But how does the OS compare to Android and iOS, which powers iPhone? Are WP8 smartphones better than Android devices and iPhone?
Let's take a look at WP8 features that are likely to matter to consumers and see what has changed compared to the earlier version of the OS.
User interface: In terms of user interface, WP8 doesn't change anything. Just like the earlier versions of the software, WP8 looks beautiful with layered users interface, clean lines, and lots of square boxes - Microsoft calls them tiles - that replace program icons. These tiles, unlike icons, are bigger and can display nuggets of information. For example, the Mail tile can show the number of unread mails. The layers in the OS give the user interface a 2D effect. It is a very unique and modern design and works well. We tested WP8 with HTC 8X and found no lag or low frame rates in the user interface.
New lockscreen: The original Windows Phone had no notification system. It relied on live tiles to show new information to users. But WP8 has a lockscreen where six apps can show their notifications. However, compared to what competitors have in their mobile software, it is still basic. Apps can also use lockscreen as a canvas where they can show information or change content. For example, Bing app can refresh the lockscreen wallpaper to match it with whatever it is showing on its website.
Customizable homescreen: Previous versions of WP had an empty bar on right side of the homescreen. This, we believe, was added for design reasons as it gave the screen some depth and highlighted its 2D effect. But in WP8 it is gone. Now the live tiles can stretch across the screen and show more content. The tiles can also be resized as tiny small or big. This makes the homescreen on WP8 immensely customizable.
Rooms: This is a new feature that allows users to club their contacts together. Once a Room has been created with a few contacts, the users part of it can share calendar, chat room, videos and photos etc with ease.
Support for better hardware: With Windows Phone, Microsoft decides what sort of hardware its partners can put in the devices. Compared to the previous WP versions, WP8 supports better hardware, including dual-core processors, 720P resolution screen, better cameras and 1GB RAM. It also supports storage expansion through microSD cards, something that was not available to WP users earlier.
Kid's Corner: This is one of the signature features of WP8. It allows users to create a separate list of apps that restrict any kid using the phone to that list. This means, when your kid is playing Angry Birds on the phone, he can't go to your Twitter app, even accidentally. For people who don't share their phones with kids, this feature may not matter much. But those who do will appreciate the usefulness of it.
Integration with Twitter and Facebook: This is something that WP has since very beginning and nothing changes in the latest version of the OS. WP8 can not only show your social buddies as part of your contacts but can also fetch updates from their Facebook or Twitter feeds into the People app. Meanwhile, your mention on these websites appears in Me app. Some people find it pretty useful. However, in our use we found that Me or People apps are not full-fledged social networking apps. Third-part apps are still necessary. But using them leads to the scenario where several apps show same content.
Useful maps: For WP map and location services Microsoft earlier relied on Bing maps. But with WP8, it is using data provided by Nokia. This makes the maps and location services in WP8 lot more useful, especially to users in India.
Better multitasking: Windows Phone 7 allowed users to switch between apps but as soon as an app went into the background, the app was paused. It was resumed again when a user switched to it. In WP8, Microsoft has fine-tuned the resuming to make it fast, as well as has added support for apps that require active data connection when they are in the background. But the multitasking still feels jarring. Freezing video player or word processor works fine but for apps like Rowi, which is supposed to run all the time to pull tweets whenever they are posted, it doesn't work. Though at the moment, it is also likely that older apps like Rowi are yet to be updated for WP8.
How it compares to Android
Primarily, WP8 devices are going to compete against Android phones. While earlier versions of WP were no match for Android, with WP8 things look more balanced. Android phones have better flexibility in how you use them, better multimedia performance, access to more (and better quality) apps, a much better notification system, more useful multitasking and most likely better hardware at a given price point. However, WP8 devices have a better user interface with fast performance and are likely to have better physical design. They are also simpler to use compared to Android devices.
How it compares to iOS
While iPhone 5 is a very good device, iOS is getting a little long in the tooth. WP8 has a better user interface, better-integrated maps, better file management. In terms of performance, both iOS and WP8 are on equal footing. iOS is slightly better as far as multitasking and notification system are concerned. But the area where iOS wins big, nullifying most WP8's advantages, is the ecosystem. iPhones have access to significantly better and more useful apps compared to what WP8 phonescan get at the moment.
Bottomline
Windows Phone has improved a lot. In its current iterations it is now a valid choice for people who are fed up of how slow or laggy Android feels or don't like the fact that most Android phones don't get timely updates.
Similarly, a WP8 device is a reasonable option if you want a well-designed phone that is simple to use but don't like iPhone, either because it has a smaller screen or due to its high cost.
But there are compromises involved. Like multitasking quirks. Or lack of proper notification system. Or a not-so-well-stocked app store. It's all about figuring out what is important to you. In nutshell, all we can say is that: If you want a phone that 'just works', get an iPhone. If you want the best value for money, best features and the most flexible phone, get an Android device. And if you want something that has a fresh interface, fast performance, looks great and is easy to use, get a Windows Phone 8 device.
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