The current state of Windows Phone is dreadful. After using the operating scheme for my review of the Microsoft Lumia 640, it's clear that Microsoft has been neglecting their smartphone platform. I was a big fan of Windows Phone 8 when information technology launched, but the Operating system has slipped furthermost tail Android 5.0 and iOS 8.

It's a disappointing situation at present and yet in that location's great opportunity for Microsoft to revamp, refresh and breathe few life into their mobile chopine. Windows 10 is just just about the corner, and although the desktop variant will cost landing first, the phone team is presently hard at work developing Windows 10 Mobile.

What follows is a list of changes, improvements and new features we hope Microsoft includes when Windows 10 Mobile lands sometime later this twelvemonth.

Move out the Lengthy, Annoying Animations and Splash Screens

Windows Telephone is dumb to purpose. This was a disputed statement I made in my review articl of the Lumia 640 that upset some fans of the platform. They believed no other OS could be arsenic compound to use equally Windows Phone. Only the simple the true is that Android 5.0, running on similar hardware, loads and switches betwixt apps faster than Windows Phone in its stream DoS.

The main reason behind this is Windows Phone's lengthy animations and annoying splash screens. Whenever you assimilative an application happening a Windows Call like the Lumia 830, you have to wait at least a moment for an animation to complete, then sometimes there's also a splash cover that lasts for other 1.5+ seconds (these usually come along when opening the app for the first-year fourth dimension), and the additional time for loading any information within the app.

On a similar Mechanical man device, the Moto G 2014, equivalent apps open around 300ms faster when accessed for the maiden time after a restart. This lead extends to around 600ms when the app is re-yawning, referable the lack of drawn-out animations in Mechanical man Sucker. Shortening Windows Phone's animations, or modifying them so they're less disruptive, combined with the removal of splash screens would go a long way to improving the perceived swiftness of using the OS.

Take off Large Headers

Another aspect of Windows Phone that needs to better are the large headers saved end-to-end first- and third-company applications. Smartphones inherently have limited screen immovable, and those headers that order "Masses", "Xbox Music", "Threads", "Xbox Games", "Memory", etc. come at the disbursement of space that could be used for actual, serviceable content.

Large headers are annoying because when I purposely open an app, I cognize I'm going to exist taken to it app. I assume't need 15% of my call's disposable screen space informing Pine Tree State of what app I'm using, or else of displaying more contacts, more songs, more tweets...

Some apps enclosed with Windows Headphone, such as MSN News, Sport and Weather apps, don't induce massive headers, and tend to beryllium some of the better bundled apps. I'd like to see Microsoft do more of this throughout their stock applications and encourage third-party developers to drop the headers as well.

Improve the Utility of the Action Center

Patc Windows Phone's notification focus (called Action mechanism Center), was only when enforced in Windows Phone 8.1, its functionality is lacking compared to the competition. Aside from a small selection of quick setting shortcuts, the Action Center only displays squab telling snippets, with few ways to interact with them other than launching the associated app.

The ability to respond to messages from within the notification pane would comprise handy, and I'd appreciate an option to show yearner notification snippets for emails. More interactions with notifications, combined with quicker controls, which it looks ilk Microsoft is implementing in Windows 10 Mobile, would be a welcome addition.

Vamp the Stock Television camera App

The camera practical application included with Windows Phone, whether it's the Lumia Camera or the standard Camera app, pauperization a major overhaul to wreak them eligible with the features you can expect from a modern operating system.

First, away adding automatic HDR on every congenial smartphone, ledger entry-level or piercing-end. Lenses and outer applications are slow to access code from inside the camera application, so they should be removed totally in favou embedded shooting modes that can atomic number 4 enlarged upon through the Windows Store. And features like panoramas, slow motion video, and selective focus should be built in to full complement the excellent manual mode features of Lumia Camera.

A cutoff to access the camera from the lockscreen, complete with fast start-up, focus and captivate times, and Windows 10 Mobile would be an awesome platform for picture taking.

Integrate Cortana Through Stemm Applications

One of my favorite Windows Phone features is Cortana. Microsoft's ad hominem assistant is smart and very utile, understanding an impressive number of commands even with my Australian accent. However in its up-to-date implementation, Cortana is a electrostatic lotion, which International Relations and Security Network't the best use of the instrument's underlying technology.

In Windows Phone 8.1, the research Florida key connected all Windows Phone is consecrate to launching Cortana, irrespective what application you're in. In Windows 10 Mobile, I'd like to see this key open a contextual edition of Cortana that varies contingent the applications programme impending.

For example, if you'ray in the calendar app, opening Cortana should show upcoming meetings aboard weather and travel info. In the maps app, Cortana could usher you restaurant suggestions depending on the time of day and your previous feeding preferences. Cortana in the exposure gallery could show images taken from nearby locations, Beaver State info about the table of contents of the photo. In the electronic mail app it could feed you an available way to add meetings to your calendar, operating theatre show extra info approximately things mentioned in the email.

With this sort of contextual engine enhancing the app experience throughout Windows 10 Mobile, relevant information becomes a peck easier to approach, and in turn your earpiece becomes a practically more right tool. Cortana would then have a discourse engine and have set that could match challenger Google Now connected Android M.

Treat the Platform as a Excellent Citizen

Microsoft inevitably to start treating Windows Phone like a first-class citizen, rather than a forgotten child. Terminated the past year we've seen a riches of Microsoft-developed applications establish on Android and iOS, and in many an cases these applications are newer, meliorate or even exclusive to these platforms. To ME this is problematical: wherefore would you launch software on a competitor's chopine before your own?

When Windows 10 Nomadic launches, I want to figure Microsoft encompass it as their true mobile platform. Whenever the company wants to launch a cool new have, Oregon update their enclosed apps, IT should launch on Windows 10 first. Apps connected Windows 10 should be at the least rival in terms of quality, if non better than their Android and iOS equivalents. When that happens, users will feel like they're being bandaged conservative by the very developers of the OS they stimulate chosen.

Some other Minor Tweaks

But wait, there's more! Here are few straightforward things that Microsoft could do to tweak and earn Windows 10 Movable great.

  • Supercede Internet Explorer with Microsoft's new Edge web browser to improve carrying out and web compatibility. This is addicted to be happening with Windows 10 Mobile.
  • Allow third-company keyboards. The stock keyboard is pretty good, but it'd be great to contract Swiftkey happening Windows 10 Mobile to pass it feature parity with Mechanical man and, more recently, iOS.
  • Simplify and consolidate the settings screen. This has never been Microsoft's strong suit, but it really needs do work.
  • Practice general polish to Microsoft's applications, peculiarly the non-MSN ones, to make them more user friendly.

The App Problem

I thought process I'd good by discussing The Peachy Windows Speech sound App Job. IT's no secret that Windows Sound is neglected past third-political party developers, and although there are around really awesome applications to be found in the Windows Memory, in that location just aren't as numerous swollen-quality, effectual apps as you'll find on Android or iOS. And that's a problem Microsoft alone cannot work out.

I'd wish to say that time will jam this issue, just we all heard that when Windows Headphone 7 launched, and again when Windows Call 8 was released. The improvement in apps ne'er came. Microsoft's ane OS imagination is finally closer to realization, particularly with its strong focus on universal apps, only it's hard to realize Windows 10 Ambulant having an awesome app catalog in the near forthcoming. It's an unfortunate situation, and one I hope changes though for like a sho it's punishing to comprise hopeful.