Microsoft incapable of announcing a phone and releasing it in reasonable time

[HoosierDaddy]

They actually did say on Oct 6th when they were announced they would be available in November. No specific date. Just "November".

Could be like when the federal govt payed contractors who were late on the 42nd (or similar) of a month so we taxpayers would get cheated out of the late penalties. So, for example, a Christmas release would be November 55th.

 

[John M Beauchemin]

They actually did say on Oct 6th when they were announced they would be available in November. No specific date. Just "November".

Well, then they've still got 4 weeks to botch it.

 

[runamuck83]

Almost 3 weeks left to botch it

 

[uselessrobot]

Weren't demos of the Lumia 950 and 950XL supposed to be available at Microsoft Stores? I was in one store last week and they were nowhere to be found.

When it comes to Windows Phone, Microsoft doesn't seem to do a particularly good job of riding momentum and timing their releases for maximum impact. That said, this time around I don't think it makes a whole lot of difference. Outside of Windows Central I haven't seen a whole lot of attention devoted to either of these phones. I bet your average consumer has no clue that these phones are on the way.

What's critical is that these phones do get released early enough that consumers haven't already locked in to other devices, that they're heavily advertised and that they're actually available in stores.

That last bit is the most critical, by far. One of the biggest blunders in promoting Windows Phone, at least in the United States, is that you can't find the damn phones anywhere. You had to be really committed if you wanted to get your hands on one. Your average consumer already naturally gravitates towards iPhones and Samsung Galaxies, so making Lumias are to find isn't helping Microsoft's cause at all.

 

[queentut16]

Weren't demos of the Lumia 950 and 950XL supposed to be available at Microsoft Stores? I was in one store last week and they were nowhere to be found.

The 950xl was on display for a week or two. I was told they got sent back because they weren't the same version of the phone that will be released. But it sounded like the store wouldn't have new demo units until they are actually available to consumers.

 

[John M Beauchemin]

Weren't demos of the Lumia 950 and 950XL supposed to be available at Microsoft Stores? I was in one store last week and they were nowhere to be found.

Yeah they were for a bit. I went a few days after the conference and got to play around with a 950XL. No 950's, though. I messed with that phone for over an hour, though, and was thoroughly sold.

 

[phelme]

how long did it take iPad's to get in stores when they were first announced, 9-10 weeks? Chill people.

 

[DCProjMgr]

Look, here's the deal - October 6 was a Surface event. In other words it was timed to the Surface delivery schedule, not the Windows 10 mobile timetable. Still, the event visibility was too good to pass up and it was close enough to the W10 Phone release to use it.

The 950 can't be released without W10 Mobile which is still set for late November / early December.

Both the mobile and HoloLens projects piggybacked on the Surface press day and neither were promised immediately. They have been shown to the industry press, but there have been no consumer announcements or commercials because the products aren't yet ready.

When MS gives a release date and then misses it, then we can complain loudly. Until that happens, there is no news here.

Posted via the Windows Central App for Android

 

[707wpfan]

Look, here's the deal - October 6 was a Surface event. In other words it was timed to the Surface delivery schedule, not the Windows 10 mobile timetable. Still, the event visibility was too good to pass up and it was close enough to the W10 Phone release to use it.

The 950 can't be released without W10 Mobile which is still set for late November / early December.

Both the mobile and HoloLens projects piggybacked on the Surface press day and neither were promised immediately. They have been shown to the industry press, but there have been no consumer announcements or commercials because the products aren't yet ready.

When MS gives a release date and then misses it, then we can complain loudly. Until that happens, there is no news here.

Posted via the Windows Central App for Android

So let's all start taking bets on which comes first, Holo lens or the 950 series.

I have to say it wasn't just a surface event as you easily leave out the band2 section, that makes it multiple device.

Their game plan is foolish and frustrating even for microsoft store staff.

Announcing availability in all other country's while limiting themselves so severely in the US and being so severely top secret is ridiculous.

The fact that this company has no dedicated windows support staff just email/website post questions in forums is a telling sign of mobiles priority in Redmond.

Once again I mention the hundreds of millions thrown at the NFL to promote surface and still on Thursday night games the guys are joking about ipads.
We had better see some of the most epic commercials ever when these phones are launched Mr project manager

 

[Daniel Rubino]

how long did it take iPad's to get in stores when they were first announced, 9-10 weeks? Chill people.

iPad Pro, anyone? Announced Sept 9. Available yet? No. Available pre-order? No. Available this month? Yes. Specific date? No (just rumors).

Apple: free pass.

I get it, they should get these phones out 'sooner than later' but it's not so much the OS wasn't finished as waiting for TH2 to be finished and the iris scanner. I have said multiple times that

(a) They were going to ship early, no iris scanner, gets an OTA update...sometime in the future (hello, carriers)
(b) They wait until Hello is ready and ship all at once

Well, those chose (b) and now they are waiting on AT&T to finalize things. They'll likely go for the 11/20 due to the holiday and that gives a few weeks to put it all together.

