Microsoft's "Exclusive" Mistake

[Zachary Boddy]

Just one of the mistakes Microsoft has made with their mobile division. If they had avoided this, there's a large chance Windows Phones would be more popular.
And it's their exclusivity. The HTC One M8 for Windows is a perfect example. It's been on Verizon and nothing else for how long now? Does Microsoft think that having a Windows Phone exclusive on their carrier will get more customers?
I'm sure the One M8 would sell like wildfire internationally, but it's only available on one carrier. In the world. And this happens with so many Windows Phones I almost expect every Windows Phone owner to be on Verizon. Sometimes devices are downgraded before reaching other carriers. 1520 on AT&T anyone?
When will Microsoft wake up? Making their phones exclusive will not gain them customers. In fact, it limits the access of potential customers. It just doesn't work. The 830 and 730 are arriving and yet...it seems Microsoft is continuing on this path.
So not only have they yet to release a Lumia device that will truly wow the people with features and design but when they do it'll probably be exclusive for Verizon for several months at least. I support Windows Phones, but I also want to be able to get the best Windows Phones when I want to. I don't want to wait for it to come to my carrier(AT&T).
This was a little rant. Honestly probably my first rant on this forum.

 

[Bobvfr]

I agree with you, I don't know how the carriers operate in the US, but I am guessing the same as in the UK, and I don't know what makes MS do these deals, maybe the carriers offer deals, but in the case of WP, anything that stops a sale is a mistake.

When the 1520 came out in the UK for me it was if I wanted a red one I would have to change carrier or settle for a black one, which is what I did.

I have to admit if my choice was not about colour but get a windows phone or change carrier, my liking of WP would override but it shouldn't be that way.


Bob

 

[Zachary Boddy]

"Deals" from carriers shouldn't be what Microsoft is looking for. Getting their devices out there and the same device everywhere is far more important than making a few more bucks immediately.

 

[janil17]

I agree with you-- exclusives are bad.

The counter-argument (or rather, explanation) is that there's little choice but to take the exclusives due to a lack of "power" by Microsoft and other carriers concerning Windows Phone devices.

My feeling is there should always be a "decent" device available that runs Windows Phone... currently, that's true only if you are on Verizon in the United States.

On friday, audio on my HTC 8x stopped working during phone calls, unless I turn on the "speaker" and then everyone can hear. So I need to replace my phone now. On T-Mobile, I can get a Lumia 635 or a refurbished Lumia 52x. That's it. Or I could pay full price for a 1020 that runs the same processor as the almost two year old 8x/Lumia 920. I'm not interested in a 6" phone, so the 1520 is out.

A recent thread here (the thread about the HTC One's camera) said that the HTC One for Windows is in testing and will be here in the coming weeks. That's great, but it doesn't help me. If the One for Windows were available now, I would get it... But it's not, so I have to choose from what's available at this time. I don't want to get a phone for a month or two just to "flip it" for something I really want.

So my choice is to stay with WP and switch to Verizon (paying an ETF on my current account), or switching to Android and not being limited to Verizon as a carrier.

Both of those choices stink-- I want to stay with WP. I actually pressed the buy button today on a Moto X, but I cancelled because the 32 gb option could not be ordered.

 

[anon(7937399)]

In the U.S., there are multiple cell technologies in use. The U.S. is not solely GSM. Verizon has CDMA for voice, GSM for LTE; AT&T is standard GSM; T-Mobile is GSM, but has 1700/2100 GHz for their high-speed data; Sprint is CDMA (and LTE, I think)! There is no way to NOT have specialized phones in the U.S.; hence exclusive deals are easier for the carriers to demand.

For me, I'm glad that CDMA exists in the western U.S., wouldn't have good coverage in the rural areas with just GSM.

 

[houkoholic]

We've been through this so many times - US carriers gets exclusives because they wield too much power. MS cannot choose to not give carriers exclusives.

