• Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.

Windows Phone |OT2|

Status
Not open for further replies.
So the podcast on WPcentral they claim that the notifications are going to get a make over, they said it's going to look good and we should be excited. Go us.

I found that interesting because Windows 8 only has toast and tile notifications, so I was kind of assuming that WP8 wouldn't get any significant notification changes.

They also said that 7.8 is really just a cosmetic update and only brings the new start screen.

:/
 

maeh2k

Member
Thurrot said that they are bringing Contracts to WP8 which is also great if true.

I'm not an expert on Windows 8 contracts, but I think what they showed in WP8 might be different from W8 contracts.

In Windows 8, as far as I can tell, the use of contracts is limited to a couple of selected functions such as search, share or settings. Apart from sharing e.g. a file with another app, there are no customized contracts. There is no way to just hand off a task to another app.

If WP8 supports general cooperation between apps it might be closer to Android's 'intents', where you can launch an app from within another app and pass along your intent to tell the app what you want it to do.

If there is no general cooperation then there will be a small selection of contracts for specific purposes such as the mobile payment stuff.
 

maeh2k

Member
I'll just repost my opinion on the start screen from the other thread.


I'm not nearly as negative about the start screen as some of you guys, even though I liked the space on the right.

I like the ability to change the size of the tiles and I do like that there are smaller tiles. That's especially useful for applications that don't have a good live function. For example right now I have two tiles pinned for mobile data and wifi. Those take up way too much space for these types of shortcuts.

When you have small tiles it makes sense to get rid of the space on the right. More space for the tiles means bigger tiles and in case of the small ones bigger touch targets.

Overall, I think the new tile sizes will improve the usability of the start screen (despite being a little bit less appealing). Access to the app list is consequently less obvious/intuitive, but it's one of those things you learn/discover once and then it's no longer an issue.



Additionally, the fact that WP8 apps don't work on WP7 devices might not be that big of a deal, either. Apart from games, apps are still written in C#/xaml. If an app doesn't make use of the new features like voice or background location, it can be compiled to 7.8 and 8.0. If an app does use some of the new APIs, for a lot of cases it would still be rather easy to make a version without those features. There is a sufficient user base out there to warrant a little bit of effort to adapt the apps.
 
Additionally, the fact that WP8 apps don't work on WP7 devices might not be that big of a deal, either. Apart from games, apps are still written in C#/xaml. If an app doesn't make use of the new features like voice or background location, it can be compiled to 7.8 and 8.0. If an app does use some of the new APIs, for a lot of cases it would still be rather easy to make a version without those features. There is a sufficient user base out there to warrant a little bit of effort to adapt the apps.

And that's the problem. Developers would have to recompile it and submit it twice. Devs are lazy and demonstrated their laziness by not recompiling their apps for Mango or Tango, which why we still have apps in the marketplace that won't resume properly or won't run on Tango phones, even though it shouldn't be a problem (hello Angry Birds).
 

Pachimari

Member
So ALL WP7 devices get the new start screen, even Lumia 800?

Cause then I'll contemplate getting the Lumia 800, as Wallet and NFC won't take off in my country for years and the L800 will be cheap this fall.
 

maeh2k

Member
And that's the problem. Developers would have to recompile it and submit it twice. Devs are lazy and demonstrated their laziness by not recompiling their apps for Mango or Tango, which why we still have apps in the marketplace that won't resume properly or won't run on Tango phones, even though it shouldn't be a problem (hello Angry Birds).

If they start with the WP7 version, branch it and add WP8 features on top, it's really not an issue. There are certain types of apps such as VoIP, mapping with background location and games that will completely ignore WP7, but for the rest there shouldn't be a big difference between WP7 and WP8 versions. Most apps forego the speech API, as well, since speech doesn't make sense for every type of app.

I'm not saying that I'm sure WP7 will continue to get virtually all new apps, but I think it could still get a lot of them and especially the ones where the developer puts in a lot of effort.
 
I think I've calmed down now.

