwindows/2014/09/24/new-update-for-windows-phone-preview-for-developers/

Not sure about the 8s as HTC recently stated that the 8s does not meet the criteria for an update:

http://www.wpcentral.com/htc-8s-apparently-wont-be-seeing-windows-phone-81-update-1

I'll try to find more from HTC.

beauf · 08-10-2014 04:21PM

The problem with 8S has always been it has 4GB which leaves too little space with the stock software.

They may find some work around yet, or they might give up.

This is a similar issues for 8GB iPhones
http://lowendmac.com/2014/does-ios-8-mark-the-end-of-8-gb-iphones/

kevmc1180 · 09-10-2014 10:55PM

I have a Lumia 920 and got the wp 8.1 upgrade a few months ago now, and I have had no such issues, phone running perfect...

Antar Bolaeisk · 20-10-2014 05:01PM

Anyone having any issues with the latest update? Phone was working perfectly up until today and now it's freezing on apps to the point where I can't even lock/unlock the phone and data connectivity sometimes completely fails. Think I might have to do a factory reset as the phone has been almost unusable today.

damon5 · 20-10-2014 06:06PM

I,m using a nokia 925 for a few months and had an issue the other day while playing a game on it.Had noticed that the top of the phone was starting to get warm while playing the game and then got a call so I answered it,after a short while the phone was getting hot so I ended the call.When I looked at the phone the screen was black so being a touch screen was incable to do anything,if someone rang the phone it would ring but of course I couldn't answer.Did a bit of googling and came across the https://expertcentre.nokia.com/en/articles/kbarticles/Pages/Nokia-Software-Recovery-Tool.aspx .I connected the phone to the computer with the mini usb lead and downloaded it onto the computer and ran it,very shortly after the phone started vibrating and the screen came back and bingo phone as good as new..
p.s it does say to save photos,contacts etc or you will lose them but I never did and nothing was missing after at all.

senordingdong · 20-10-2014 07:41PM

Antar Bolaeisk wrote: »

Anyone having any issues with the latest update? Phone was working perfectly up until today and now it's freezing on apps to the point where I can't even lock/unlock the phone and data connectivity sometimes completely fails. Think I might have to do a factory reset as the phone has been almost unusable today.

Getting that alot lately myself.
Qi has also crapped out.

Antar Bolaeisk · 23-10-2014 04:55PM

Turned out my problem was related to the VPN settings which I had been playing about with. Once I turned off VPN everything returned to normal which I must say was a little disappointing as lack of VPN was one of my main gripes with 7.8.

hadoken13 · 24-10-2014 08:08AM

I have another issue since the update - cannot back up my settings and apps. Keeps getting as far as 96% then fails every time.

GristlyEnd · 24-10-2014 10:07AM

I had this issue before. Go to settings, backup, apps+settings, manage backups. Click on delete then try the backup again.

hadoken13 · 26-10-2014 12:29PM

DarrenG wrote: »

I had this issue before. Go to settings, backup, apps+settings, manage backups. Click on delete then try the backup again.

That worked.

hadoken13 · 29-12-2014 02:25PM

Does anyone know how to turn off the lights on the three buttons at the bottom of the phone i.e. the back, windows and search buttons? Before the update you could put the phone in battery saver mode and the lights turn off, but they stay on now. This is a pain when watching stuff on the phone at night as the buttons are very bright.

theothernt · 29-12-2014 06:04PM

hadoken13 wrote: »

Does anyone know how to turn off the lights on the three buttons at the bottom of the phone i.e. the back, windows and search buttons? Before the update you could put the phone in battery saver mode and the lights turn off, but they stay on now. This is a pain when watching stuff on the phone at night as the buttons are very bright.

I don't see an option for it at all on the latest OS update

hadoken13 · 29-12-2014 09:52PM

theothernt wrote: »

I don't see an option for it at all on the latest OS update

Ye - the more I use the phone since the 8.1 update the more I am starting to dislike it. The only bits I like since the update is the notification centre. Battery has been poor since the update, problems with the store not showing updates too.

raspberrypi67 · 29-12-2014 10:40PM

I've a windows phone and if I won the lotto I'd make a youtube video of me burning it slowly....I would by a bucket of them also and then put them all into lava flow and watch with great satisfaction!!!!

hadoken13 · 29-12-2014 11:04PM

raspberrypi67 wrote: »

I've a windows phone and if I won the lotto I'd make a youtube video of me burning it slowly....I would by a bucket of them also and then put them all into lava flow and watch with great satisfaction!!!!

