Scott Adams: Windows Phone Superior to iPhone, Android

In the wake of Brandon Watson's $1000 challenge to Dilbert creator Scott Adams, Mr. Adams has rendered his verdict. And in his words, Windows Phone is "the best choice," beating out Apple's iPhone and Google's Android.

I couldn't agree more.

"I hated my call-dropping iPhone," Mr. Adams writes. "My Android phone is nearly useless unless I'm near a power outlet. The battery drains so quickly that I avoid using it if I'm out of the house for more than a few hours."

"The Windows phone has the best user interface experience, although the onscreen keyboard is problematic just as it is with the other phones I used. [That has absolutely not been my experience. --Paul] The Windows interface is intuitive, simple, and has a liveliness that I find appealing. Voice call quality was good, and battery life seemed good too. I declare it the winner."

Deciding between the other phones is a matter of taste, he suggests. "If you're an image-conscious hipster/rebel/brand-monkey," he writes, perfectly channeling the exact market for iPhone users, "and you don't use the AT&T network in the SF Bay Area, the iPhone is a great choice, especially if you need obscure apps."

"An Android phone is great if you enjoy its gadgety nature, which I confess has some appeal," he adds. " The downside for Android is a frustrating interface."

But again, Windows Phone is superior.

"If you want a smartphone that is easy to use, performs well, has a good battery life, and doesn't frustrate you, the Windows phone is the best choice of the three options I tested," he writes. "All you give up is some hipster credibility and access to lesser-used apps."

Sounds like a good tradeoff to me. Winning.

