Windows Phone or Android or iPhone – Which is the best buy?

Way back in mid-2010, most mobile enthusiasts were excited to see the rise and increased adoption of Android phones. That was the time when Windows Phone was little known and the iPhone was The Phone to own. The word iPhone itself became the most instantly recognizable of all mobile phones in the world, well, it still is – it has a cult following. Android phones were fast gathering steam, and seeing news such as ’200,000 activations’ a day became the norm. It was a visualized as a war between the extremely closed-system, the iPhone and the open standards-based Android operating system.

We are well at the end of 2012, and what do we see in the mobile, especially, the smartphone ecosystem now? We have a new gladiator that has entered the arena, and fast gathering mass support – though a little slow during the previous year. The Windows Phone, it is! It can also be seen as the rise of Nokia once again in the smartphone race after losing bitterly to Apple and Android during the years 2008 till now.

Still, why would one go for a Windows Phone, when the iPhones and Androids are already hot? Usability! Well, the iPhone and Android are usable too, aren’t they? Yes, iPhone provides an immersive experience, especially when it comes to games and entertainment. And, Android provides an immersive experience too, when it comes to force closures of apps and unwanted and unexpected reboots. The ‘immersive’ Android experience might be a lot less in ultra-expensive phones like the Galaxy S3 and the HTC OneX, but the iPhone will win hands-down in this price range. Android fanboys will get agitated and uncivilized when they encounter the statement above; truth is bitter and unacceptable, though.

Windows Phones are highly usable; it’s lovely – the experience is just ‘in and out’. Want to SMS? Want to use Facebook, Twitter, etc? Want to find directions using Bing maps? Locate nearest restaurants and hangouts using Local Scout? Things like these on the Windows Phone just do what you want it to do, and don’t end up cutting a sorry figure in the way of force closures or reboots – oh, those Androids! Even the keyboard is extremely well designed and easy to use, unlike the shoddy ones on the ultra-high-end Android phones with screens as big as one’s face.

Most importantly, Windows Phones make you get your life back. Just use it when you want to – finish the task and put it back in your pouch/pocket. In the past 2-and-a-half years, I have spent a lot of time with my Android phones (yes, I had two!), just to fix problems, reboots, flashing ROMs, troubleshoot Wi-Fi issues, get frustrated with the terrible battery efficiency of the OS – well, the list goes on. This might look highly subjective, but most Android users who’ve switched to Windows Phones will agree.

Now, why would you prefer a Windows Phone as opposed to an iPhone? At least now, Windows Phones are going be in the new dual-core Windows Phone 8 avatar with tons of features that the iPhone 5 wouldn’t even have. And at what price point? Way too less than the iPhone, but still standing sharp, feature-and-usability-wise. Excellent value for money.

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