Is Windows Phone Committing Suicide?

[roberts1069]

I may be in need of a new phone in the next few months. Sadly, there are no high end Windows Phones available.
I may have to (gasp!) go to an iPhone.
I am having a very hard time understanding Msoft's strategy.
The 950's are not an option for me. Due to where I live, Verizon is the only carrier that provides reliable coverage where I travel.
Shame on you Microsoft!

 

[Pete]

Why is it Microsoft's fault for carriers not taking the phones?

 

[Guytronic]

Yup too bad Verizon has turned their back on something that may not be what a majority of Verizon customers want.
I'm sure the 950 experience with Verizon would be a winning combo for many.

In the end it comes down to popular phones that Verizon sticklers need that are actually available.
If Microsoft Lumias fail to meet the needs in the eyes of Verizon as a carrier then there ya go...
Sorry.

 

[Jcmg62]

Carrier issues aside, I can see where roberts1069 is coming from. Sticking with Microsoft Mobile is getting harder.

I've been along for the ride since the very earliest days of the Windows Phone 7 launch back in 2009. In that time I've only used Windows Phone and have invested heavily in the platform.

I'm a die hard fan, but I'm nearing the end.

The platform just isn't going anywhere. Developers aren't supporting it. Major tech firms aren't supporting it. Every other day we lose apps. Every other day a new app or feature hits the world at large and we're not invited to the party.

I don't blame Microsoft for this. It's just the way things are.

 

[roberts1069]

Why is it Microsoft's fault for carriers not taking the phones?

In this case, Microsoft did not produce 950's compatible with CDMA.

 

[Chintan Gohel]

In this case, Microsoft did not produce 950's compatible with CDMA.

this is going to be irony - Why should MS produce phones with CDMA that less than 3% of users will use? Verizon has about 140 million subscribers which is basically 3% of all phone subscribers worldwide. So they should add a provision for a company that is behind the times when all other companies use GSM?

The irony is that the same case is made for developers - why produce an app for an ecosystem that less than 3% of smartphone users use? This is so crazy

 

[libra89]

I think Microsoft is in a hard place right now. They are retrenching and that doesn't have Verizon anywhere in the picture at the time. For you, it's either midrange (735) or nothing. I would say go to your iPhone or get a solid Android phone, you have choices in this waiting period.

Or you can try to find a used Icon in good condition...

 

[Raygreen3]

You could find another carrier too. I am sure AT&T has close to the same coverage.

Why people think Verizon is so great is beyond me.

 

[etphoto]

I may be in need of a new phone in the next few months. Sadly, there are no high end Windows Phones available.
I may have to (gasp!) go to an iPhone.
I am having a very hard time understanding Msoft's strategy.
The 950's are not an option for me. Due to where I live, Verizon is the only carrier that provides reliable coverage where I travel.
Shame on you Microsoft!

I was going to leave Verizon when I got a new phone but instead (for the time being) picked up a 735. Its not the "high end" phone that you want but it's certainly nice and runs latest Win10 mobile just fine.

Twitter: @PhotographyET

 

[roberts1069]

You could find another carrier too. I am sure AT&T has close to the same coverage.
.

I live on Oahu and travel often to the island of Hawaii. I have had consistently good coverage everywhere I go while there. Kinfolk there with ATT and T-Mobile tell me they often lose coverage while visiting/traveling about the island. Even on Oahu, coverage is spotty for those two.

 

[HeyCori]

Is Windows Phone Committing Suicide?

Well, Microsoft is withdrawing from the consumer market to focus more on enterprise, so technically yes.

 

[pc2k16]

I don't think the lack of high end phones is the main problem. Apple seems to get along just fine with only a few choices. The issue, IMHO, is win10 mobile. It's a complete mess. If Microsoft doesn't get it together soon, they're done in the mobile phone market. Trying to focus on enterprise isn't going to cut it either. The company I work for was looking to purchase a boat load of win10 mobile devices, 1000's, and I right now I have to tell them do not proceed. I cannot recommend win10 mobile device in it's current state, which is a shame because I'm a huge Microsoft fan and always have been.

