If apple can do it alone, why not Microsoft Lumia?

[idokamaroq]

I don't think the issue is creative device names. (I probably wouldn't carry an "All-Seeing-Eye" just because of that name, actually.) Sure, brand recognition as a whole, maybe. But pretty much everyone who would ever buy a smartphone anyways knows the name Windows Phone, and those that don't still probably know Lumia (and there we go, Lumia = Galaxy). Although, I get the occasional, "Wait Lumias aren't Android?" but that's usually followed by the "I thought anything that wasn't an iPhone was Android."
So maybe that's it, but I don't think it's the main reason.

Why can't Microsoft go w/o other manufacturers? I'll ignore the fact that they've traditionally been just a software company because they're obviously trying to move away from that. But as for the reason, two words: fan base.

(Eh, I hate sticking with short answers...) That's one of the major reasons that I detest Apple. They release admittedly nice products, but then the hordes of fanbois go berserk and all you hear about for the next 11 months is the amazing new innovative iAlreadyHaveThisThingButThisOneHasAHigherNumberOnIt, leading up to the one month of the rumors of the upcoming new exciting iCantWaitForThisOneBecauseItHasAnEvenBiggerNumberOnIt. I don't want that to happen to Microsoft, I like them too much.

Another reason Microsoft needs the support of other manufacturers (that people already know and love thanks to Android) could be popular opinion of the platform. "Oh, I absolutely hate Windows phones, they suck." Really? Have you ever tried one? "Well, no." Have you even seen one up close? "Well, no. But the apps!" ... But the apps!

I've yet to come across a review of a Windows Phone where they didn't complain about the so-called app gap, with exception to WP-centric sites, like this one. And even then, some slip in there. The media and tech blogs get good ratings because they tell people what they want to hear, and people want to hear things they've already heard before, which is that WP sucks and lacks apps.

/* This repeated complaint is one of my pet peeves of reviews, along with the "Here, listen to the speakers through my DSLR's excuse for a mic and encoded through youtube and played through whatever you happen to be listening to it on..." and the "Check out the screen quality on this thing as viewed through my webcam, youtube's video compression, and again whatever you happen to be watching this on." */

The reality? As a WP user, I only have half a million apps to choose from. Big deal. I don't have enough space on my phone for 500,000 apps. In my opinion, the perfect app store would have less than 100 apps on it, as long as they are all complete and well-maintained. That should be enough to adequately cover every genre of app and game, I think. (Then, maybe allow some more for the niche stuff, if they don't fit.) How many "apps" do you use on your computer? A web browser, antivirus, a music player, Office suite, photo editing, video making, and some games. Plus maybe some niche stuff. So, probably not a whole lot.

So the better argument isn't in numbers, but that there are a couple "big-name" apps missing. But with most of these (with exception to some games), the same thing can usually be done on the company's website. People just like to use up as much space on their 64GB iDontSupportSD, it seems.

OK, I need to stop ranting. Lol

TL;DR Fn psychology.

 

[felixl87]

Samsung Galaxy Light
Galaxy Core
Galaxy Alpha
Galaxy S5
Galaxy Pocket Neo
Galaxy ...

Perhaps a hybrid, but I still hold numbers and something that can be quantified as opposed to names, which don't seem to really say too much about the phone. Although maybe the S conveys high end (despite S Mini's being midrange)
Whether you believe it or not, numbers are easy to place in a lineup and make sense.

Although some streamlining is something I won't mind at all. (and maybe even pruning the lineup a bit)

Something like "Lumia one"

 

[Dk92]

It's possible, all I know is I still want a Surface phone with the premium build quality and style as the Surface 2. Seems like that will never happen now.

 

[stephen_az]

Recently Huawei has said that it doesn't have any plans of making new windows phone devices which is now the news on every website, just a simple google search of "windows phone" returns with only that Huawei story, but if apple has made it alone since the first iphone, I don't think Microsoft should be afraid at all, it has the best phone manufacturing plants,it shouldn't be begging over new manufacturers, it should now concentrate on windows phone and the hardware division.
Microsoft has my backup! Am not going anywhere! Even if I rant sometimes that am sick and tired, I still find windows phone to be a better OS than there has ever been!, I was here when instagram arrived and I will be here when candy crush debuts!, let the devs whine, let manufacturers whine, time will come, they will have to give up!

