Windows Phone 8.1 is here, now what?

As we all know, the real update is not coming until at least the summer, and that is just for the Lumia line up, who know how long Samsung, HTC and other OEMs have to wait? So, it is pretty obvious that by the time the update came out, Android and iOS will have their next big update too. So, what does Microsoft have to do? Well, the clear answer would be updating their OS more regularly. The catch up time is over. That was the whole theme of the Build event in the beginning of April. The next updates should be something innovate, as well as including some differentiate factors. Don’t get me wrong, it is important to catch up with the two biggest mobile OS in the world right now, but Microsoft also needs to tell people why should they choose Windows Phone over other options in the market. As Windows Phone becomes the 3rd biggest platform, they not only need to be as good as the other two, but better, and I’m not talking about just the UI differences, but maybe some unique features. This is where the OS lack, the key feature that makes the consumers say: “maybe I’ll choose Windows Phone just for that feature.”

In addition, Cortana along will not be that key factor. Mainly because the average buyers do not care that much about a voice assistant. Sure, Cortana is very cool, with the perfect combination of Siri and Google Now, but she alone cannot carry the whole team. Unless she can be your therapist or can make you fall in love with her, Cortana might not be the reason why other consumers would choose Windows Phone over another OS. Just saying!

Ok, I have to give credit to Microsoft, since last July, the number of apps have gone double, from 100,000 to more than 200,000 apps. I really happy to see Windows Phone pick up some big title like Instagram and Vine, but that is not enough. For starter, Microsoft still needs a suit of Google Applications. Now, I know that they hate each other right now, but with one billion users visit every month on YouTube alone, Microsoft cannot afford to ignore this. The obvious way to do it is everyone just quit Google, or Microsoft stops trying to upset Google with the “Scrwegle” ad campaign and stop ignoring the requirement that Google puts out for their apps, no matter how ridiculous it may seem to be. Although the third-party app, is a lot better than any official apps on another platform, the exist of an official YouTube app legitimize the platform as a whole.

By the way, not just Google apps, but it also needs other official apps. Because only official apps can get the features as soon as they release. Like Snapchat for example, they just release a new messaging and video chat feature that is now still not available on 6Snap. Now, don’t get me wrong, 6snap is great, but it does take time for developers to actually apply the SDK to their app, and it is just too frustrated for Windows Phone users to have to wait for the features that other people already have for ages.

Lastly, more official apps should come out the same time as they do to the Play store and the App store. Because that is when people knows that Windows Phone is a big enough platform that developers and companies need to care for their customers/users that are using Windows Phone too.

That is just me, but of course, there are much more than just these two things that Microsoft needs to improve more. What I want to know is what do you think Microsoft can do to improve the future? Comment bellow and follow on Twitter @Ronalminho and on Google+