The 920 launch really is a complete shambles.
I'm in the UK and am a big fan of the Windows Phone OS - I've had a Dell Venue Pro for a while now and have been patiently waiting to upgrade to WP8. And yet, as a subscriber to Vodafone, I basically can't get my hands on the phone. Nokia's inability to release a SIM-free version of the phone in the UK means I can either move over to Orange/T-Mobile/EE or, basically, get shafted. This might be a sensible strategy if Vodafone and O2 didn't comprise a massive chunk of the UK market. Unfortunately, they do - in 2010 it was exactly 50% (with Orange, T-Mobile, Virgin and Three together making up the remaining 50%).
So, why don't I just order a SIM-free phone from alternative sources instead? Goodness. Clove out of stock. Expansys out of stock. All outlets in Germany pretty much out of stock, unless I pay silly money. Amazon.de no stock. Thing is, they're not out of stock because of some crazy rush for the phone - they're out of stock because Nokia just isn't supplying sensible quantities. Phaseshifter mentioned that after a long wait, Cyberport (or whatever it is, I forget the name, sorry) got 40 units of one colour, and nothing else. Right. And this is, what, 2-3 weeks after launch and it's still a small dribble of units here and there? There's heaps of European users just as frustrated as I am.
I hate Apple and the iPhone with a passion - but I'll give them this much credit, they know marketing's not a difficult concept. Supply and demand. You create the demand. You provide the supply. It really isn't rocket science. You see an iPhone launch, you know you can buy the damned thing in a week or so's time. I sent an email to Stephen Elop expressing my frustration and basically concluding "I have ?500 ready to buy your phone [without switching provider] - please tell me how." To his eternal credit, he replied - but of course, it was just to reassure me availability was coming. I'm still none the wiser as to how I get the phone on my network.
It's exactly this kind of strategy that has relegated Nokia from mobile leader to nothing more than a small role on the sidelines. I've been waiting an eternity for the phone and now I find myself eyeing up the HTC 8X instead because handing over my hard-earned cash really shouldn't be so difficult. Ultimately, I'll probably wait it out - but if an ardent supporter of the phone is starting to waver (and I'm not the only one, judging by posts here) then what hope has Nokia of getting the more casual purchaser to switch their provider allegiance and purchase a 920? I have no doubt whatsoever that when we first start to see 920 sales figures, they'll stink. And when they do, it boils down to decisions like locking out 50% of the UK market. I do feel sorry for anyone in Nokia R&D - work so hard on the technology and the apps, only to see the whole thing screwed up again by other divisions at Espoo. Nokia's hopes really do ride on the success of WP8 (especially if RIM finally gets their act together with BB10) and can anyone really look at this launch and say "Yep, that's exactly how you launch your new flagship phone. Good job guys."?
Rant over - and hope everyone who's actually got their hands on a 920 is enjoying it...
I'm in the UK and am a big fan of the Windows Phone OS - I've had a Dell Venue Pro for a while now and have been patiently waiting to upgrade to WP8. And yet, as a subscriber to Vodafone, I basically can't get my hands on the phone. Nokia's inability to release a SIM-free version of the phone in the UK means I can either move over to Orange/T-Mobile/EE or, basically, get shafted. This might be a sensible strategy if Vodafone and O2 didn't comprise a massive chunk of the UK market. Unfortunately, they do - in 2010 it was exactly 50% (with Orange, T-Mobile, Virgin and Three together making up the remaining 50%).
So, why don't I just order a SIM-free phone from alternative sources instead? Goodness. Clove out of stock. Expansys out of stock. All outlets in Germany pretty much out of stock, unless I pay silly money. Amazon.de no stock. Thing is, they're not out of stock because of some crazy rush for the phone - they're out of stock because Nokia just isn't supplying sensible quantities. Phaseshifter mentioned that after a long wait, Cyberport (or whatever it is, I forget the name, sorry) got 40 units of one colour, and nothing else. Right. And this is, what, 2-3 weeks after launch and it's still a small dribble of units here and there? There's heaps of European users just as frustrated as I am.
I hate Apple and the iPhone with a passion - but I'll give them this much credit, they know marketing's not a difficult concept. Supply and demand. You create the demand. You provide the supply. It really isn't rocket science. You see an iPhone launch, you know you can buy the damned thing in a week or so's time. I sent an email to Stephen Elop expressing my frustration and basically concluding "I have ?500 ready to buy your phone [without switching provider] - please tell me how." To his eternal credit, he replied - but of course, it was just to reassure me availability was coming. I'm still none the wiser as to how I get the phone on my network.
It's exactly this kind of strategy that has relegated Nokia from mobile leader to nothing more than a small role on the sidelines. I've been waiting an eternity for the phone and now I find myself eyeing up the HTC 8X instead because handing over my hard-earned cash really shouldn't be so difficult. Ultimately, I'll probably wait it out - but if an ardent supporter of the phone is starting to waver (and I'm not the only one, judging by posts here) then what hope has Nokia of getting the more casual purchaser to switch their provider allegiance and purchase a 920? I have no doubt whatsoever that when we first start to see 920 sales figures, they'll stink. And when they do, it boils down to decisions like locking out 50% of the UK market. I do feel sorry for anyone in Nokia R&D - work so hard on the technology and the apps, only to see the whole thing screwed up again by other divisions at Espoo. Nokia's hopes really do ride on the success of WP8 (especially if RIM finally gets their act together with BB10) and can anyone really look at this launch and say "Yep, that's exactly how you launch your new flagship phone. Good job guys."?
Rant over - and hope everyone who's actually got their hands on a 920 is enjoying it...