My 2013 wishlist – James (the Windows Phone edition)

2013 is upon us and today is the day when most people get back to work and start to wonder what the year ahead is going to bring. I always have a mental wishlist in my head of stuff that I want to see happen and stuff I want to buy.

This year I’ve encouraged a few of the team here to write their wishlists up and we’re going to start with me.

For me as a Windows Phone fan 2012 was a great year. Great looking new devices and a new updated OS meant that Windows Phone got a bit more mainstream and some big name app developers were bribed attracted to the OS.

For 2013 I have a huge list of things I’d like to see appear on the Windows Phone and Windows RT platforms. Here is a quick run through of what I’d like to see this year.

Manufacturers

I’d like to see the rumoured devices from Alcatel, Huawei and ZTE actually make it to the market. Having lower priced Windows Phones released into the market will force the bigger manufacturers to drop their prices to compete or it will force them to release more budget devices.

Devices

I’d love to see some more form factors in the Windows Phone arena. Where is the new version of the HTC Pro 7? Where is the new Dell Venue Pro? Where is the HTC Zenith? Where is a BlackBerry qwerty style handset?

I’d love it if there was a bit more choice. When I recently bought my HTC 8X if there was a version with a slide out qwerty keyboard I’d have been on it like a shot.

I’d like to see a Windows Phone device with a 5″+ screen, which HTC were rumoured to be making but dropped because of resolution issues. Having used a Samsung Galaxy Note II with a 720p screen I can quite happily say the screen is great and it doesn’t need to be 1080p to be readable.

As regards Windows RT I’d like to see the rumoured 7″ HTC tablet. I’d love it if this appeared as an updated HTC Advantage or HTC Shift (hands up if you remember these).

A 7″ Windows RT device if priced sensibly could be a great device to compete with the Nexus 7 and the iPad Mini. I feel the Windows 8 Store has more than enough stuff to keep you occupied (for a while).

Apps

Where do you start with two platforms that are constantly slated for not having enough apps. Well I would have said I’d like to see some official apps from Google but that’s never going to happen. So I’ll go with the following.

TV Catchup
SKY+
Pocket
Instagram
Dropbox
4OD

BBC iPlayer would have made the list but the BBC have said they’re not going there.

Games

Again the game situation is a difficult one as most big name games developers seem to need bribing encouraging to develop for the OS. Gameloft keep being rumoured to be releasing their games for Windows Phone 8 and if it happens it will be a great plus point for Windows Phone especially if they become Xbox titles.

In the Windows RT gaming world things are already looking up with the appearance of NVIDIA Tegrazone on the store. Meaning you can find Tegra 3 optimised games easily to play. The list of “coming soon” games looks impressive. Again I feel I should mention Gameloft, if their games appeared on Windows RT it would be seen as a viable gaming platform.

Whilst talking about gaming I’d like to see Cloud Gaming done properly this year. Someone needs to invent some sort of streaming technology that would allow high resolution game streaming over a fairly slow WiFi connection and then come up with a decent multi player environment, a decent selection of games, a decent pricing model and then make it truly cross platform. Like OnLive done properly.

General stuff

In 2013 I’d like to see Windows Phone improve and future updates to be pushed quickly and hassle free, like HTC did in December with the 8X Portico update.

Windows Phone 8 and Windows RT both need something to look forward to compared to other OS’s that look forward to major updates a few times a year they really need something to keep people loyal.

Things I want myself

As for things I want myself top of the list is a Nokia Lumia 920, after having used one for a few weeks alongside the HTC 8X I really want to swap my 8X for a Lumia 920. The extra Nokia apps and the better camera swing it for me.

I’m also looking for a smaller cheap device for an emergency phone, possibly one of the budget Nokia Lumia range or the HTC 8S will suffice.

So that’s my wishlist for 2013 and no doubt 2013 will involve me spending thousands on technology like last year and probably end up getting counselling.