[awoks]

I've always wondered why Nokia/Microsoft releases phones outside the US first and then they come to U.S.

A prime example is the 930 (I know it is like the ICON). Another thing is why we cant have the same device in every carrier like Apple does with the iPhone or Samsung and LG with their flagships?

I hate when American companies give the best to other markets and leaving their country for last.

It happens to cars to, Europe get the best from Chevy and Ford...

I'm just ranting.. but it is true.

[Silviu Bogusevschi]

Probably you should ask the carriers?
I'm very very sure, Microsoft wants to make their phones available on every carrier.

And what's wrong with release in Europe first? Looks like some envy...

[colinkiama]

I've always wondered why Nokia/Microsoft releases phones outside the US first and then they come to U.S.

A prime example is the 930 (I know it is like the ICON). Another thing is why we cant have the same device in every carrier like Apple does with the iPhone or Samsung and LG with their flagships?

I hate when American companies give the best to other markets and leaving their country for last.

It happens to cars to, Europe get the best from Chevy and Ford...

I'm just ranting.. but it is true.

lol us always get the features first. cortana, bing, bing rewards.
but you are right about carrier exclusivity, its bull****. someone needs to complain about that on uservoice.

[Silviu Bogusevschi]

lol us always get the features first. cortana, bing, bing rewards.
but you are right about carrier exclusivity, its bull****. someone needs to complain about that on uservoice.

The complain on uservoice will not help at all. It's all about money. Probably US carriers think that the investment in WP is not as profitable as they wanted.

Imagine the 1520 is available on more carriers. In this case the 1520 sales on AT&T will be lower if it will not be carrier exclusive.
Nothing personal, just $$$$$.

[Switchke]

euhm I wouldn't complain that much since in Europe we don't get the same services you guys have in US.

I rather wait a few months knowing I get a phone then waiting already years and getting no support services...

[awoks]

Probably you should ask the carriers?
I'm very very sure, Microsoft wants to make their phones available on every carrier.

And what's wrong with release in Europe first? Looks like some envy...

Nah, not envy it is just not right. Lets say you live in Spain and Spain has a car company that you like and they have a car that you want but they release the car in U.S. instead of Spain then several months later they release it to you... Will that make you feel disappointed?

I feel the same way. I understand that carrier are guilty of this. But Microsoft being Microsoft (powerful) can do something and I believe it. They can arrange things with carriers where carrier doesn't loose any profit from returned devices for a period of time. I don't know something like that. I will be honest if there were more WP8/8.1 flagship devices in more carriers WP would have been in a better state.
Pretty soon people will understand that this is not similar to WP7.

Like I said just ranting....

My 1520 is in warranty do to faulty earpiece and I bought a LG G3 and I hate this piece of ship.. Stutters and overheats like no tomorrow..

[Taigatrommel]

I dare to say this is not really true. I remember global users around the world were jealous of the Lumia Icon and couldn't get it because it was Verizon(?) exclusive. They wanted the modern hardware the 1520 delivered in a more compact housing. Yet this was a single carrier exclusive phone.
The 930 after all isn't actually much different to the Icon, I am pretty sure MS could've released it sooner but they wanted an 8.1 flagship.

If I am not totally wrong, the 1020 also has benn more or less exclusive with another US carrier, AT&T(?) for roughly a month before it was released in more countries.

The green 1520 will be exclusive to AT&T too, unless I missed some news.
The Lumia 928 also was exclusive to US citizens, even though it again was exclusive to a single carrier.


Now I don't live in North America, but from what I gather along multiple forums like here on WP Central or over at Crackberry, the US carrier system seems to be the one you should blame. Around here in Europe some carriers decide not to carry certain phones, especially not mainstream devices like certain Windows Phones or BlackBerry for example. However you can go into any store carrying electronics and get the phone you want and use on the carrier you want - be it contract or prepaid. If there are any exclusive models at all, it usually is a special variant of a single model, like a different color or more storage (like my o2 exclusive 64gig 1020), yet you can always get your desired phone everywhere and use it.
Maybe the other US carriers like T-Mobile aren't really interested in getting the 930 as of now? I don't really think MS passes the rest of the US out of sheer will.

[LockOnTech]

One post was right that it is all about money, but I believe that it more has to do with consumer interest and carrier availability in the US. Microsoft wants to sell a product, carriers seldomly carry or do not want to carry the product, which may equal to consumer lack of interest. I cannot quote on this, i do not have anything that may support on my comment.

[ArthJar]

Answering your first question is fairly easy.
United States<Rest of the world.

[Zulfigar]

I've always wondered why Nokia/Microsoft releases phones outside the US first and then they come to U.S.

A prime example is the 930 (I know it is like the ICON). Another thing is why we cant have the same device in every carrier like Apple does with the iPhone or Samsung and LG with their flagships?

I hate when American companies give the best to other markets and leaving their country for last.

It happens to cars to, Europe get the best from Chevy and Ford...

I'm just ranting.. but it is true.

Prime example is the 930? Huh? Did you see Nokia's keynote during Build? Nokia stated the 930 ISN'T coming to the U.S., because they're working to get the Icon onto more hands. Theoretically, I thought that meant that the Icon was going to more carriers, but that hasn't happened or rumored yet, so not sure what's going on in that department. Either way though, US carriers like exclusives because it makes them money, which is good for them, but bad for us.

[anon(5383410)]

The 930 IS the Icon.

[a5cent]

A prime example is the 930 (I know it is like the ICON).

No. That IS the Icon. The 930/Icon was released first in the U.S. as a Verizon exclusive. The 930 will come to other U.S. carriers when the Icon's exclusivity deal with Verizon expires.

The 920 was also released on AT&T first.

I think you can find a fair number of examples for both. However, considering there are well over a 100 countries in the world that have never been the first in line for any Lumia device, ever, I don't think you have anything to complain about.

[paulsalter]

I thought the Nokia Phone Division up until recently was a Finnish company (Now a US one owned by MS)

[ArthJar]

I thought the Nokia Phone Division up until recently was a Finnish company (Now a US one owned by MS)

Microsoft Mobile is a Finnish company in theory.