I have no issue with the actual sourcing and content of the article, but the premise of it is somewhere between pointless and unrelated. The only real "fear" has been that people (mostly Verizon customers) would be unable to get these phones onto their network. That appears to 100% be the case. This was also a general fear, as it didn't matter if it was Verizon or Microsoft rejecting a partnership, so I don't think there's anything to have "misguided."
Instead, the problem comes that Microsoft has a strategy, but only a vague one. Yeah, it's selling phones unlocked. However, you either have to wait days for shipping or drives hours to a MS Store, in many cases. You also have to drop the full price at once, something U.S. consumers aren't used to with their phones. They need a lease option like carriers have (and Apple recently started). They're supposedly CHOOSING to avoid certain carriers, but they won't say a word and leave customers in the dark, which makes them skip the platform.
Yes, Windows Phone 7 failed. Yes, Windows Phone 8 failed. Yes, this launch is likely to fail. However, none of that means Microsoft should be digging its own grave by failing to market, inform, or plan. Of course, that just leads back to Windows 10 itself, where Microsoft's most-unified feature thus far has been the half-finished nature of all of its software. If you're going to bring apps via external platform compilers, actually finish them for launch. If you're going to include and promote specific hardware (iris scanner), have the software (Windows Hello) working on the platform. If you're going to promote accessories (Continuum dock), announce pricing and availability.
10-11-2015 04:03 AM