Yes, they kinda fucked up the start screen, but the rest of Metro is still intact and they didn't go all Windows 8 on it, with multi-colored tiles and backgrounds. The rest of the design language is there as well.

I try not to bitch about the start screen anymore, until I've tried it.


The Windows Phone blog said after the WP8 release.

I doubt it comes "in the coming weeks", when it's so buggy that they still can't show the app list.

"Windows Phone…7.8!

The new Start screen is so useful and emblematic of what Windows Phone is about that we want everybody to enjoy it. So we’ll be delivering it to existing phones as a software update sometime after Window Phone 8 is released. Let me repeat: If you currently own a Windows Phone 7.5 handset, Microsoft is planning to release an update with the new Windows Phone 8 Start screen. We’re calling it “Windows Phone 7.8.”"
 

joshschw

Member
I think I've calmed down now.

Yes, they kinda fucked up the start screen, but the rest of Metro is still intact and they didn't go all Windows 8 on it, with multi-colored tiles and backgrounds. The rest of the design language is there as well.

I try not to bitch about the start screen anymore, until I've tried it.

I still think it's a massive downgrade in terms of appearance, but I copied over the direct feed screenshots of the new start screen and on the actual phone they are not AS bad.

Not as nice as it is now though, and the regular sized square tiles are going to be enormous on any screen, even the 3.8" I have on my Trophy... and they are odd looking, especially with the same sized icons in the middle of them - like the now tiny phone in the middle of a big square, it looks awkward, even on its own.

The new small icons are far less of an issue than the fact it's just plain unappealing visually taking up the entire screen. You can't opt out of that part by not using the small tiles.
 

Vanillalite

Ask me about the GAF Notebook
Makes me want to get the 720 not 768 design screen. Less room to stretch out the tiles.

I still don't see the big feature that is going to move people from iOS or Android land.
 
I still think it's a massive downgrade in terms of appearance, but I copied over the direct feed screenshots of the new start screen and on the actual phone they are not AS bad.

Not as nice as it is now though, and the regular sized square tiles are going to be enormous on any screen, even the 3.8" I have on my Trophy... and they are odd looking, especially with the same sized icons in the middle of them - like the now tiny phone in the middle of a big square, it looks awkward, even on its own.

The new small icons are far less of an issue than the fact it's just plain unappealing visually taking up the entire screen. You can't opt out of that part by not using the small tiles.

You can't believe how good it feels to finally meet a person that understands you perfectly. Even if you go all square tiles after the update, it still won't look as good as it does right now.

I personally think it wouldn't look as bad if they would've scaled the icons with the new tile size.
 

PG2G

Member
Makes me want to get the 720 not 768 design screen. Less room to stretch out the tiles.

I still don't see the big feature that is going to move people from iOS or Android land.

The big feature is that the apps won't be as crippled by the OS and the hardware will no longer be behind :p I think there are a fair number of people out there that wouldn't even consider a WP7 device due to the specs.

http://www.theverge.com/2012/6/20/3103995/windows-phone-8-devices-qualcomm-snapdragon-s4-plus

That means they should have GPUs twice as fast as those in the S4 phones like Galaxy S III and HTC One X (AT&T versions). Nice to know :)
 

giga

Member
The big feature is that the apps won't be as crippled by the OS and the hardware will no longer be behind :p I think there are a fair number of people out there that wouldn't even consider a WP7 device due to the specs.

http://www.theverge.com/2012/6/20/3103995/windows-phone-8-devices-qualcomm-snapdragon-s4-plus

That means they should have GPUs twice as fast as those in the S4 phones like Galaxy S III and HTC One X (AT&T versions). Nice to know :)
Not necessarily. The MSM8960 in the SIII and One X are already S4+.

2JJSV.png
 

giga

Member
I can't wait for HTC to introduce the HTC One 7.
Anandtech brings the details that bloggers don't care about.