Discuss this Article 14

jeffsters
on Aug 18, 2011
Then again, in the spirit of full and open debate, as Scott said: "However, the intangible coolness factor is impossible to ignore. Even the names Microsoft and Windows feel dated. And the home screen of the Windows phone is great from a usability standpoint, but lacks sizzle. Id be lying if I said that didnt matter to me." Based upon the sales and market share numbers it seems to matter to many people. I wonder if, as you say the Win Phone is really better, it will also end up like other "better" products that lost out such as Betamax, and the Mac.
chrishedlund
on Aug 18, 2011
I hear beta was superior to vhs as well...
bspradley
on Aug 18, 2011
Yes, because using a cell phone for calls is the primary function. So based on that alone WP7 should be out in front. But, I don't understand how you loss any "hipster" cred going with WP7. They have the most innovative and well thought out interface of them all. It is fresh and different. Different being the key word. Just placing icons on a background is not innovative. Live Tiles are not only more useful, but they honestly just look better and are a break away from the norm. Besides, isn't that what people wanted MS to do anyway? Do something different, something new? The moment they do that, you hear people saying, "Well why did they do that?" Think about what the press would say if Apple or Google would have come up with Live Tiles...sliced bread anyone?
Bruno H
on Aug 18, 2011
@jeffsters So we note that people like shiny so-so things over uselfull god stuff that works... Glad i am using a Windows Phone - makes me look smart :-)
yoshipod
on Aug 18, 2011
So he is comparing a two year old iphone model (3GS) to the latest WP7 one (7.5). That seems like a reasonable way to go about this. Its also interesting that his two year old iphone still has good battery life when compared to a much newer WP7 and Android models.
philsawyer
on Aug 18, 2011
I have no issue with somewhere preferring Windows Phone to the alternatives (iPhone and Android), but I do have a few problems with this post. 1) His complains about the iPhone are network related, not hardware or software related, so they really aren't valid for the purpose of comparing the phones themselves. 2) His complains about Android has to do with the battery - that's a hardward issue more than a software one, and since their are dozens of excellent devices powered by Android on the market (some of which have great battery life), that is also invalid for comparison. Also - one last comment - superiority (at least in this case) is completely relative. Between these three quality mobile operating systems, personal preference is what determines "superiority." And, considering that both the iPhone and Android platforms have FAR outsold Windows Phone - I'd say that it's very clear which platforms people PREFER by and large. Absolutely nothing against Windows Phone, or the quality thereof. Just stating a fact.
BananaJr
on Aug 18, 2011
Balmer damaged any credibility Microsoft could have had by slamming the iPhone then basically releasing a direct competitor three years late. No one is going to believe that a Windows Phone could be superior when the companies CEO slams the original concept and states how completely misguided the effort is. Who would believe that a company that doesn't get why the original should be successful could understand how to make it better. So now Microsoft actually has a decent phone that in some ways is a better offering than either the iPhone or and Android based phone but hardly anybody wants to try it and find out. He's doing the same thing with the iPad. The Windows tablet effort may eventually prove successful but he's digging a large hole just like he did with Windows Phone to crawl out of. It's late, way, way late and it's coming from a company that is on record as hating the original. You can lay this egg completely at Balmer's feet. For all his marketing savvy he completely screwed the pooch on this one.
lowlymarine
on Aug 18, 2011
To be frank, I think he's hit the nail on the head here, at least as it regards these three platforms. My Android device (a Galaxy S, so it doesn't lack for horsepower) is an excellent mobile internet and tinkering device. But the default UI - either the AOSP launcher or Samsung's TouchWiz - is sluggish and often unintuitive. Until the (oft-delayed) official update to FroYo landed, it was basically unusable without running a custom ROM. Android has plenty of potential, to be sure. But right now it's a platform for tinkerers who don't mind that they might miss a lot of calls while flashing ROMs or sitting on a dead battery or even just because the whole system bogged down too much to actually let you answer. More hardware can solve two of these problems and further software refinement can solve the former, but I'm not sure I would buy another Android device that didn't ship with that refined software, after the debacles that were the FroYo and Gingerbread updates for my device. Then there's the iPhone. I myself have a 3G but my roommate has a 4 so I've experienced both ends of the hardware spectrum, and I can say that no amount of hardware will ever fix the usability disaster that is iOS. Every second I spend with an iDevice makes my blood boil. The battery life is atrocious, the gratuitous animations still don't hide the geologic loading times, and I swear the operating system is designed to actively sabotage your attempts to use it. Just as an example, on my 3G, if I receive a call while in another app, the whole phone just crashes when I hit "Answer," essentially making it USELESS as a phone; and yes, this behavior persisted through a complete reset. The build quality is also miserable on both devices. Windows Phone 7 is another OS that sits firmly in the "has potential" category. I'm keeping a very close eye on Mango as my upgrade draws near. In the meantime, I stick to my Blackberry 9000 as my SGS is relegated to being a tiny tablet.
Streetlight2
on Aug 18, 2011
Were the three phones Adams compared using the same Wireless Carrier? If two were on AT&T and the Phone 7 on Verizon, well, the experiences would vary greatly, depending on location.
lobbie1978
on Aug 19, 2011
I couldn't agree more. I have a HTC HD7 Windows Phone with the RTM build of Mango installed and boy does this phone is way ahead of it's competitors! The user interface is clean, modern, really fast and intuitive. The Metro style interface for apps is truly the best invention since the beginning of the Computer User Interface. I've used iPhones and Android phones and they don't even come close in terms of stability, user friendliness, speed and overall looks. I am sure the moment these Mango WP7 phones hit stores worldwide, especially with Nokia hardware available, Windows Phone will be up there in the top 3 of best selling Mobile phones in no time.
yoshipod
on Aug 19, 2011
Look, Windows Phone 7 is certainly a worthy product in this space, and people are certainly entitled to their opinions and choices, but comparing an RTM product, which is not available to consumers against iphones which are 2 or 3 years old is not a valid comparison. Scott Adams is using a 3GS which came out in June of 2009 and Philip Kiser is using a 3G which came out in June of 2008. I'm sure Paul and others would be complaining if Apple gave someone an iphone 5 (or 4gs, or whatever they will call it) and asked them to compare it with their original Motorola Droid or any of the first WP7 devices.
djgreedo
on Aug 20, 2011
While comparing a brand-new WP7 to older iPhone and Android models is unfair, I think what Adams was saying was that the WP7 paradigm is more usable (hubs, integrated search and social functions, less need for separate apps for everything, etc.) This has nothing to do with the hardware; it's about the superior design and UI of WP7 when compared to the iPhone and Android UIs which have not changed significantly in 4 years and can't seem to cope with the sheer volume of apps and online services people need these days.
Shank314
on Aug 20, 2011
I recently had the opportunity to use my first Win Phone7 and I have to say it is VERY REFRESHING. I've iPhone and Android for years and have come to accept their UI inefficiencies. The Windows UI is so clean, polished and fluid. It really feels like it's in a category all it's own. I'm very impressed and find myself inadvertently smiling as I discover all its little Easter eggs. I'm not willing to crown it the King of Smartphones. I think it still lacks some features (Wifi hotspot, USB tethering, having to use Zune) needed to outshine the competition. It's such a tough market space and Microsoft has a real winner here. I wish they could more effectively get their message across to consumers.
davidsmi
on Aug 22, 2011
Due to a lost Windows Phone and a disagreement with my phone company I've had a good long chance to work with the Windows Phone and a short period of time with Andriod. The Windows Phone is a better UI than the Andriod - but I would say "10%" better and "10%" different. The problem with the Windows Phone is that lack of applications - key apps like Audible for me!

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