Saying release it earlier isn't that interesting. For fans, earlier is always better. But Microsoft had that end-of-October timeframe and hey, they got the SP4, SB, and Band 2 out the door--at least in the US. Of course, I would have preferred those wait until November too, especially the Book, which has bugs. But no carriers, so...here they are.

 

[littlebib]

iPad Pro, anyone? Announced Sept 9. Available yet? No. Available pre-order? No. Available this month? Yes. Specific date? No (just rumors).

Apple: free pass.

Who here gave Apple a free pass? I haven't paid that much attention to the iPad Pro but if they announced it and still haven't released it, then they botched their rollout too. The difference here though was that Apple was likely trying to steal Microsoft's thunder with the announcement of the SP4. And to an Apple fan, they did. "Looks a Pro version, how fantastic is that?"

However, Microsoft is already behind in the mobile market and to essentially announce vaporware (no display units even?) that won't be available to 50% of the US market is a huge mistake. As much as I liked my old Lumia 928 and Windows Mobile, it seems obvious that their "mobile first" strategy doesn't actually mean Microsoft mobile devices.

 

[MikeSo]

At this point I'm hoping that when released they'll announce some new third party apps too. The wait is understandable but would be more tolerable if we got some more goodies.

 

[uselessrobot]

I think the most important thing here is that when these phones do hit the market Microsoft actually takes them seriously. I don't want to see another Lumia 920 where, despite some advertising on TV, they're virtually non-existent in stores.

Hell, I'm already seeing that with the Band 2. Why aren't they on display anywhere except Microsoft stores? If you want to make an impact with consumers you need to make the damn product available.

Even if the 950/950XL are a stopgap until Surface phones arrive next year Microsoft needs to market them aggressively, like they're the best thing ever. Not to say that they don't seem to be great phones, but perception is critical. Fail in this and subsequent phones will continue to have the stink of failure on them.

You don't see Apple introducing a product and marketing it like you should be waiting for next year's model.

 

[Skyway]

You don't see Apple introducing a product and marketing it like you should be waiting for next year's model.

With every iPhone release (3,4,5,6), there's always an 's' model right around the corner so yeah, I would say they do the same thing.

Posted via the Windows Central App for Android

 

[John M Beauchemin]

I think a lot of people forget how it used to be just a few years ago, before Apple changed the landscape. Everyone used to announce the product while it was still in development, and then you'd have to wait 6 months to a year before it launched. Apple started this whole business of timing the announcement and launches within a few weeks of each other. So, now we're so spoiled that when someone announces a product and we can't have it immediately, that we loudly proclaim they have somehow failed? I dunno, I think we just need to exercise some patience and restraint. I'm dying for my phone, too, but... really, relax.

 

[uselessrobot]

With every iPhone release (3,4,5,6), there's always an 's' model right around the corner so yeah, I would say they do the same thing.

No, they don't. They promote the non-S like it's the best iPhone ever, and do it again with the S.

If this were Microsoft we were talking about, the non-S would be hiding in the back corner of a few carrier stores with a dead battery.

Of course, I'm being premature here, but that's basically what's been happening ever since I got my 920 three years ago. I shouldn't have to drive an hour to the nearest MS store so that I can get my hands on a flagship phone, nevermind the rest of the lineup.

 

[Skyway]

No, they don't. They promote the non-S like it's the best iPhone ever, and do it again with the S.

If this were Microsoft we were talking about, the non-S would be hiding in the back corner of a few carrier stores with a dead battery.

Of course, I'm being premature here, but that's basically what's been happening ever since I got my 920 three years ago. I shouldn't have to drive an hour to the nearest MS store so that I can get my hands on a flagship phone, nevermind the rest of the lineup.

That's only because they have a huge percentage of the market share. If they were unpopular like ms phones, they would be tucked away in the corner too.

Also they advertise the non s models like they are the best thing ever, then do the same thing for the s model. It insults my intelligence a bit because they can't both be the best thing ever. I know better, and I also know that if I were in the market for a new iPhone, I would hold off until the s model was released.

Posted via the Windows Central App for Android

 

[Mad Cabbie]

Samsung announce devices and then keep people waiting. The S6 edge was announced in the UK and wasn't available until September.....

 

[Mad Cabbie]

That's only because they have a huge percentage of the market share. If they were unpopular like ms phones, they would be tucked away in the corner too.

Also they advertise the non s models like they are the best thing ever, then do the same thing for the s model. It insults my intelligence a bit because they can't both be the best thing ever. I know better, and I also know that if I were in the market for a new iPhone, I would hold off until the s model was released.

Posted via the Windows Central App for Android

I ccan't believe that apple get away with the latest ad campaign for 6 / xl device. The ad states, and I quote,

"The new iiPhone, nothing much has changed"

The first 'honest' ad I've seen in a while!!

 

[jlangner]

You have to listen to all of ad. It says nothing much has changed but everything.