Digital Trends - Why you should never consider a Windows Phone!

[EasilyTheBest]

Yet another stupid article that's not going to help.
Why You Should Not Buy a Lumia, or Windows Phone | Digital Trends

Their best Line is this, "Microsoft may give up on the Lumia line altogether, and move on to a Surface phone."
So what difference would that make...

 

[libra89]

Yep, this is very eyeroll worthy. Part of it seems like it was lifted from some of the debbie downer posts from here. Also, you should buy a BB is amusing considering that they are launching a phone with Android.

 

[extrikate]

Their best Line is this, "Microsoft may give up on the Lumia line altogether, and move on to a Surface phone."
So what difference would that make...

It would make the same difference as it did for the people who invested in Surface RT.
You may not like the articles perspective but if you remove emotion from your reading, you'll see that the writer has valid points/concerns. I have used Windows mobile OS's exclusively since 2003 when I got the PPC6600. I am a huge supported of Microsoft and have nearly ever product they have ever produced. That said, it is difficult when you convince people to try the mobile offerings only for them to give up after a year due to lack of support. I am happy to try out 3rd party software and seek alternatives for popular apps. The average person does not, and should not have to do this.
It's like owning a hotrod. Sure it is awesome for those who are into it and have a passion for it, but the average person just wants to get in a car that will take them from A to B reliably and comfortably.Most people don't want to have to tinker, tweak, or accept limitations.
Microsoft has done a horrible job promoting mobile. With Panos at the helm this is likely to change but damage control is a tough hurdle. The 950 series should have been a show stopper. Instead it was like the opening act for an awesome Surface concert. MS needs to dig in, bring their great ideas to reality, and promote them as if they are proud to be bringing true innovation. Continuing to appease the the 3% market share with minor upgrades will not make them a leader on mobile.

 

[Spectrum90]

The smartphone user base is huge and diverse. W10 could be an excellent product for many people.

 

[Indistinguishable]

Not only is this uninformed journalism, it's click bait. Don't give them what they want.

 

[ven07]

Not only is this uninformed journalism, it's click bait. Don't give them what they want.

Agreed! I clicked on it hoping I would read a well balanced piece that could be a contender for the next Pulitzer, but after the first few sentences, I almost wanted to hunt down the author.... Luckily I knew that the piece was intended as click bait and read through the rest while laughing and shaking my head.. ho ho ho all the way lol

 

[chmun77]

The author is just sharing his views. Is not surprising with such articles as sales of Windows Phone is really bad as compared to iPhones and Android worldwide. Indeed Microsoft focuses are not with the phones, but the backend cloud services. He also touched on apps issues which are indeed true as of now as well. "No one?s selling Windows Phones" - which is also true. In my country, practically all telcos are selling iPhone and plenty of Android phones. When was the last sales of Windows Phone? 1520.... which was like 2 years ago, and sales were really bad. "Endless stagnation" - well, if Continuum and Universal apps are not going to save Windows 10 mobiles, I can see it is coming to the end of Windows Phones. WP will continue to be what it is - till MS pulls the plug totally.

 

[ven07]

The author is just sharing his views. Is not surprising with such articles as sales of Windows Phone is really bad as compared to iPhones and Android worldwide. Indeed Microsoft focuses are not with the phones, but the backend cloud services. He also touched on apps issues which are indeed true as of now as well. "No one’s selling Windows Phones" - which is also true. In my country, practically all telcos are selling iPhone and plenty of Android phones. When was the last sales of Windows Phone? 1520.... which was like 2 years ago, and sales were really bad. "Endless stagnation" - well, if Continuum and Universal apps are not going to save Windows 10 mobiles, I can see it is coming to the end of Windows Phones. WP will continue to be what it is - till MS pulls the plug totally.

