I just got a Lumia 520 Windows phone to play with (for testing and development purposes) and I really like the user interface so far. Easy to use and very intuitive. This particular Lumia model is not nearly as powerful as my iPhone 5, but then it costs a small fraction of what an iPhone costs: just $59 with no contract! In fact, I am amazed how powerful it is for such a bargain price.
The lack of some important apps, like Microsoft Remote Desktop is actually the main reason I personally haven't even considered switching to a Windows phone as my primary phone. The more of these apps become available, the more likely I will be to switch over.
Microsoft is now trying to unify Windows APIs between all flavors of Windows. Not quiet there yet, but 8.1 is a big step in that direction. The easier it will become for developers to write Universal apps (that work on all Windows platforms), the more apps will be supported on a Windows phone.
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Ive said over and over how impressed I have been with the UI, and it has gotten a little better with each update. I am running the developers preview of 8.1, and there are some nice additions in it. Sure, some of those things have been on android or iOS for a little while, but I have found that they like additions, like Cortana for instance, is actually better IMO than Siri or Google now.
For the apps, the store has made great strides each time ive come back to sample a windows phone. There are still some missing however. I do think that the univseral app plan will do wonders to fill those holes. Will it ever catch iOS or Android in the sheer number of apps? Nah, most likely not. However, numbers are just that. Ive found the vast majority of apps on all three platforms are fluff junk.
For now, I am using the Lumia Icon, which is as powerful as any smartphone available right now. I also have the new HTC one M8. I do a sim swap as the mood shifts, or as needs change. Were the windows device to get the one or two apps that I use on android however, id most likely stay with it full time.