The first of the Nokia Windows Phone Mango devices will hit the Indian markets very soon and we thought it was the time to take a closer look at the operating system that the struggling mobile phone giant was betting so much on.
I have been playing around with a Mango phone over the last few days and can say for sure that it does have the punch in it. Though I am still treating it like a toy rather than a tool (a place still reserved for my Android phone) it does have in it to leverage a Nokia revival, especially in traditionally Nokia-loyal markets such as India.
The first thing that strikes the user on a Mango device is the beauty of its Metro user interface. Tiles are indeed an attractive and a welcome break from the icon-based screens. It is also fast and responsive. There are hardly and lags and stutters.
The phone I experienced the OS on wasn't a Nokia, but the HTC Radar, one of the first Mango phones to start selling in India. The HTC Radar is good to look at but the sealed batter and lack of a microSD slot is a big turn-off for me. But then this review isn't about the HTC Radar but the new Windows Phone OS.
The Live Tiles is touted as one of the most unique features of the OS. The tiles on the home screen have a life of their own and are not merely shortcuts to launch apps. A wonderful concept, but unfortunately, I am yet to see an app use it in a way that could make me go "Wow!". I still like the notification bar on Android (It also inspired Apple enough to include a clone in the iOS 5). The notification bar catches my attention in a way the Live Tiles hasn't yet been able to, even though they are prettier. The manner in which some developers are using Live Tiles end up confusing the user, particularly when the branding disappears to only display updated content.
Windows Phone 7.5 integrates your Twitter, Facebook and Linkedin accounts to give a more social experience at one place, but to experience the richness of the social networks you cannot rely only on the native OS integration. This means that you need to install individual apps. Defeats a part of the purpose, doesn't it?
The interface is intuitive and easy to use. Not too many layers to delve into. It also should not take most users very long to get used to. This simplicity can be a big advantage, especially in attracting first time smartphone users.
Windows Phone Mango comes packed with all the features that we expect a smartphone to have and matches the competition on performance. It also allows easy Wi-Fi tethering that allows you to share your Internet connection with other devices.
The Mango comes with Internet Explorer 9 as the default browser. One issue there is that many websites do not recognise IE9 on Mango as a mobile browser and serve the desktop version instead. No fault of Microsoft's though.
Something that I found amusing was the Mango needs a phone restart when I tried to make certain changes. A Windows desktop OS hangover maybe? Also was a wee bit irked when the phone asked for a Windows Live ID. I had to scratch my head a few times to recall the credentials.
If Mango (and its successors) turn out to be the success that Microsoft (and Nokia) hope it to be, it may as a trickle down effect boost some of Microsoft's sagging userbase on its online utilities.
The biggest drawback is the availability of apps on the Marketplace and also the chaos that the place seems to be in. With so many unofficial apps, especially news apps, it becomes very difficult to separate the wheat from the chaff. Maybe not Apple-strict but Microsoft should ensure some basic gatekeeping and housekeeping to keep the place in order. It will benefit them a lot in the long run. I couldn't find a simple screen-capture app in there and had to install one manually.
Also am not sure if developers are taking the platform very seriously. For example, the Kindle app for Windows Mobile lacks many features that are available on the Kindle Android app. I am not quite sure whom to place the blame on.
Microsoft has made it difficult (and expensive) to install non-Marketplace apps, even though they have given ChevronWP7's Windows Phone unlocking tool their blessings it still isn't as easy as on Android.
For me, Mango turned out to be sweeter than expected. I too was initially surprised at Nokia's plans to bet its smartphone future on Microsoft software. But now on experiencing the Mango experience it seems to be the best bet both for Nokia as well as us users. It brings more credible competition to the market and will therefore force the existing market leaders to be more innovative. We love being spoilt for choices.
There is no doubting that Windows Phone Mango is pleasing to the eyes, but as in human relationships, looks matter only initially. Soon the other core qualities take over. In markets such as India the Mango isn't competing with the iOS but with Android. The feature-rich Ice Cream Sandwich may make it a little difficult for Microsoft and Nokia to make a dent in the emerging Android market in India. But I am sure that Microsoft will not let go of this opportunity and will soon strike back with Windows 8, the operating system may converge Microsoft's PC, phones, and tablet operating systems.
I am looking forward to how the Windows Phone 7.5 performs on low-priced and low-powered devices. The Android experience on budget phones isn't much to write about. If Microsoft and Nokia can ensure that it will work as beautifully on a low-end phone, it could very well be a game changer.
While everything about the Mango seems right, there is something missing. Somehow there is still no pride associated with owning a Windows phone as is the case with the iPhone, Android and also BlackBerry. People I showed the phone to weren't as excited as I expected them to be. Nice, they said and most didn't even enquire about the price. This indicates a lack of interest in ownership. The desire for the device is missing and Microsoft and its hardware partners need to recognise this and try to build an aura of desirability around the devices. This is more of a marketing problem than one for the software guys to solve.
A good OS does not necessarily translate into sales figures. Remember webOS, the one that the reviewers loved and the buyers shunned? So can Microsoft and Nokia lure new customers with the Mango? Yes, they can if they are able to make it more 'desirable'. Can they wean away Android and iPhone loyalists? No. Not yet.
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