That is very interesting. I guess I have a different opinion regarding what constitutes being news on every website. Just searched for Windows Phone on Bing and Google and not a single Huawei story was listed. There are, of course, some negative stories pulled up by Google but that is to be expected. The same happens if you just search for Apple on Google. The company famous for stacking search results in its favor evidently negatively spins search results for competitors. Perhaps that is why Apple will drop its last link to Google's search engine next year. BTW, if you could find that 0.01 percent of the US population even recognizes the name Huawei, you would probably be lucky.

As to the rest of your argument, Apple can go it alone because 1) it created the smartphone market as we know it with the original iPhone, and 2) they have always emphasized their own branding (hardware and software) as a unified whole. Microsoft cannot take the same approach and certainly will not try. It is a guaranteed path towards failure. Their goal will remain to be everywhere - just an extension of the Windows desktop philosophy that has existed since the 1990s. I must admit, while I loathe Google and its business practices, I also will never get the point of people pushing we must win some imaginary battle mentality. They are just phones, tablets, etc., and having a respectable market share (which can be single digits) combined with an app presence on every platform is a very viable strategy.

 

[Loc Ngo]

The problem is that, people are so harsh and sensitive with even the smallest mistake of MS, and so judgmental about every MS product. However, every achievement and good deed that MS does means absolutely nothing to them. They will be like:"Uhm okay, that's the way it has to be". Remember the pre-launch of the 830? How many "It sucks. I won't buy it", "MS is going the wrong way with this one",... rants could you count? You couldn't because they are numberless. And now, what are people and reviews saying about it? And MS has offered so many space on OneDrive but how many people actually thanked them compared to the number of those that are cursing at "ugliest change" in the app's layout?
The otherwise goes with Apple. Fans of its ecosystem is actually thankful to the experience (albeit biased and brainwashed) and are willing to defend the system. It has even generated some so-called Windows fans that never quit any chance to bash Windows like someone that I've seen here. If Apple makes mistakes, there will be thousands of reasons for it to shun all the negativity. It even blamed its loyal users for its own mistakes. Can MS do this? No. If MS makes a small mistake, the world's gonna end.

 

[Jorge Holguin]

Here are my two cents. First of all the iPhone was a game changer and Apple cultivated people's mind and give third parties developer software and hardware wise a big way to make money. No other platform has done that. Apple made easy for developers. MS on the other hand had made lots of mistakes and still keep making them. For example WP 7 wasn't as easy to develop as Android or iOS, lets remember that WP 7 was above 10% but the lack of good updates and apps made people leave. 2011-12-13 & 14 are gone and although MS has brought lots of features it wasn't enough. Now 2015 is the golden opportunity and it has to work.

 

[thesachd]

The thing about iPhone was that it was a revolutionary concept along with tons of improvements built upon the mistakes and ideas of other companies.

The inherent flaw with Windows Phone was that it has nearly all of the limitations of iOS, but none of the optimisation or app support to make up for it.

The control iOS has over hardware and software allows it to have arguably best software experience on mobile.

I recently heard that Apple was rejecting applications if they weren't optimised for the latest iPad and iPhones.

Also another fact to consider that iPhones are expensive and people who buy iPhones are more likely to purchase applications. Most of Windows Phone users are those that own a Lumia 520(or some other budget device) and add to that Windows Phone only has 2.7% of global marketshare, so that kills most incentive to create apps.

Even OEMs haven't been able to improve Microsoft's situation. Most OEMs don't show interest in the platform either, it honestly looks like OEMs create Windows Phones just for the sake of creating one, not because they think that their Windows Phones sell we'll.

Microsoft on it's own can't do what Apple did, and OEMs(apart from what used to be Nokia) don't help a lot either. What Microsoft needs right now are miracles.

But it seems even Microsoft itself is slowly losing hope in Windows Phone, often porting their services to competing platforms and having better versions of it as we'll: http://iphone.appleinsider.com/arti...ps-much-better-on-iphone-than-windows-phone-8

 

[winrayjay99]

Recently Huawei has said that it doesn't have any plans of making new windows phone devices which is now the news on every website, just a simple google search of "windows phone" returns with only that Huawei story, but if apple has made it alone since the first iphone, I don't think Microsoft should be afraid at all, it has the best phone manufacturing plants,it shouldn't be begging over new manufacturers, it should now concentrate on windows phone and the hardware division.
Microsoft has my backup! Am not going anywhere! Even if I rant sometimes that am sick and tired, I still find windows phone to be a better OS than there has ever been!, I was here when instagram arrived and I will be here when candy crush debuts!, let the devs whine, let manufacturers whine, time will come, they will have to give up!