Update: Qualcomm stated in a note to us that the initial Windows Phone 8 devices will use a Snapdragon S4 Plus SoC. I asked for clarification about which specific SoC this is, and found out it is indeed MSM8960 inside - dual core krait with Adreno 225.
http://www.anandtech.com/show/6030/...hone-8-hardware-partners-qualcomm-socs-inside
 

Blackhead

Redarse
I still don't see the big feature that is going to move people from iOS or Android land.
Wallet?

gKqqH.png


but

WSJ said:
One new feature gaining buzz is Passbook, a new mobile app from Apple that will consolidate different passes and offer cards in one place to help users interact with different merchants. Mr. Schiller said the company is steering clear of making it a more direct payment product, for now. He said so-called digital wallet mobile-payment services are "all fighting over their piece of the pie, and we aren't doing that."

 

Dipswitch

Member
I think the stuff they announced today signals a strong future for Windows Phone. The inability to upgrade the Lumia phones is a punch in the nuts for the people who forked out top dollar for those units though. Good reasons for the decision, but the timing is lousy. Not to mention they've essentially removed any reason for people to buy those models going forward.

Personally, I'm glad I only forked out short money for my HD7 unit last fall. I'll either spring for a full featured model later this year or early next. Now that I think of it, I could probably live with the 7.8 update until Christmas 2013. Assuming developers don't start compiling the apps exclusively for WP8 en masse of course.
 

venne

Member
Makes me want to get the 720 not 768 design screen. Less room to stretch out the tiles.

I still don't see the big feature that is going to move people from iOS or Android land.

Windows 8 is the draw.

If that doesn't pan out, I don't think there will be any change in marketshare.
 

PG2G

Member
So this means Pureview, as it exists in the 808, is off the table, correct?

I think PureView had dedicated hardware outside of the SoC, it might still be an option.

Has anyone commented on how/if cheapie phones will be WP8, or will they continue with WP7.x? I'm curious because just a week ago Nokia was saying they would push prices down even further than the Lumia 610...
 

PG2G

Member
I'm kind of excited about what the RCSe stuff is bringing. Thurott's article says that is how Skype is integrated, and it looks pretty much like any of the integrated services like Facebook and Messenger.

He also suggests that someone could create a Yahoo Chat app with RCSe that would integrate into contacts and all of that. I'd be pretty damn ecstatic if someone could integrate Google Talk that way.
 

PG2G

Member

http://www.winsupersite.com/article/windows-phone-8/windows-phone-8-unveiled-143477

See the Seamless Communication section. I'm guessing this is one of the consumer features that they didn't disclose.

Also, mary jo foley just told me on twitter that the cheapie phones coming in the future won't be running WP8 either. I guess that means they will continue to update WP7.x? Maybe they'll leave that shit to Nokia, lol
Edit: nm, I think she misunderstood me
 

kehs

Banned
http://www.winsupersite.com/article/windows-phone-8/windows-phone-8-unveiled-143477

See the Seamless Communication section. I'm guessing this is one of the consumer features that they didn't disclose.

Also, mary jo foley just told me on twitter that the cheapie phones coming in the future won't be running WP8 either. I guess that means they will continue to update WP7.x? Maybe they'll leave that shit to Nokia, lol

Ah I see, looks they'll let third party s tie into the database without having to money hat companies.

Although it hasn't worked that great on android, I haven't seen a single app tie into the people app yet aside from g+.

Lol at them still shipping out 7.8.

It's a feature for carriers to integrate their bloatware and shitty services into the os. Imagine a Verizon-branded version of Skype, deeply integrated into the OS. Mmmmm.

Lol what, where'd you get that from?
 
Anyone know when we'll find out about more of the consumer features for WP8?

Still hoping for a fully synced messaging apps for WP8 and Win 8.

I won't get access to that though. :/
 

Jadedx

Banned
Really want be able to change the background, even it it is just a few different colored options like in windows 8 start screen.
 

PG2G

Member
Yeah, would be nice if the S4 had a better GPU. It beats the Exonys quad core in CPU (or matches), but the GPU is about half as fast
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top Bottom