Funny tho.. just because it doesn't sell in your country doesn't mean that the same goes for all countries because if it were true, the user base would be a lot lower lol the app gap (and we keep saying this) is subjective. Not everyone uses the same apps as others and to think differently is kind of naive :/

Personally im kind of happy that we're missing some popular apps that other platforms have. Reason? some apps and games are just copies of the same app you've been using previously,but it got thrown into a new suit and it's new so people assume they need it. and if one person has it, all the people that person wants to stay in contact with need to have it as well :/ it's ludacris... BBM was a good example of this; when it was launched for other platforms, everybody just had to download it, however all of those people already had at least two other IM apps with the same contacts

Finally.. will MS pull the plug? yes they will, if it turns out that the phone business won't yield any profits, but saying that MS simply doesn't care is insane! They have been actively developing a new platform, working with developers to provide universal apps, working on new phones and rumor has it that the next gen flagships are already being tested! What else do they need to do, to show you and anyone else that, yes, they do care, but in the end business is about making money and not about being sentimental.

Everyone that invests in sth wants to see a decent return; the same goes for a company like MS

 

[Geodude074]

I'm so excited for Windows Phone! Can't wait to go to Verizon and buy a new Lumia 950!

Oh wait.. forgot... it's an AT&T exclusive...

 

[RumoredNow]

I'm so excited for Windows Phone! Can't wait to go to Verizon and buy a new Lumia 950!

Oh wait.. forgot... it's an AT&T exclusive...

So are you a Verizon exclusive?

 

[chmun77]

Funny tho.. just because it doesn't sell in your country doesn't mean that the same goes for all countries because if it were true, the user base would be a lot lower lol the app gap (and we keep saying this) is subjective. Not everyone uses the same apps as others and to think differently is kind of naive :/

Personally im kind of happy that we're missing some popular apps that other platforms have. Reason? some apps and games are just copies of the same app you've been using previously,but it got thrown into a new suit and it's new so people assume they need it. and if one person has it, all the people that person wants to stay in contact with need to have it as well :/ it's ludacris... BBM was a good example of this; when it was launched for other platforms, everybody just had to download it, however all of those people already had at least two other IM apps with the same contacts

Finally.. will MS pull the plug? yes they will, if it turns out that the phone business won't yield any profits, but saying that MS simply doesn't care is insane! They have been actively developing a new platform, working with developers to provide universal apps, working on new phones and rumor has it that the next gen flagships are already being tested! What else do they need to do, to show you and anyone else that, yes, they do care, but in the end business is about making money and not about being sentimental.

Everyone that invests in sth wants to see a decent return; the same goes for a company like MS

Well, is not just my country. I'm using my country just as to state my POV. If you have been following the market share of Windows Phone so far, yes, some European countries are having slightly better sales, but so many other countries, especially like in China, are having very little sales as compared to iPhone and Android phones.

Actually, I'm not sure why are you happy about having lesser popular apps. Popular apps are what drives a platform to success. Let's not talk about apps which are similar, but look at how stale Instagram BETA is. Facebook and Messenger apps are so bad as compared to Android / iOS counterparts. And that's only tip of the ice berg. I shall not dwell much about how bad apps are on Windows Phone because it is already quite a stale topic for a start. But for those who have switched between Windows Phones and other platforms will understand this.

Technically, MS doesn't care about Windows Phone. It is dead. What's upcoming is Windows 10 Mobile, which is running Windows 10. What MS cares about is the platform (OS), and its backend cloud services. Phones are not their bread and butter - but the services are. Of course, when Windows 10 gets upgraded, so will the phone since they share the same platform. But do you think MS will get worry if the phones don't sell? No way. Is like Google. They push out Nexus phones, but it doesn't stop them even if Nexus are not selling because what Google and Microsoft need is to show the world of their next version of OS. Hence now we have the new 950 series. However, I do agree that they do care about making money though - but not through phones.

 

[Geodude074]

So are you a Verizon exclusive?

Millions of Verizon customers are. How many of them do you think are going to switch to AT&T for the Lumia 950?

 

[RumoredNow]

Millions of Verizon customers are. How many of them do you think are going to switch to AT&T for the Lumia 950?

None if they can't get signal off Verizon. I do feel bad for them that they are trapped doing business with a soulless corporation that seems to never really value the customer higher than $$$. Stinks to be one of those, I guess.

