Can Microsoft Right the Windows Phone 7 Ship?
Summary: Microsoft's young smartphone platform is definitely in trouble. In spite of a splashy ad campaign to spur the Windows Phone 7 launch, rumors of poor sales won't go away. Can Microsoft right this ship?
Microsoft's young smartphone platform is definitely in trouble. In spite of a splashy ad campaign to spur the Windows Phone 7 launch, rumors of poor sales won't go away. It doesn't help matters that a big hardware partner of WP7 publicly admits that sales of the company's phones have been disappointing. Can Microsoft right this ship?
The press started suspecting something wasn't right with Windows Phone 7 sales when Microsoft sidestepped the issue of sales numbers at the CES. Now one of Microsoft's largest hardware partners with the platform, LG, has admitted the company's disappointment with the push of WP7 into the market. That's about as bad as it gets for a platform builder like Microsoft.
LG's marketing strategy and planning team directory, James Choi, doesn't seem clear on what the problem is with WP7 adoption. "“For tech guys like us it might be a little bit boring after a week or two, but there are certain segments that it really appeals to. We strongly feel that it has a strong potential even though the first push wasn’t what everyone expected”.
Choi's statements show how difficult the task ahead is for Microsoft and it's hardware partners. WP7 is the flashiest mobile system Microsoft has ever produced, and yet it's perceived as boring by hardware partners.
Even though typical of smartphones today, Microsoft's hardware requirements for WP7 are apparently seen by LG as raising the bar too high for the market. “There is a lot of scepticism at the moment, but once Windows Phone 7 handsets that are mid-tier to low tier start appearing the market share will grow. Right now it’s only exclusively present in a high tier, because of its hardware requirements, and that’s limiting growth".
It seems that LG believes the future success of Windows Phone 7 lies in the bargain bin. That's not promising for a brand new platform, even one as pretty as WP7.
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Talkback
RE: Can Microsoft Right the Windows Phone 7 Ship?
As far as we know NOBODY'S WP7 phones are selling. If you know of any that
look at you jump around
Do you have a job?
RE: Can Microsoft Right the Windows Phone 7 Ship?
I was going to buy one today. Been holding off for a while trying to see if WP7 would start getting traction. I decided at $99 for a good smart phone I would go ahead and do it. Then I started looking at reviews on amazon. When I went through their sales wizard to see how much they are it was ONE CENT. Amazon is selling the AT&T phones for a penny with activation. With prices dropping on them everywhere and amazon at only a penny I have no confidence in the platform. Too cheap too soon. Giving these away as a free with contract phone just ran me off.
FADS_z: The topic is problems with WP7 phones. Do you have an argument?
@FADS_z - Please answer DonnieBoy's question instead of just insulting him.
Android Is Doing Well Because of Multi Tier Phones
"There is a lot of skepticism at the moment, but once Windows Phone 7 handsets that are mid-tier to low tier start appearing the market share will grow," he said. "Right now it's only exclusively present in a high tier, because of its hardware requirements, and that's limiting growth."
By the way have you even tried a Windows Phone 7?
RE: Can Microsoft Right the Windows Phone 7 Ship?
RE: Can Microsoft Right the Windows Phone 7 Ship?
WP7 *does* sync with Exchange via AtiveSync and DOES sync with HotMail/LiveMail without any issues. What, precisely, are your issues with how WP7 sync's email?
As to the rest of your text ... little of it makes any sense:
<i>" I would have loved the "windows based" aps on my money but they forced me to android because it actually has a good sync to outlook via Google-mail"</i>
Huh?
Erm...
RE: Can Microsoft Right the Windows Phone 7 Ship?
RE: Can Microsoft Right the Windows Phone 7 Ship?
First off, the Hotmail plugin for Outlook works way better than the gmail plugin. The gmail plugin does not work on a free account, only a paid Google Apps account, which is $50 a year.
With a free GMAIL account you only get Outlook syncing via a IMAP and that is only email, not contacts, cal etc.
With the hotmail plugin for outlook you get full Active Sync with hotmail, email, contacts, cal.....all for FREE.
Just today I finally ditched my iPhone 3G, that was running like effing krap with the iOS 4.x OS. I went to an ATT store and got a Samsung Focus. I continued my unlimited plan. The focus popped up after the first boot and asked for my live account and after I put in the information email and contacts started flowing down to the phone in 15 seconds.
Next I plugged in my work Exchange information and it too flowed down in 15 seconds.
Since GMAIL uses Microsoft Active Sync on its servers I could have setup a GMAIL account on the phone, if I wanted my privacy invaded, and it would have worked as well.
So I dont belive what you are saying. Any user buying a smartphone and wanting to sync their data has 4 choices, an Exchange account, a hotmail account, a gmail account or in the case of an iPhone you can use MobileMe (what a joke).
Yahoo, AOL and who knows what else, may support IMAP but that is ONLY for email, no contacts or cal.
@marvin risking your contacts and other info on Microsoft servers?? Yeah because you losing your hard drive is never going to happen vs losing data on Microsoft servers in a data center???
I have email in my hotmail account that is 10 years old.
The BS in all of this is the bloggers. The effing phone is just over 60 days old and these idiots post doom and gloom blogs. Yet WP7 has sold more than Adroid and iPhone in the same time frame and has more apps in its app store in the same time frame. This blog post is pure link bait, filled with haters and in the case of george0227...liars...or people that cant figure out how to setup a email on a phone.
RE: Can Microsoft Right the Windows Phone 7 Ship?
No, LG phone suck either way.
Here's a breakdown of Windows Phone 7 OEM distribution:
HTC: 51%
Samsung 37%
LG: 9%
Dell: 3%
Those numbers came from where?
Are any LG products good?
Still in all I think Kendrick has skewed LG's response. LG's Choi also said:
"We strongly feel that it has a strong potential even though the first push wasn't what everyone expected."
and he said that Microsoft's OS is
"absolutely perfect for a huge segment out there. What we feel is that some people believe that some operating systems, mainly Google, are extremely complicated for them."
To which I say "Amen!"
RE: Can Microsoft Right the Windows Phone 7 Ship?
I have had my WP7 since day 1 and I am happier with this phone than any other phone I have had prior: iPhone, Android, Nokia...I have had many.
There is so much hype in the smartphone market at the moment and so many lemmings out there that have had a LaJobamy that it not going to happen overnight for Microsoft and I think they are well aware of that.
Let's all just sit back for a while and play with our toys and let the chips fall where they may.
BondiGeek
http://www.bondigeek.com
RE: Can Microsoft Right the Windows Phone 7 Ship?
RE: Can Microsoft Right the Windows Phone 7 Ship?
Great Exchange support (and getting better still in the future). Smooth Sharepoint integration. <b>SERIOUSLY AWESOME</b>Zune music subscription. Sweet games & XBox Live integration.
Copy & Paste and perf improvements imminent. Marketplace apps and games volume exploding.
It's early days for WP7 - MS is in this for the long haul. It'll take a while to get momentum, but it will come.
RE: Can Microsoft Right the Windows Phone 7 Ship?
I have the Samsung Focus and has few issues, most of which is related to accidentally touching the capacitive buttons (I prefer physical buttons), but overall, I am very sastified with this phone.
The problem is that ordinary users find WP 7 phones clumsy and boring.