Being an advanced user and developer for all three major platforms, Android, IOS and Windows Phone, I have actually noticed that putting aside android, IOS and Windows Phone aren't so different. While Android is very much java based, IOS and Windows phone are mostly C# and C++. But let's put the programming aside and forget about Android for a while, shall we?
Before we get any further, I would like to emphasize that I am not saying that these two platforms are the same. I'm just saying that they have similar draw backs and similar strengths. We all know IOS looks way better, unless you love the live tile home screen on Windows phone which is just about it. But honestly the rest of the platform is ugly.
Of course IOS has more developer options from a developer stand point. Supports all the common things which Microsoft is intentionally holding back on Windows Phone. Has much better looking built-in apps. But how about we step away from the UI a bit and go to functionality.
IOS has all the limitations of Windows Phone. Windows Phone doesn’t have all the limitations of IOS. This means that Windows Phone is more open that IOS officially. I don’t understand why no one complains about the lack of Bluetooth file transfer in IOS. Why nobody complains about the less than average pull down notification menu (compared to Android).
Why on earth doesn’t anyone ever take apple to court for being unable to simply drag personal files onto and off of their beloved iPad. I don’t know about you guys but that iTunes Sync thing pisses me off. The lack of file management is just unacceptable. Why would you have a portable computer if you cannot manage your files?
Oh I got the answer. "Go home, manage the files with your MacBook and use them on ur iPad" . This means that anyone who owns an iDevice must own a PC or a Mac. But who complains about any of this? No body. Do you know why no one complains?
The answer is very simple. It is because the little that is done is actually done perfectly. The apps on IOS are magnificent. The openness of the OS to developers deserves a hand clap. Does anyone of you ever get the feeling that the so called vulnerability that hackers use to jail break IOS is actually intentionally left un patched by Apple so as to allow more freedom to power users. Apps that exploit the jail break may not be allowed on the App Store but you can easily install them after the jailbreak. These allow you to use Bluetooth File transfer, file managers and even change the skin completely.
What does this mean to developers? It means that the APIs which create those jailbreak exploiting apps are actually made available. I don’t think those devs actually create the APIs. That’s your food for thought, you do the dishes.
So why do we all complain and wine about all the annoyances of Windows Phone (including 8.1). Remember you can Bluetooth file transfer on Windows Phone out of the box. You can use file management at a somewhat limited level. And you can just drag and drop files on the storage device using a PC or a Mac.
Now the reason we all complain is that Microsoft has FAILED to deliver the basics. All the marketing points are Nokia. The Camera, the beautiful phones, HD microphones, etc... Its 2014 and somehow, just somehow Microsoft cannot built a functional Music App (Windows 98 could actually do this), Cannot build a browser that can upload images to Facebook.
Cannot sort out the audio engine. The apps are just horrible. Don’t blame the developers here. MS hasn’t provided the tools to build proper ones. And to add salt to the wound, it has blocked off some channels by making Windows Phone incompatible to many platforms. The list is really long and I agree we all have the right to Wine till we get Real Racing 3 on Windows Phone but IOS offers its fair share of such annoying issues.
The major difference here is that IOS offers a work around for these drawbacks while Windows Phone is so locked down that you cannot find a hole to slide a hair pin through. If you have a different opinion please share it with us via the comment box. Don’t forget to let us know which platform’s limitations you can or cannot deal with and why?
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