If all carriers have the same phone, the only thing they can do to differentiate is to compete on service quality and price, both of which cuts into their profits (higher quality service requires more investment in infrastructure and resources, cutting price is self-explanatory). The idea of having an exclusive is to differentiate, now in a truly free market (which you US guys loves so much), the bidding for exclusive should be fair - meaning both the seller and buyer should have more-or-less equal power in negotiation. However you guys let your carriers use non-compatible technology (GSM and CDMA) which ruins it and the power shifts entirely into the hands of the carrier. That's why the carriers can do exclusives in their own terms. On top of which the carriers even made unlocking phones difficult (you US guys didn't even have a law to make carriers unlock phones mandatory, why do you think that is?? Because the carriers spend money to lobby to make sure their interest is secured, not yours!). Carriers DON'T want to compete if they can help it, and you guys let it happen, the carriers have all the tools, technical and legal, to keep you locked into their service with little to no choices, and underdog companies like MS basically have no choice but to play the game.

Thank goodness the Europeans got it right with the initial GSM standard.

 

[MDMcAtee]

I agree with you-- exclusives are bad.

The counter-argument (or rather, explanation) is that there's little choice but to take the exclusives due to a lack of "power" by Microsoft and other carriers concerning Windows Phone devices.

My feeling is there should always be a "decent" device available that runs Windows Phone... currently, that's true only if you are on Verizon in the United States.

On friday, audio on my HTC 8x stopped working during phone calls, unless I turn on the "speaker" and then everyone can hear. So I need to replace my phone now. On T-Mobile, I can get a Lumia 635 or a refurbished Lumia 52x. That's it. Or I could pay full price for a 1020 that runs the same processor as the almost two year old 8x/Lumia 920. I'm not interested in a 6" phone, so the 1520 is out.

A recent thread here (the thread about the HTC One's camera) said that the HTC One for Windows is in testing and will be here in the coming weeks. That's great, but it doesn't help me. If the One for Windows were available now, I would get it... But it's not, so I have to choose from what's available at this time. I don't want to get a phone for a month or two just to "flip it" for something I really want.

So my choice is to stay with WP and switch to Verizon (paying an ETF on my current account), or switching to Android and not being limited to Verizon as a carrier.

Both of those choices stink-- I want to stay with WP. I actually pressed the buy button today on a Moto X, but I cancelled because the 32 gb option could not be ordered.

Well that blows.

Going to Android isn't as bad as it used to be, and if you can't get the m8 in WP get it in Android. I had planned on rooting mine but in all honesty there really isn't any need.

HTC did a great job with Sense 6 and this phone flies with it and I have no regrets coming from my 1520 to it.

You could try calling HTC and explain your delima and see if they can swap you out with one... It's certainly worth a shot to try, they're supposed to be pretty good at helping.

Posted via Windows Phone Central App

 

[mohit9206]

Its safe to say at this point that MS has lost it.They have absolutely no clue what they are doing and where they are going with windows phone.Otherwise they wouldnt be doing something so dumb like carrier exclusivity.

 

[winrayjay99]

A lot of this may have nothing to do with Microsoft. HTC made the phone.

 

[janil17]

Well that blows.

You could try calling HTC and explain your delima and see if they can swap you out with one... It's certainly worth a shot to try, they're supposed to be pretty good at helping.

Posted via Windows Phone Central App

Thanks for the idea.. the one time I contacted HTC support they were very helpful. I don't expect them to do anything, but they might have ideas.

Switching carriers isn't an awful idea, at least for my usage... the Verizon single line plan (2 gb of data/unlimited minutes + text + subsidy for device) comes out to basically the same price as T-Mobile if you keep the phone for two years. I do think that no one should have to switch carriers for a phone, though.

I have an LG tablet, and think Android works fine. I think WP has the best interface, but any of the major mobile OS options are perfectly usable.

I also think the windows phone availability problem will be better next year as Microsoft integrates Nokia devices and windows 9 is released.

 

[Chinocop]

Now that they control Nokia, what is keeping MSFT from manufacturing pentaband phones and selling them in their stores? Does MSFT really need the carriers to bid for exclusivity? I thought the main point of exclusivity for Nokia was to alleviate the marketing expense and conserve cash. Microsoft has enough cash to float phone sales through their stores in the US and Canada. Would it **** off the carriers by doing this? Somebody needs to enlighten me.

 

[Zachary Boddy]

Exclusives are fine...as long as they're not the best Microsoft has to offer. Could you imagine if the 1520 was just Verizon? The AT&T is already a crippled 1520.
It's not like Microsoft isn't pulling in money. They could easily pay to have every carrier carry all their best phones and then offer special variations or mid-range devices as exclusives. Like the Samsung Galaxy S5 Active. Every carrier has the S5 but only AT&T has the special Active variation of the phone.