iOS to WP8?

January 24, 2013 9:14 AM

My company is considering switching our work phones over from iOS phones to Windows Phone 8, and I've been asked to report back with how this will affect our ability to work.

I've wanted to try out Windows Phone, but I am a little worried as to whether I'll be able to get my work done effectively with it.

My wheelhouse within the company is digital marketing, which includes some website development, social media outreach and digital strategy.

My main areas of concern:
1. Gmail - I use gMail for work/personal, but I'm aware that MSFT is implementing a fix here - not so worried
2. YouTube - We're often tasked with taking photos/video at events. I've heard that Google's been denying WP8 some YouTube support, and that folks have had to use 3rd party services. Will these get the job done?
3. Work/Personal - Most of us use our work phones for personal use as well. With how WP8 syncs contacts across platforms, will this help or hurt work/life separation?
4. Twitter/Facebook - Are the apps decent? I'm aware that there are fewer options for social media management, so I'm hoping the official ones are satisfactory.
5. Browser - I get that IE doesn't completely suck anymore, but I've heard going off of Webkit means there are some compatibility issues. Is it decent?

Any advice on these, or other matters? Should I tell them to claw my iPhone 4 from my cold, dead hands, or embrace the change?

posted by Vhanudux to technology (8 answers total)

Any advice on these, or other matters? Should I tell them to claw my iPhone 4 from my cold, dead hands, or embrace the change?

You should ask for an evaluation Windows Phone for a month, and then evaluate how it will impact your job. You can't believe the marketing bullshit that either Apple or Microsoft pumps out.

Keep in mind that Apple is disentangling itself from Google, and Microsoft knows that its own services are 3rd rate and harming its sales. So without an actual evaluation, it is anyone's guess whether things like gmail and youtube are better on either platform.

My suspicion is that the Digital Marketing group should probably have iPhones and Androids on hand, as those are by far the most popular platforms that your customers will be using. If the company as a whole switches to Win Phone, that may not prevent you from getting your work done, but it will force you to see the world through Microsoft-colored glasses. And few people look through those goggles anymore.
posted by b1tr0t at 9:28 AM on January 24 [2 favorites]

When I was in tech, I would have not touched Windows phone for at least another 6 months from now. Given the release was last fall, it will undoubtedly be updated. As with any tech upgrade, it is always advisable to not succumb to the sex-ay tech marketing that goes along with any product launch. Let someone else be the guinea pig. When the device settles in and all the movie stars stop making commercials for the company, then give it an honest look.

In the meantime, I am with b1tr0t. Maybe get one (or two) units to evaluate. But the jury has barely gone into deliberation on this latest nifty gadget from a company that historically has not done all that well with nifty gadgets. Of course, YMMV.
posted by lampshade at 10:06 AM on January 24

"And few people look through those goggles anymore."

This really isn't true. Maybe from a cell phone point of view, but not from an Enterprise point of view. Windows is still the most prominent OS (work or personal). W8 phones will offer tighter Office integration, sky drive/notes/etc. Probably has native Lync support.. If you company is a Windows shop and is wanting to move to W8 on their desktops, then it could vastly improve the WORK. It may not have all the fun apps to use as a personal phone..

Like said previously, I would suggest the one month trial for yourself. Learn how W8 integrates social status (Twitter/Facebook) natively via their social/contacts app. How it syncs photos and how you can share from that app directly. See if the Outlook integration with Gmail is good (I find it to be). I don't have any problems with the browser at all. I find the MS contact sync to be great -- completely seamless.

W8 is more inline with Enterprise EAS control -- which company security likes.
posted by LeanGreen at 10:08 AM on January 24

Your company should have a transition analysis team whose job it is to research this shit properly by doing Use Case analysis, not just asking people "hey man, any ideas on how fucked you'll be using this all new phone with an all new operating system that sounds really cool?"
posted by seanmpuckett at 10:19 AM on January 24

Nthing the suggestion to try out the phone before you all make the switch - my husband was the office guinea pig for a Windows Phone (Nokia Lumia something something) in December and he liked it for a few days but then ran into a bunch of problems. The email app wouldn't let him add a headnote (or edit in any way) a forwarded email, so moving information around was challenging. Once, while he was juuuust arriving in Manhattan, the phone turned itself off (apparently navigation drains the battery faster than it could charge). By the end of his one-month trial he wanted to throw it across the room. YMMV, of course, but you should definitely try before the whole company buys.
posted by hungrybruno at 10:36 AM on January 24

But the jury has barely gone into deliberation on this latest nifty gadget from a company that historically has not done all that well with nifty gadgets. Of course, YMMV.

I'm a fairly hardcore Microsoft-hater, but I have to admit that Microsoft has really stepped up its game with the gadgets and devices. The hardware teams seem to be a few cuts above the software guys. Unfortunately, the hardware still needs software, and that may be where the Microsoft solution lets you down.

Your company should have a transition analysis team whose job it is to research this shit properly by doing Use Case analysis, not just asking people "hey man, any ideas on how fucked you'll be using this all new phone with an all new operating system that sounds really cool?"

There is nothing wrong with a transition team asking various groups within the company for their input. If that is the case, then they would completely understand the request for an eval unit, and probably have one or two they could share. If the company doesn't have a formal eval team, then the way you start one is by looking at your use cases, and then evaluating them on actual hardware. Not all companies are big enough, or sophisticated enough about technology to get this right.
posted by b1tr0t at 11:12 AM on January 24

I have a lumia 920

1.wp8 synced my facebook,aol,and google apps contacts with no problems.

2.wp8 can post to facebook and twitter natively , plus they have apps for it also. The facebook app is ok. NOT awesome but not horrible either.


3. on wp8 youtube comes up as the mobile version so youtube works but not as good as on the iphone.

4. Internet explorer on wp8 has its good points and its bad points. I can load videos on my lumia 920 on desktop sites that I could not on the iphone. ON wp8 you can choose to have the phone say its a desktop or a mobile so you can switch back and forth depending on what site works the best.

IF your place of work is a big Microsoft office company then work related stuff might be better off on the wp8. Wp8 still has some apps that do not exist yet for it like instagram.
posted by majortom1981 at 11:23 AM on January 24

IOS Hands down. We've just been through this pain and arguing for any other platform has been a harmful distraction. Exchange email & calendar works well on all platforms. Save yourself the headache and just choose IOS - that's what you'll end up choosing anyway. Not because it's the best, but because it is, and people have formed an emotional bond with it.
posted by mattoxic at 6:55 PM on January 24