 

[Krystianpants]

Carrier issues aside, I can see where roberts1069 is coming from. Sticking with Microsoft Mobile is getting harder.

I've been along for the ride since the very earliest days of the Windows Phone 7 launch back in 2009. In that time I've only used Windows Phone and have invested heavily in the platform.

I'm a die hard fan, but I'm nearing the end.

The platform just isn't going anywhere. Developers aren't supporting it. Major tech firms aren't supporting it. Every other day we lose apps. Every other day a new app or feature hits the world at large and we're not invited to the party.

I don't blame Microsoft for this. It's just the way things are.

Really? There's more apps coming out than I have seen since participating in windows phone. You're making it sound like it's getting worse when it's quite the contrary. Many who have dropped have come out with windows 10 versions of their apps. More have than haven't. There's more high quality apps that are even getting updated. Instagram with stories feature already on windows? You wouldn't see that in the past. Paypal is really the only big one that has dropped but they could come back as windows 10, you never know. My guess is more than likely since MS has been working on the wallet app. And if they push for business paypal doesn't want to lose out.

I think your issue is that you have been waiting a long time with the expectation that it would one day be on par with the other mobile os's. And that's not a smart reason to stay on the platform. But if it gives you what you need not sure what's wrong with it? Obviously the only big issue is the carrier and the other stuff shouldn't be a deciding factor if your needs are met by windows. And if you really do feel that you are an app guy then go with the iphone, no one is stopping you, but just wanted to mention that apps have gotten better. I don't see them being on par unless MS does something disruptive. That one company whartonbrooks has made some claims of that but I highly doubt that it will be disruptive. I believe MS is the only company that has the R&D to be able to pull it off.

If MS is truly holding out till 2017 to really drive focus on mobile because of some hardware/software requirements they must meet to be disruptive then cool. It doesn't bother me because I already got a 950xl and I can do what I need. Come 2017 if MS doesn't impress me and Samsung does, I may go there, alternatively if Apple impresses me I may go there. My money, my choice. But really this is the worst time for contracts to expire or require a new phone if you actually want to stay on windows mobile. Not enough effort is going into it to get these units on Verizon. Though HP may release yet another phone that will be on Verizon. It's hard to ignore them in the enterprise.

 

[dellaster]

this is going to be irony - Why should MS produce phones with CDMA that less than 3% of users will use? Verizon has about 140 million subscribers which is basically 3% of all phone subscribers worldwide. So they should add a provision for a company that is behind the times when all other companies use GSM?

The irony is that the same case is made for developers - why produce an app for an ecosystem that less than 3% of smartphone users use? This is so crazy

One reason: because all the other major players have phones on Verizon and, therefore, not having a phone on Verizon signals that Microsoft has no intent to be a major player for US consumers.

Which happens to be the truth, so here we are. I've already reluctantly moved on after nearly four years of Windows Phone.

 

[slivy58]

Really? There's more apps coming out than I have seen since participating in windows phone. You're making it sound like it's getting worse when it's quite the contrary. Many who have dropped have come out with windows 10 versions of their apps. More have than haven't. There's more high quality apps that are even getting updated.

In my realm we?ve lost more than gained transitioning from W8.1M to W10M in regards to apps, and find those quality apps you speak of to be very far and few between. Not saying they don?t exist but at the same time don?t believe the positives outweigh the negatives to the degree you are implying, not by a long shot. From my experience when something has seen improvements it isn?t the most enjoyable to use because they?re either slow or just plain buggy.

 

[mlbrowninsc]

I enjoy the windows mobile experience myself as I can get by with its short comings. But put my sim over in my 6s and these shortcomings are huge. When the iPhone 7 plus comes out that may do it for me. I hope to see win mobile succeed but I agree with the above that we put up with more apps leaving or never showing at all than those that are coming to the platform.

