Windows 10 Mobile - Build 10166 - A nice improvement
MS recently released Windows 10 Mobile - Build 10166 now keeping in sync with Windows 10 Pro builds.
I installed on a Lumia 635 & 735.
The install was easy on both devices and some of the performance issues I had with 10149 are improved. Not completely gone - but improved.
It is very interesting to begin to really experience the universal approach of Windows 10 when using it on a mobile device.
For example the Settings App - look and acts almost identically to what you see on a PC or laptop.
In some ways this is what I have always wanted to see in a mobile OS - an OS that treats a phone device as to what it truly is - a micro PC. In fact what I would love to see is the equivalent of "This PC" and being able to launch consoles like Device Manager. Same with My Documents, etc.
Obviously the Start UI remains unchanged and Live tiles all work okay. Doing a quick test drive - most 3rd party apps launched and ran okay. however a few did not. The launch is some cases was a little slow and sometimes the return to Start was also a little slow with a loading or resuming notification.
Several apps updated via Store - but the Office preview apps did not and I had to to re-install all three apps to get them working. To me - why MS has not ever really properly addressed putting it's most popular app in the Store and having it update properly is a mystery. Certainly I understand the Office365 model but MS misses the point - one store for everything...period.
Also if you uninstall an app and then try to re-install you must close then re-open the Store app - otherwise it thinks the app is still installed.
There are still a few legacy overlaps - for example there is a both a Files app and a File Explorer app.
One thing I was very happy to see was the ability to remove the Nokia Here+ Map & Drive apps. I have never been a fan of those two apps and while some of the underlying components of the new Maps app are the same - it's nice to see one app. It's a shame however that apps like Google Maps most likely will never make Windows Phone.
But one thing I noticed during Store upgrades now sheds lite on why the upcoming Lumia phones will have so much CPU and RAM. I was updating apps and noticed that one 3rd party showed 480+ MB for it's size. That is extremely large for a mobile app and it made me think - okay - if universal apps are now going to be the norm - then you'll need that amount of CPU and RAM to run them all, especially with background capabilities. This reinforces my view that if you really want to best possible experience with WP10 then you'll mostly likely have to buy one of these new phones.
It also raises the question of what I am starting to call the legacy gap. So far - most legacy 8.1 apps do seem to run okay on W10 - but several don't. So the question now will be how long may you have to wait until the app vendor either A) transforms the app to a Universal App or B) at least updates the legacy to support W10. Similarly - MS for example has updated the Music app to Groove - but it only installs on Windows 10 - and so far has not updated on 8.1. Is MS going to leave 8.1 in it's rear-view that quickly? Only time will tell - but I am getting the feeling that MS is going to position that if you want the best experience - you must upgrade.
Bottom line - Build 10166 is a nice improvement over 10149 but there are still several areas around the apps & store that need improvement.
I installed on a Lumia 635 & 735.
The install was easy on both devices and some of the performance issues I had with 10149 are improved. Not completely gone - but improved.
It is very interesting to begin to really experience the universal approach of Windows 10 when using it on a mobile device.
For example the Settings App - look and acts almost identically to what you see on a PC or laptop.
In some ways this is what I have always wanted to see in a mobile OS - an OS that treats a phone device as to what it truly is - a micro PC. In fact what I would love to see is the equivalent of "This PC" and being able to launch consoles like Device Manager. Same with My Documents, etc.
Obviously the Start UI remains unchanged and Live tiles all work okay. Doing a quick test drive - most 3rd party apps launched and ran okay. however a few did not. The launch is some cases was a little slow and sometimes the return to Start was also a little slow with a loading or resuming notification.
Several apps updated via Store - but the Office preview apps did not and I had to to re-install all three apps to get them working. To me - why MS has not ever really properly addressed putting it's most popular app in the Store and having it update properly is a mystery. Certainly I understand the Office365 model but MS misses the point - one store for everything...period.
Also if you uninstall an app and then try to re-install you must close then re-open the Store app - otherwise it thinks the app is still installed.
There are still a few legacy overlaps - for example there is a both a Files app and a File Explorer app.
One thing I was very happy to see was the ability to remove the Nokia Here+ Map & Drive apps. I have never been a fan of those two apps and while some of the underlying components of the new Maps app are the same - it's nice to see one app. It's a shame however that apps like Google Maps most likely will never make Windows Phone.
But one thing I noticed during Store upgrades now sheds lite on why the upcoming Lumia phones will have so much CPU and RAM. I was updating apps and noticed that one 3rd party showed 480+ MB for it's size. That is extremely large for a mobile app and it made me think - okay - if universal apps are now going to be the norm - then you'll need that amount of CPU and RAM to run them all, especially with background capabilities. This reinforces my view that if you really want to best possible experience with WP10 then you'll mostly likely have to buy one of these new phones.
It also raises the question of what I am starting to call the legacy gap. So far - most legacy 8.1 apps do seem to run okay on W10 - but several don't. So the question now will be how long may you have to wait until the app vendor either A) transforms the app to a Universal App or B) at least updates the legacy to support W10. Similarly - MS for example has updated the Music app to Groove - but it only installs on Windows 10 - and so far has not updated on 8.1. Is MS going to leave 8.1 in it's rear-view that quickly? Only time will tell - but I am getting the feeling that MS is going to position that if you want the best experience - you must upgrade.
Bottom line - Build 10166 is a nice improvement over 10149 but there are still several areas around the apps & store that need improvement.
Comments
Post a Comment