AppComparison Presents Windows Phone Alternatives to Your Favorite Android Apps
Wanting to prove that switching from Android to Windows Phone is no big deal, Microsoft has rolled out AppComparison.
AppComparison takes a look at the apps that are installed on your Android and finds equivalent or similar Windows Phone apps. On top of that, it presents a list of recommendations, a list of Windows Phone apps that you might find useful.
Microsoft would love it if you would ditch your Android and get a Windows Phone. I wouldn’t do that if I were you, but hey, let’s play Microsoft’s game and assume that you want to jump ship. While you might be willing to ditch Android for Windows Phone, I’m sure you don’t want to ditch your favorite apps. You’ll want to be able to use your favorite apps on your Windows Phone – or at least get something similar to the apps you know and love.
This is where the new AppComparison comes in. Its purpose is to show you that by switching from Android to Windows Phone you won’t be giving up on your favorite apps.
AppComparison, which is available for free on Google Play, performs two tasks:
Using AppComparison is an incredibly simple matter. The first thing you have to do is pick two or more categories.
Tap the “Start matching!” button and give the app a moment to scan your Android and find matches.
Once the scan completes, you’ll see two tabs on the app’s interface: Matched Apps and Recommended.
The Matched Apps tab presents apps that are available for Android and Windows Phone. If an app is not available for Windows Phone, and lots of apps are not available for Windows Phone, AppComparison app will show “something similar.” Take Google Drive and Google Maps for example. Because they’re not available for Windows Phone, the app will suggest you use OneDrive (which Microsoft recently crippled) instead of Google Drive and HERE Maps instead of Google Maps.
Déjà vu anyone?
This isn’t Microsoft’s first attempt at getting Android users to switch to Windows Phone. Back in 2013, Microsoft rolled out an Android app called Switch to Windows Phone. At first, the app’s purpose was to scan your Android and find app alternatives, just like AppComparison. But Microsoft repurposed the app and turned it into a data migration tool you can use to move important data from Android to Windows Phone.
Switch to Windows Phone is available for free on Google Play.
Microsoft isn’t the only one who wants to convince/help Android users jump ship. Apple wants that too. Apple has published 3 apps to Google Play. The very first one, called Move to iOS, will help you transfer contacts, photos, calendars, and other data from an Android to an iPhone.
Closing words
AppComparison’s aim is to convince you to get a Windows Phone. I think it might do just the opposite. There is a big app gap between Windows Phone and Android. AppComparison proves and highlights that fact.
There are lots of apps that are not available for Windows Phone, which is a problem if you rely on those apps in your day-to-day to life and you don’t want something similar. It’s also a problem if you rely heavily on Google products and you don’t want to switch from Gmail to Outlook, from Google Drive to OneDrive, or from Google Maps to HERE Maps.
In related news…
Microsoft just released the new Lumia 950, a premium smartphone powered by Windows 10. Click here to see what it has to offer.
The larger Lumia 950 XL hasn't been released yet. It is available for pre-order and "coming soon."
AppComparison takes a look at the apps that are installed on your Android and finds equivalent or similar Windows Phone apps. On top of that, it presents a list of recommendations, a list of Windows Phone apps that you might find useful.
Microsoft would love it if you would ditch your Android and get a Windows Phone. I wouldn’t do that if I were you, but hey, let’s play Microsoft’s game and assume that you want to jump ship. While you might be willing to ditch Android for Windows Phone, I’m sure you don’t want to ditch your favorite apps. You’ll want to be able to use your favorite apps on your Windows Phone – or at least get something similar to the apps you know and love.
This is where the new AppComparison comes in. Its purpose is to show you that by switching from Android to Windows Phone you won’t be giving up on your favorite apps.
AppComparison, which is available for free on Google Play, performs two tasks:
- Finds matching apps. Take Dropbox for example. If Dropox is installed on your Android, AppComparison will tell you that Dropbox is available for Windows Phone as well. Once you jump ship, you’ll be able to use Dropbox on your Windows Phone.
- Presents recommended apps. Pick two or more categories (things like entertainment, games, lifestyle, sports, travel, and so on) and AppComparison will present a list of Windows Phone apps that you might find useful. The list presents popular apps from the categories you selected.
Using AppComparison is an incredibly simple matter. The first thing you have to do is pick two or more categories.
Tap the “Start matching!” button and give the app a moment to scan your Android and find matches.
Once the scan completes, you’ll see two tabs on the app’s interface: Matched Apps and Recommended.
The Matched Apps tab presents apps that are available for Android and Windows Phone. If an app is not available for Windows Phone, and lots of apps are not available for Windows Phone, AppComparison app will show “something similar.” Take Google Drive and Google Maps for example. Because they’re not available for Windows Phone, the app will suggest you use OneDrive (which Microsoft recently crippled) instead of Google Drive and HERE Maps instead of Google Maps.
Déjà vu anyone?
This isn’t Microsoft’s first attempt at getting Android users to switch to Windows Phone. Back in 2013, Microsoft rolled out an Android app called Switch to Windows Phone. At first, the app’s purpose was to scan your Android and find app alternatives, just like AppComparison. But Microsoft repurposed the app and turned it into a data migration tool you can use to move important data from Android to Windows Phone.
Switch to Windows Phone is available for free on Google Play.
Microsoft isn’t the only one who wants to convince/help Android users jump ship. Apple wants that too. Apple has published 3 apps to Google Play. The very first one, called Move to iOS, will help you transfer contacts, photos, calendars, and other data from an Android to an iPhone.
Closing words
AppComparison’s aim is to convince you to get a Windows Phone. I think it might do just the opposite. There is a big app gap between Windows Phone and Android. AppComparison proves and highlights that fact.
There are lots of apps that are not available for Windows Phone, which is a problem if you rely on those apps in your day-to-day to life and you don’t want something similar. It’s also a problem if you rely heavily on Google products and you don’t want to switch from Gmail to Outlook, from Google Drive to OneDrive, or from Google Maps to HERE Maps.
In related news…
Microsoft just released the new Lumia 950, a premium smartphone powered by Windows 10. Click here to see what it has to offer.
The larger Lumia 950 XL hasn't been released yet. It is available for pre-order and "coming soon."