 

[tgp]

You could find another carrier too. I am sure AT&T has close to the same coverage.

Why people think Verizon is so great is beyond me.

This is why:

Verizon customers enjoy more coverage, better reliability, fast speeds

No other US carrier comes close to Verizon's overall coverage, objectively speaking. That is why they are the go-to for businesses, and it is also why they can set their prices where they want. Verizon has 2.34 million square miles of LTE coverage, which is 600,000 more than AT&T, their next closest competitor in terms of coverage area.

 

[pc2k16]

This is why:

Verizon customers enjoy more coverage, better reliability, fast speeds

No other US carrier comes close to Verizon's overall coverage, objectively speaking. That is why they are the go-to for businesses, and it is also why they can set their prices where they want. Verizon has 2.34 million square miles of LTE coverage, which is 600,000 more than AT&T, their next closest competitor in terms of coverage area.

I always find these arguments from Verizon customers funny. If you want to be objective, you'd look at it this way......

More coverage...... unless you travel extensively why would I care that you can get a Verizon signal in the middle of a corn field in Kentucky when I'm never going to go there. Why would I care that you can get a Verizon signal in the swamps of Florida when I'm never going to go there. Why would I care that Verizon covers LA, Cali when I'm never going to go there. I think you get my drift. Coverage is only relevant to where you live and play.

Reliability...... like the Sprint commercial says, it's 2016, they're all reliable. I'm on ATT and haven't had a network related issue in probably the last five years. And I live 30 miles outside the closest city.

Fast speeds...... I'm my area, I do speed tests against Verizon customers all the time and I never lose. I just now did a speed test and got 27.6 Mbps down and 9.38 Mbps up. Other times I've got 30-40 Mbps down. I've never seen a Verizon customer get over 15Mbps down. So again, speed is only relevant to where you live and play and ATT rules here.

Some places Verizon wins, some places ATT wins. What really matters is who wins where you live. Who wins the overall battle country wide is pretty irrelevant, it's just a marketing ploy.

 

[tgp]

I always find these arguments from Verizon customers funny. If you want to be objective, you'd look at it this way......

More coverage...... unless you travel extensively why would I care that you can get a Verizon signal in the middle of a corn field in Kentucky when I'm never going to go there. Why would I care that you can get a Verizon signal in the swamps of Florida when I'm never going to go there. Why would I care that Verizon covers LA, Cali when I'm never going to go there. I think you get my drift. Coverage is only relevant to where you live and play.

Reliability...... like the Sprint commercial says, it's 2016, they're all reliable. I'm on ATT and haven't had a network related issue in probably the last five years. And I live 30 miles outside the closest city.

Fast speeds...... I'm my area, I do speed tests against Verizon customers all the time and I never lose. I just now did a speed test and got 27.6 Mbps down and 9.38 Mbps up. Other times I've got 30-40 Mbps down. I've never seen a Verizon customer get over 15Mbps down. So again, speed is only relevant to where you live and play and ATT rules here.

Some places Verizon wins, some places ATT wins. What really matters is who wins where you live. Who wins the overall battle country wide is pretty irrelevant, it's just a marketing ploy.

You are correct; you have a valid point. But keep this in mind; Windows Phone users think differently than iOS, Android, and even Blackberry users. If a user of any of the other three platforms wish to buy a phone, it doesn't matter which carrier they use. They can either buy one of the factory unlocked phones that work on Verizon, Sprint, and US Cellular, or they can buy a carrier version of the phone they want. Windows Phone users are unique in that they do not have this option. They need to choose the phone first, and then the carrier.

Since Windows Phone users are the only ones where the carrier determines which phones are available, and they make up about 1% of smartphone users, this matters to almost nobody.

So, if 99% of the smartphone users can choose whichever carrier they want and still get the phone they want, do you think they will choose a carrier based on whether or not a WP is available? They will look at things like, does it work where I need live and work? They odds are higher with Verizon than with AT&T.

