[HiroEX]

I know the title is a bit flame baitish. But I'm talking about Apple's upgrade program. The biggest complaint I always see is the latest flagship isnt available on xyz carrier, or xyz carrier is holding back the latest updates.
If microsoft starts selling their phones with installment plans (with yearly upgrades) that is carrier unlocked it solves all those issues and more. If apple can do it for less than carriers, microsoft should be able to as well. Honestly, I'm worried as a verizon user (locked in with my family) I won't even have a chance of getting the option to even buy a wp short of buying it unlocked. Anyone have thoughts on this? Has this already been beaten to death?

[Zachary Boddy]

I know the title is a bit flame baitish. But I'm talking about Apple's upgrade program. The biggest complaint I always see is the latest flagship isnt available on xyz carrier, or xyz carrier is holding back the latest updates.
If microsoft starts selling their phones with installment plans (with yearly upgrades) that is carrier unlocked it solves all those issues and more. If apple can do it for less than carriers, microsoft should be able to as well. Honestly, I'm worried as a verizon user (locked in with my family) I won't even have a chance of getting the option to even buy a wp short of buying it unlocked. Anyone have thoughts on this? Has this already been beaten to death?

In a perfect world Microsoft would do everything they can to get their phones to the consumer. Unfortunately, this world isn't perfect. I hope Microsoft has a trick or four hundred up their sleeve but all we can do is wait.

[tgp]

Microsoft recently made a half-hearted statement about producing hardware for two years. I don't think that a commitment to an annual upgrade is part of their plan right now.

Apple, for the last number of years, has provided an upgraded device or two on a very predictable schedule. It is part of their SOP, and will remain so for the foreseeable future.

[libra89]

Microsoft recently made a half-hearted statement about producing hardware for two years. I don't think that a commitment to an annual upgrade is part of their plan right now.

Apple, for the last number of years, has provided an upgraded device or two on a very predictable schedule. It is part of their SOP, and will remain so for the foreseeable future.

Well said.

Also if Microsoft was to do that, where would we have room for OEMs like Microsoft wants? What would be the point of them making a W10M phone if Microsoft has plans to always allow you to upgrade with their own plan? Windows Mobile users are already small (but maybe not smaller than BB), and even somehow having half of those users (just choosing a number) would be a lot.

Maybe I'm overthinking it, but that's how I see it.

[tgp]

Well said.

Thanks!

Also if Microsoft was to do that, where would we have room for OEMs like Microsoft wants?

There is another side to it though; Microsoft could do some kind of an upgrade with a Surface phone. The numbers would probably be small, which would leave room for OEMs.

I still do not think that Microsoft wants to commit to producing hardware at this time. Nadella expressed a wait-and-see approach.

[HiroEX]

I mostly just saw it as including all wp devices. Doing essentially what carriers do. They open up a loan on a $600 device for you that you pay back every month.
This benefits you by giving you a unlocked device that gets updates as soon as ms releases them, and can be used on any carrier. And allows you to upgrade once a year to any device (oem or ms) device MS sells. No reason it needs to be lumia only.
But it solves the ridiculous issue that only people on AT&T can get the flagship windows phone for the same price.
But yeah I guess even MS is ready to pull out so they don't want to go all in again.

[Zachary Boddy]

I think it would be a great idea if Microsoft sold all their devices directly to consumers and with a finance plan, then reached out to OEM's and offer to help market and sell the device. Part of the Nokia acquisition was well founded R&D and marketing departments and Microsoft could put that to good use by making ties with OEM's and helping to sell a larger variety of Windows Phones to more people everywhere.
If Microsoft reached out to some small, yet well known OEM's around the world and made this offer, I'm sure many of them would accept. No matter where Microsoft is with mobile devices they are still one of the largest corporations in the world and their name means a lot.

[Nogitsune Micah]

I wish Microsoft would copy apple. It might help us in the long run in several areas