Please don't spout the "fewer apps" rubbish.
Debian has fewer apps. Ubuntu has fewer apps. Does this mean anything? No.
I actually only use three "apps" that aren't built in on my WP8 device.
Debian has fewer apps. Ubuntu has fewer apps. Does this mean anything? No.
I actually only use three "apps" that aren't built in on my WP8 device.
That was just going through the main homescreens on my Android.
> I actually only use three "apps" that aren't built in on my WP8 device.
I'm not sure what you're trying to say here... You can't use apps that don't exist, so it's not surprising at all to me that you "only use three apps" that aren't built into the device...
Then there are clone apps for allmost all the apps you mention (Instagram, Vine, Youtube, Dropbox, Starbucks, Hangouts). Probably not as good [1], but they work and often there's a native way to accomplish the same thing, making an app redundant (i.e. install Filters and share from the Pictures Hub instead of using Instagram).
[1] http://pocketnow.com/2013/08/14/missing-apps-on-windows-phon...
That's not how social networks work.
Could you think of a less worthless feature to demonstrate with though? The YouTube app is getting so bad (certainly on iOS, I assume with Android too) that it's getting where the website will have a better UX than the native app shortly.
None of those have any real value for me personally so I can understand where Android might be more suitable but I really don't need an app for any of those.
As for trip advisor city guides, Nokia Here Maps does the same stuff offline (and a load more!)
The only missing point from above is that YouTube works fine in the browser. The press are full of shit about interoperability there. Not only that there are a multitude of quality youtube apps but you don't need them.
Everything that there isn't an app for you can do on the damn browser which is good as its the same as full desktop IE10.
This is a poor excuse and justification.
As for shoddy apps, Google Play has its fair share as well don't forget.
I travel without a smartphone. It's not hard and at least if you lose it (which has happened to me), you're not totally fucked. I really couldn't possibly depend on something like that for anything critical. So many horror stories from colleagues on that front as well. I carry a USB stick with truecrypt encrypted documents on it only.
As for conversion, it's not hard. Any old calculator app (even the s40 calculator) is usable for this. Even a pencil and paper is good enough. The base rate+commission is easy to calculate and is always available on hand. You don't need an app for that. Plus if you want to argue with them and barter which you can do in some places, it works better without a smartphone. In fact its fucking rude to whip one out on half of the planet.
It just sounds like you're justifying the use of a smartphone for these functions rather than specifying a platform advantage when the greatest advantage is gained from not using one.
Embrace, extend, extingu..... Embraaaaaaaaaace!!!
It isn't Microsoft's job to write the damn apps, even though they did write a lot to start with themselves to get a good value proposition to start with.
And let's apply your flawed logic to other things:
"It's really ironic that Windows is being bailed out on its lack of apps by the web".
Doesn't work then does it?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Embrace,_extend_and_extinguish
The irony I was pointing out is that while at one time, Microsoft's Windows ecosystem had a huge advantage in number and quality of apps, now they are the ones relying on the web to fill in gaps where 3rd party software exists on other platforms but has not been written for their minority OS.
Sorry to have offended you.
What I'm saying is that the web transcends all platforms so writing an app isn't necessary. Microsoft actually do get this hence the focus on IE and Windows Azure recently. They probably have the best web offering on the cloudy space as well.
Microsoft do everything literally.
as for embrace, extend, extinguish, what you say is true but they got stuffed by the EU so had to start making open specification documents which are now available on MSDN so they have been defanged there.