Why do you have it still, if you hate it so much? Doesn't make sense.

raspberrypi67 · 30-12-2014 02:02PM

MONEY, and I'm unemployed at the minute so I've to put up with it unfortunately....

Stormington · 30-12-2014 06:29PM

MONEY, and I'm unemployed at the minute so I've to put up with it unfortunately....

Ara, throw it up on adverts or donedeal and make a few bob and swap to another system. I did that with an L520 after the ebay app locked me into buying 3 items I had browsed when I wanted only one...

Davy · 30-12-2014 07:04PM

raspberrypi67 wrote: »

MONEY, and I'm unemployed at the minute so I've to put up with it unfortunately....

What model is it?
What exactly don't you like about it?

If you had the money what would you go for instead?

hadoken13 · 31-12-2014 10:14AM

theothernt wrote: »

I don't see an option for it at all on the latest OS update

The option was removed since the last update. Now I can't watch Netflix or anything on the phone at night as the bright home buttons (even with the display brightness turned down) distract too much.

Starting to think that the only good thing about the 8.1 update is the notification centre. The battery has gotten worse, there are problems with app updates not showing, can't turn off lights on home buttons and I never use the show more tiles on home screen option.

I really don't want to go to Android, my last three phones were Windows phones, but it is getting more and more likely.

raspberrypi67 · 31-12-2014 01:37PM

Davy wrote: »

What model is it?
What exactly don't you like about it?

If you had the money what would you go for instead?

Its an idea ok. Its a Nokia Lumia 520 with 8.1 s/w at this stage. I don't like the way its organised and the way they show the information on screen. Also, I have problems texting certain letters on the screen keypad , they dont work , unless i hold the phone on the horizontal!!! Some of the touch screen is dead I recon...I hate the way these phones then bring in all the contacts from my mail accounts which I NEVER wanted to do. I also lost a lot of contacts when changing over from a samsung ( I hate too ) to this one. Though it may not necessarily have been the fault of the lumia? Who knows. I have NEVER know a contact change over from phone to phone to go smoothly in my experience...This is starting to get me going now....They should consentrate on the small important things rather than trying to be able to fly the space shuttle from one!!! If you get my drift!!

hadoken13 · 31-12-2014 02:43PM

raspberrypi67 wrote: »

Its an idea ok. Its a Nokia Lumia 520 with 8.1 s/w at this stage. I don't like the way its organised and the way they show the information on screen. Also, I have problems texting certain letters on the screen keypad , they dont work , unless i hold the phone on the horizontal!!! Some of the touch screen is dead I recon...I hate the way these phones then bring in all the contacts from my mail accounts which I NEVER wanted to do. I also lost a lot of contacts when changing over from a samsung ( I hate too ) to this one. Though it may not necessarily have been the fault of the lumia? Who knows. I have NEVER know a contact change over from phone to phone to go smoothly in my experience...This is starting to get me going now....They should consentrate on the small important things rather than trying to be able to fly the space shuttle from one!!! If you get my drift!!

You can move the tiles around or resize them to show information as to how you would want it to show. Sounds like the touch is not functioning correctly - my sister has the 520 and she has no issues (my other sister has the 620 and she has a few issues) but this is the most basic model of the Windows Phone so it's not perfect.

If you have Contacts checked under the sync settings for your mail accounts then it will bring these across. Check to see if this is the case - you can open Gmail for example go to Settings/Sync Settings and scroll down to see what to sync. Also, in the People hub you can filter what contacts to show. I find the People part of the Outlook.com site useful for managing contacts too.

beauf · 31-12-2014 03:05PM

The 620 isn't the most basic phone. It's got quite a decent spec and all the software that high end phones did at that time.

Dead spots on screen is simply a broken phone. I've had that on some my old Samsung phones. It's got nothing to do with the OS.

Contracts issues are not OS related. I set up an email account just for phone contacts. I add my main email separately. Keeps then separate. I'm using outlook for my contacts as I hate the way google are trying to merge all my online accounts for different devices. It's just data mining personal data. On WP I can keep my contacts, email, you tube all separate.

That stuff at least works ok. Google merging contacts is partially how you set up the phone your gmail and whatever google latest own the worlds data strategy is.

beauf · 31-12-2014 03:10PM

Turning off the lights off the hardware buttons is an interesting one. Some if not all the new WP phones have the buttons not as physical buttons but in software on screen. So they hide when playing media.

The lower end older phones buttons don't light up. So it will be interesting to see if MS fix this. As it only effects some phones.

Windows Phones- Reliability Issues

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