Windows 7 Phone - Mango, Skype, misc?

My Android phone just died. Yes, yes, very sad. But I was fairly annoyed with Android anyway. While it did have one or two nifty features, I hated the fact that updating it was a massive pain in the butt, and that it just felt really unfinished.

So with that said I'm thinking of jumping ship. So I have two [realistic] choices, iOS or Windows Phone. While iOS is definitely the market leader, Windows Phone can currently be had for roughly 50% of the price (if you shop around etc).   

Now, C9 is, at least in my circle, the W7P mecca - I bet there is more owners here than almost anywhere else on the interwebs.

I had the following general questions:

 - Do all W7Ps get this so called "Mango" update? Or would I need to buy a 7.5 phone in particular?
 - Does W7P support Skype?
 - Is W7P even worth considering in your view? Would you buy it again if given the same choice?
 - Any brands I should avoid/stick to/or other advice?

Thanks for your time.

All Windows Phones should be getting Mango, and soon (I have it on mine), there's a few handsets out there that may take longer, a few of the weird Samsung Focus things with slight different hardware revisions caused a hold up last time.

No, no Skype support yet.  But it is on its way.

I love my Windows Phone, I come from a Windows Mobile and Android background.  Loose a lot of the tinkering, but maybe in my old age I can't be bothered faffing about.

HTC HD7 here, I've been buying HTC's since the SPV C500 (at least what Orange called it).  HD7 is definitely cheaper made than the HD2.  But it's still fairly solid, after a year the chrome finish on the buttons have started to wear through, but its still working alright.

My old man has the LG Optimus 7, apart from getting a faulty one, that took em weeks to get fixed it works alright, but obviously looks a bit chunky but it is solid and the battery life is better than the HD7.

Few work colleagues have the other HTC phone, Trophy I think and that seems alright too.

I'm guessing that Samsung W7Ps have been discontinued. Just from having looked around all I see are HTC and LG handsets (and Dell ). 

Have they said even roughly when Skype support might be added? It is really a "killer" feature for me, make or break, and all of that. I can live without it for a while, but if when Christmas rolled around we still had no Skype support I might be "unhappy."

How good would you call the camera on your HTC HD7? And what is the "time to photo" like? I just ask because on my Android the amount of time to take a photo could be measured in tens of seconds from conception to actual photo.  

22 minutes ago, ManipUni wrote

I'm guessing that Samsung W7Ps have been discontinued.

*snip*

What makes you think that? Samsung has at least 2 new models coming out AFAIK.

 - Do all W7Ps get this so called "Mango" update? Or would I need to buy a 7.5 phone in particular?
 - Does W7P support Skype?
 - Is W7P even worth considering in your view? Would you buy it again if given the same choice?
 - Any brands I should avoid/stick to/or other advice?

Thanks for your time.

0) Some models are currently cost 1 cent or 1 dollar from AT&T.

1) I have HTC Surround, on of the launch WinPh7 device. And I have the Mango update already. This time AT&T didn't screw me over. I think Mango is not using the same publishing process as NoDo updates because I get my Mango in day one (using the "legally officially supported" lost internet connection cheat ).

2) Not sure about Skype, I don't use it myself, but, MS bought Skype and is already officially approved by governments. So, it is for sure on its way and it will be integrated, not just an app.

3) Yes, I liked it very much, I like it more than any other os. I wanted to buy the Toshiba Mango because it is water proof, water proof, not water resistant. Also it has wooping 13.2M camera.

4) I prefer HTC because I am Taiwanese. But, to be really honest, I want that water proof crazy 13.2M camera from Toshiba.

2 hours ago, ManipUni wrote

...

Have they said even roughly when Skype support might be added? It is really a "killer" feature for me, make or break, and all of that. I can live without it for a while, but if when Christmas rolled around we still had no Skype support I might be "unhappy."

... 

If Verizon has coverage in your area then the following link seems to indicate that they have Skype for Windows Phone.   https://support.skype.com/en-us/faq/FA10424/How-do-I-make-and-receive-calls-using-Skype-on-my-Verizon-Windows-phone

From this link:

"Microsoft is now expected to deliver its Windows Phone 7.5 Skype application in the coming weeks. The company previously introduced the Skype app during MIX 2011 earlier this year. Joe Belfiore, who oversees Windows Phone Program Management, introduced a number of new developer related enhancements in Windows Phone 7.5 Mango. "We're excited to see Skype come to the platform this fall when all these additional enhancements are available," said Belfiore at the time. The application should be one of the first to take advantage of Microsoft's new forward facing camera support."

@BitFlipper:  Intreasting, the Lync Mobile app is supposed to drop any time now as well

No, no Skype support yet.  But it is on its way.

I'm not going to risk getting a WP7 phone until Skype comes out: that way I know how the front-facing camera works... or not.

It's all well-and-good providing Skype on WP7, but until the phones with front cameras come out it just becomes yet-another VOIP phone.

@davewill:I am not sure what that is, but there are no Windows Phones on Verizon shipping with Skype, afaik. Plus I couldn't find any download link for WP, only BlackBerry and Android...

If Skype for WP7 is available only as an OS feature (and not as a sandboxed app like everything else) might the competition commission want a word with Microsoft?

Why?

I'm seriously considering ordering the new HTC Radar. It is well positioned price-wise and seems like it would do well. To be honest the only iPhone I could get for that price would be the iPhone 3GS which is "fine" but has a terrible camera.

Any thoughts on that?