So we should just cancel everything? EVERYBODY should be up in arms and stamp their feet because Verizon won't be getting these new Windows Phones? Not everyone is "stuck" on Verizon so let us not pretend the problem is universal.

I don't know the whole story because I wasn't in the negotiations. I've not seen a post from anyone who actually sat at that table. I would bet good money that ultimately that decision is Verizon's. They did something somewhere to mess this up. There was a condition Verizon insisted upon that Microsoft would not meet for the sake of the platform's future and so they walked away. I believe Verizon then made it clear that they would not activate any 950 or 950 XL onto their network and that's why Microsoft doesn't have the frequencies enabled, so they don't get a bunch of returns from people who believe it should work, have every right to expect it will work, but find that it won't because Verizon's draconian system allows it that type of control which history shows us they exercise gleefully at any time they choose.


All I know is I thank the Gods and Fates that I can take my business anywhere I like and not be beholden. I don't have to ask my carrier can I please use this phone, will you enable it from your side so it works? I can grab almost any phone I want from any source and stick a SIM in and whistle merrily as I configure it myself to have it run on the network I choose. And I can shop around and change carriers at any time. Just like an American ought to be able to do. My SIM and my payment is my authorization.

So I ask you, what's in your SIM slot?

 

[rhapdog]

All I know is I thank the Gods and Fates

Just like an American ought to be able to do.

Wait... Are you living in Ancient Greece or America?

 

[RumoredNow]

Americans are free to mix their metaphors. :winktongue:

George Washington fought for us to have that right during the War of 1812.

 

[rhapdog]

The War of 1812 was the war of metaphors?

Don't answer. That was a metaphorical question.

 

[ven07]

All I know is I thank the Gods and Fates that I can take my business anywhere I like and not be beholden. I don't have to ask my carrier can I please use this phone, will you enable it from your side so it works? I can grab almost any phone I want from any source and stick a SIM in and whistle merrily as I configure it myself to have it run on the network I choose. And I can shop around and change carriers at any time. Just like an American ought to be able to do. My SIM and my payment is my authorization.

So I ask you, what's in your SIM slot?

This was so beautiful, it ALMOST brought me to tears

 

[tgp]

I would bet good money that ultimately that decision is Verizon's.

And I would bet good money that ultimately the decision is AT&T's.

 

[RumoredNow]

It has been reported that the ATT sales of 950 are not exclusive. I can try and dig up some links if you like. It's mixed in with Legere being... Legere so it may have gotten drowned out in his white noise.

Exclusives hurt the platform by limiting availability in one of the most lucrative cellular markets in the world. THAT is exactly the condition I believe Vzw probably insisted upon.

 

[Geodude074]

It has been reported that the ATT sales of 950 are not exclusive. I can try and dig up some links if you like. It's mixed in with Legere being... Legere so it may have gotten drowned out in his white noise.

Exclusives hurt the platform by limiting availability in one of the most lucrative cellular markets in the world. THAT is exactly the condition I believe Vzw probably insisted upon.

It's not exclusive, but Microsoft has not worked with any other carrier besides AT&T to offer the 950. Hence why T-Mobile was telling Microsoft to "wake up". Microsoft doesn't seem very interested in getting the 950 or the 950 XL in the hands of anybody, they were created just to keep the fanboys happy until next year.

Source: http://asia.pcmag.com/windows-10/6680/opinion/microsoft-doesnt-really-want-to-sell-windows-phone

"We're refocusing our channel strategy, narrowing it in the short-term and planning for broader operator availability long-term," Microsoft says. (In other words, 950 and 950 XL are throwaways, in preparation for next year's Surface phones).

"While there was interest across the board from U.S. operators, currently we've made the decision to have AT&T carry the Lumia 950, and then sell both the Lumia 950 and Lumia 950 XL unlocked through our own channel in Microsoft stores," Microsoft's statement continues. (In other words, other carriers like T-Mobile and possibly Verizon showed interest in the 950, but Microsoft couldn't be bothered to make a deal with them.)