It is finally here; Flipboard is finally available for download on Windows Phone 8 and Windows Phone 8.1. This is not the first time the Flipboard app has graced a Microsoft platform, as it has been available for Windows 8.1 users for close to a year now.
Microsoft had previously hoped to launch Flipboard with the Nokia Lumia 830, but we understand the app was not finished, and thus, the launch had to be delayed. It's here now though, and fans of the Windows Phone platform can now rejoice as another popular app that has been available for Android and iOS for a number of years now, has finally found its way to Microsoft.
While the app was missing from the Windows Store, HTC launched the M8 for Windows with a similar app called BlinkFeed. The design and the whole concept of the HTC app are similar to Flipboard. However, with Flipboard now available in the Windows Store, we're not sure if many M8 for Windows Phone users will choose to stick around with the HTC app.
Furthermore, folks who are looking to install the new app on their Windows Phone device should bear in mind that it will only work on handsets with 1GB worth of RAM or more. This means, if a user is rocking a Lumia 520 or 620 with 512MB of RAM, the app will not be installed.
We view this as shortsighted by the app developers, as the Lumia 520 is the most famous of all the Windows Phone handsets on the market today. It means the developer has alienated the largest section of the Windows Phone 8 community.
Still, all is not lost, as the developers of Flipboard said the app will come for other devices, the team just need more time to make it happen. We're not sure when users of handsets with lesser than 1GB of RAM should expect to get their Flipboard fix, though we believe it might take months before anything is done.
What is Flipboard like for Windows Phone 8?
Nothing special to be honest. For folks coming from Android and iOS, they might like or feel a little bit cheated by the Windows Phone 8 version, and we'd expect diehard Windows Phone fans to feel the same way as well.
Why is that? Well, the app doesn't flip. We're not kidding here, an app that is called Flipboard that got popular due to its flipping rather than scrolling, does not flip at all. Flipping is one of the reasons why so many have come to love the app, and that feature is not part of the Windows Phone version.
From what we've seen, it is best for diehard Windows Phone fans to keep using the official Microsoft news app, because Flipboard doesn't bring anything of significant difference to the table.
Smartphone users who are not tied down to a single platform, this app is perfect for you guys.
The app is available right now from within the Windows Store.