Another thing to remember is that this is only counting LTE coverage. Verizon's voice and SMS are using CDMA, which has better range. This adds even more area where you will get at least voice coverage. Verizon's advantage here is likely even higher than the 33% more LTE coverage.

Again, I am not discrediting at all the fact that it doesn't matter to me if AT&T doesn't have coverage in a remote town in Wyoming with a population of 12. It doesn't. I live in a heavily populated rural area where I have acceptable coverage with any of the four major carriers. But when I head out west, which I do fairly often, Verizon is the only carrier that gives me consistent coverage everywhere.

Many people are in a similar situation. Or, even if they aren't, this is where the marketing ploy you mentioned comes into play. All else being equal, why would they choose a carrier with 15%, 40%, or 60% less coverage? They're going to walk into a carrier store and buy a branded and locked phone anyway. Whether or not the carrier uses GSM or CDMA* makes absolutely no difference. In fact, Verizon's phones are better than the other carriers in that they are SIM unlocked. You can take a Verizon phone to AT&T or T-Mobile or any other GSM carrier, but you cannot do it the other way around with jumping through the hoops.

 

[pc2k16]

You are correct; you have a valid point. But keep this in mind; Windows Phone users think differently than iOS, Android, and even Blackberry users. If a user of any of the other three platforms wish to buy a phone, it doesn't matter which carrier they use. They can either buy one of the factory unlocked phones that work on Verizon, Sprint, and US Cellular, or they can buy a carrier version of the phone they want. Windows Phone users are unique in that they do not have this option. They need to choose the phone first, and then the carrier.

Since Windows Phone users are the only ones where the carrier determines which phones are available, and they make up about 1% of smartphone users, this matters to almost nobody.

So, if 99% of the smartphone users can choose whichever carrier they want and still get the phone they want, do you think they will choose a carrier based on whether or not a WP is available? They will look at things like, does it work where I need live and work? They odds are higher with Verizon than with AT&T.

Another thing to remember is that this is only counting LTE coverage. Verizon's voice and SMS are using CDMA, which has better range. This adds even more area where you will get at least voice coverage. Verizon's advantage here is likely even higher than the 33% more LTE coverage.

Again, I am not discrediting at all the fact that it doesn't matter to me if AT&T doesn't have coverage in a remote town in Wyoming with a population of 12. It doesn't. I live in a heavily populated rural area where I have acceptable coverage with any of the four major carriers. But when I head out west, which I do fairly often, Verizon is the only carrier that gives me consistent coverage everywhere.

Many people are in a similar situation. Or, even if they aren't, this is where the marketing ploy you mentioned comes into play. All else being equal, why would they choose a carrier with 15%, 40%, or 60% less coverage? They're going to walk into a carrier store and buy a branded and locked phone anyway. Whether or not the carrier uses GSM or CDMA* makes absolutely no difference. In fact, Verizon's phones are better than the other carriers in that they are SIM unlocked. You can take a Verizon phone to AT&T or T-Mobile or any other GSM carrier, but you cannot do it the other way around with jumping through the hoops.

Valid points as well. I actually did just as you said, choose my phone first than the carrier, because that carrier was the only one who had the phone I wanted. Verizon definitely has the advantage and like you say most will go with the carrier who looks best overall because they can get their iPhone or android phone from any carrier. So yes it makes sense most non windows phone users would choose Verizon because they win the battle in most all categories in the most places. And actually, I drive 10 miles west of where I live to my sisters house, so 40 miles from the city, and ATT is terrible there. She's on Verizon because ATT coverage there is spotty at best. So ya I hear what your saying. I don't really have a carrier preference, I was on ATT with original iPhone, Verizon with android, and back to ATT with windows phone. Good points, good discussion. Another windows phone user trait. Those other phone users would just be yelling at each other, I'm better, no I'm better, lol.