If Microsoft Exits the High-End Phone Market, Will You Stay?

[steve_w_7]

Unless Microsoft has become very good at containing leaks, it appears that the only handsets poised to do battle with iPhone and Android this fall are in the low to mid range.

If this becomes their strategy going forward, will you stick with the platform or will you seek your high-end gadget fix elsewhere?

 

[rockstarzzz]

I think one high-end a year is more than enough for Microsoft to stay relevant. However, they need 5-6 low-end or mid-range hits each year in order to get those numbers. Currently, WP needs numbers for developers to find it more appealing. More the users, more devs. More devs, means more apps. More apps, more matured and appealing WP looks. More matured and appealing the platform looks, when the "high-end" or flagship or hero device is launched, more users will want to grab it!

 

[tgp]

Because the WP OS runs so well on low end hardware, does it really make much difference? Is there a big advantage to high end hardware, besides maybe the camera?

 

[theefman]

If all someone cares about are the specs, why wait? Leave now and stop torturing yourself.

 

[Toan Le]

Because the WP OS runs so well on low end hardware, does it really make much difference? Is there a big advantage to high end hardware, besides maybe the camera?

Yeah, that's true. But we are techies and we know it. But what about average users? They are the majority of smartphones users and most of them don't even know how the hell Windows Phone is different from Android, and they see the bigger the specs are, the better... Just what I think, based on very many people I know.

 

[xandros9]

The flagships everyone is waiting for are the 930 and 1520. Well, also the ATIV SE and rumored W8, but still, MS has the rest of the Lumia lineup to refresh.
The 720 and 820 haven't gotten a x30 refresh to their name yet.

 

[dby2011]

The fact the Microsoft is involved in promoting the new HTC W8 makes me believe that the rumors that they will not have a high end device seem more legit. I will say the 730 and 830 look like great phones though.

 

[DoctorSaline]

A lot of people are upset about Mclaren getting cancelled. I know I was too. But considering the quality of these last crop of Nokia phones(just look at 930), perhaps it was better to save that gimmick for phones developed under Microsoft. I'm sure if it had released this fall, it'd have been another half baked effort from Nokia.

Now about high end phones for 2015, SD 808/810 are slated to come with products in fall of 2015. If MS, choose to go with it, I guess we might see 925 successor before holiday break to fill the gap till that. Or they may just release flagships with SD801/805 around build and threshold announcement. Though I'd hate to see MS coming with lower processor if competition might come with more powerful SD808/810. *Fingers crossed* I guess the point of my post was that, it is not gonna happen. There will always be at least two high end flagships. One with 1020 development line and one with 1520 development line. Then there is always 930 development line.

 

[Toan Le]

The fact the Microsoft is involved in promoting the new HTC W8 makes me believe that the rumors that they will not have a high end device seem more legit. I will say the 730 and 830 look like great phones though.

That reason should explain everything. The HTC W8 looks good, but I won't expect much from HTC, though. Just take a look at their support for Windows Phone so far, and the "death" of the HTC 8S recently. So HTC? No thanks, I will stick with Nokia, just in case I have the money lol
.

 

[tgp]

Yeah, that's true. But we are techies and we know it. But what about average users? They are the majority of smartphones users and most of them don't even know how the hell Windows Phone is different from Android, and they see the bigger the specs are, the better... Just what I think, based on very many people I know.

I work in IT in a relatively small private business, and every once in a blue moon I fill in for someone on the sales floor. Customers come in and say that they saw a laptop at Walmart with a 1TB drive, 8GB RAM, and a 3.33GHz processor, for $348. We don't sell that stuff, and we certainly cannot compete on price/specs. All they see are the numbers, which are a lot more than the average PC home user will utilize anyway.

In short, what I'm saying is that you're absolutely correct! The average user looks at the numbers. :smile:

 

[typhon62_1]

Hate to say it, but nope!
I'm with AT&T and my 920 will be two years old in November. If AT&T doesn't have a decent 920 replacement by them I'm jumping ship. I'd be happy with the 930 but I don't think AT&T will ever pick it up.

I'm not getting a iPhone and I can't say I'm in love with any of the Android phones presently out there.

​Sucks....

 

[tgp]

Hate to say it, but nope!
I'm with AT&T and my 920 will be two years old in November. If AT&T doesn't have a decent 920 replacement by them I'm jumping ship. I'd be happy with the 930 but I don't think AT&T will ever pick it up.

I'm not getting a iPhone and I can't say I'm in love with any of the Android phones presently out there.

​Sucks....

You, sir, are in a dilemma! :unhappysweat:

 

[Trevor Wolfe]

Yeah I want a Lumia 1520 on Verizon with a pen like the surface that opens up OneNote.

 

[dby2011]

Hate to say it, but nope!
I'm with AT&T and my 920 will be two years old in November. If AT&T doesn't have a decent 920 replacement by them I'm jumping ship. I'd be happy with the 930 but I don't think AT&T will ever pick it up.

I'm not getting a iPhone and I can't say I'm in love with any of the Android phones presently out there.

​Sucks....

But the speculation so far looks like the 830 which will most likely be on att could be better than your current 920.

 

[Coolknight1968]

Hmm... I have the 1320 and I am very happy with it. A updated version with simply more internal storage for my email would be enough for me. Yes, I like the size.

 

[GoodThings2Life]

I'm on AT&T, so it really depends what my options are.

I love my 1020, functionally, but it's very slow, and I want a quad-core chip. I hope for a 1030, but I'd go for a 930 or 830- depending on specs- in the interim.

That said, I would not leave WP for a competitor. I'd rather not have a phone at all.

 

[Great deal]

Simple answers really, if your in the market for a handset that gives you the latest tech then no. If you only care about getting what you need to get done, done, then yes as long as you can on WP. However the question itself is flawed as MS are NOT going to:

A - Exit the mobile phone market
B - Exit the high end device sector

 

[Maaz Mansori]

We're still expecting the Lumia 1525, right? I don't see any signs that they are ready to exit the high-end market yet. It's normal to have more low-end and mid-range handsets and for high-end handsets to be released once a year or so. If they did exit the high-end phone market, it would give an OEM an opportunity to produce one; for example, maybe Samsung would make a Galaxy Note running WP. I don't expect high-end WP handsets to disappear altogether though Microsoft might stop making them themselves if they are satisfied with the selection of OEM handsets. So, to answer your original question, if there is no successor to the 1525 (assuming it is released) or 930, I would have to upgrade to something different next year, potentially from another manufacturer, but I'm not interested in switching to iPhone or Android. It's more important that I stay with WP.

 

[steve_w_7]

Simple answers really, if your in the market for a handset that gives you the latest tech then no. If you only care about getting what you need to get done, done, then yes as long as you can on WP. However the question itself is flawed as MS are NOT going to:

A - Exit the mobile phone market
B - Exit the high end device sector

Whether or not Microsoft would exit the mobile phone market was never speculated upon. It does, though, appear that Microsoft will concede the high end market to iPhone and Android (Samsung) for 4Q 2014.

 

[Great deal]

Whether or not Microsoft would exit the mobile phone market was never speculated upon. It does, though, appear that Microsoft will concede the high end market to iPhone and Android (Samsung) for 4Q 2014.

That's obvious given whats happening. The HTC is a top end phone coming to Windows though, good to see other OEM's start to transition.