Should I Buy a Windows Phone?

With Microsoft’s acquisition of the Finnish mobile phone maker Nokia, the future for the Windows Phone looks brighter than ever. But with Android and iOS operating systems far and away the dominant operating systems for smartphones, should you choose Windows Phone over Android and iOS? Here are some pros and cons to help you decide, along with a final verdict.

Pros of a Windows Phone

Ease of Use: If you are purchasing your first smartphone, a Windows Phone might make an excellent choice. The layout is simple and intuitive and there aren’t a lot (if any) ways to really mess things up if you aren’t particularly tech-savvy. Plus, no matter how lost you get, pressing a button on the phone with the familiar Windows logo will get you back to your homepage.

Functionality: If you work in an office there is a pretty good chance you use Windows Office on a daily basis. With a Windows Phone it’s very easy to sync your work calendar and e-mail to your smartphone. Along with the fact that you get a version of Office that comes Word, Excel and PowerPoint with your Windows Phone, it’s difficult to beat the Windows Phone for functionality at the office.

XBOX Live: When you’re not editing a Word document on the go, access to XBOX Live and a number of Windows-only games definitely helps you pass the time. But hopefully not too much time is spent playing games at work…

Cons of a Windows Phone

Less Number of Apps: You truly get the most out of your smartphone when using apps. From getting directions, to online banking to games much of what makes a smartphone so worthwhile comes in the form of apps. On the app count, the Windows Phone is seriously lacking. According to Preston Gralla of Computerworld.Com, while the Windows Phone reached 200,000 apps in December of last year, there about one million apps for the iOS and 1.2 million apps for Android.

Less Selection of Phones: In the smartphone wars the two titans are the Apple iPhone and the Samsung Galaxy S. Unfortunately, neither of them run the Windows Phone operating system. So not only are you missing out on the two titans of the smartphone world, with a Windows Phone you simply have a much more limited selection of phones than is available with iOS or Android. While Nokia makes some excellent phones using the Windows Phone operating system, the Windows Phone selection is comparatively slim.

Verdict

While the future looks bright for the Windows Phone, for now it’s better to stick with a phone that runs on iOS or Android. The limited selection of apps on a Windows Phone is truly a deal breaker and the functionality and gaming options of a Windows Phone can easily be compensated by, you guessed it, apps on iOS or Android.