We can blame Microsoft all we want for this, but it is not all there fault. Look at companies like Google who will put all the same app's they have on Android, on Iphone, and even Blackberry before they went under. But when it comes to windows Google has only a search app. Google has said it's Marketshare. But we Windows users know its utter bullsh--. There has to be a reason Google is holding back apps. I think it has to do with the licensing fee's Microsoft is trying to get from manufacturers for Android. Google is trying to smack Microsoft in the face by holding back apps like YouTube. I mean you have to go third party for any good Google windows apps. I mean Microsoft's Youtube app is Just a crummy webapp because Google was whining about how they wanted it to run. After that situation, and the changes they made to GoogleVoice to make it so third party Developers could not make apps (yes there is no Google Voice on windows over this), we have not heard one word from mountain view about Google apps on Windows. I mean Google is not the only one at fault lots of companies have this problem. I mean look what happened to Rudy Huyn and his situation with 6cret. Secret.ly Shut his app down but will not make an official one. I can name other Companies, E.T.C. That have not or will not make apps for windows. I think windows Central needs to get to the bottom of why mainly Google is holding back apps from windows. I'm tired of hearing Silence from them on the issue, or Microsoft needs to sit down with google and hash out a deal to get apps even if it means dropping android licensing deals with Oem's (Microsoft can just make money from Surface, Lumia, and Xbox sales anyway). This unfair treatment of Windows Users by app Developers is just plane wrong. Quit telling us to visit your Mobile site and make us a Windows app!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[UncleGrandpa]

Apple did it right. One name...iPhone. Its instantly recognizable everywhere on the planet. Yes, there are variations, but they didn't muddy the waters. Lumia multi numbered system is the worst example of how not to do it and yet MS is keeping with that losing tradition. Make two freakin phones...Lumia and Lumia plus. Done.

 

[TLRtheory]

The "All Seeing Eye" might not be a very good example of it... but the point that a name works better than a number is there (I'd opt for something like the Lumia PowerShot or Lumia Pixel Perfect if we're talking about how the Lumia 1020 could've been named better).

I think the Lumia Icon has the sexiest name of the bunch. I'd experiment with some more non-numbered phones with the launch of 10.

Plus, numbers don't seem to have hurt the HTC One M8 series.

That's because their usage of numbering isn't as abrasive. "HTC One"... that's what people know it as, and it was able to become somewhat iconic simply through that. It's simple enough such that the common consumer can even ignore the M7/M8 and just ask for the HTC One (as they typically do).

Lumia Icon was the closest they've come to understanding how this game works..
but of course (in typical fashion) they botched it with carrier exclusivity and a total lack of publication.

 

[someone2639]

The "All Seeing Eye" might not be a very good example of it... but the point that a name works better than a number is there (I'd opt for something like the Lumia PowerShot or Lumia Pixel Perfect if we're talking about how the Lumia 1020 could've been named better).

That's because their usage of numbering isn't as abrasive. "HTC One"... that's what people know it as, and it was able to become somewhat iconic simply through that. It's simple enough such that the common consumer can even ignore the M7/M8 and just ask for the HTC One (as they typically do).

Lumia Icon was the closest they've come to understanding how this game works..
but of course (in typical fashion) they botched it with carrier exclusivity and a total lack of publication.

Well, if MS won't stop the numbering, then maybe they should put the name before the number. And, as always, a list:

Lumia Starter 520
Lumia Selfie Jr. 535
Lumia Super Starter 635
Lumia Selfie 730
Lumia Intermediate 830
Lumia Expert 930
Lumia PowerShot 1020 (to appease you)
Lumia MagnaScreen 1520.

 

[thesachd]

Apple did it right. One name...iPhone. Its instantly recognizable everywhere on the planet. Yes, there are variations, but they didn't muddy the waters. Lumia multi numbered system is the worst example of how not to do it and yet MS is keeping with that losing tradition. Make two freakin phones...Lumia and Lumia plus. Done.

That will most definitely kill most consumers that Windows Phone has.

I suppose you mean that Microsoft creates two devices, both high end, like iPhone 6 and 6 Plus, one with a phablet screen and one with a regular screen size but both having identical specifications running the same version of Windows Phone.

We'll both phones would cost more than $650 then, and unless you haven't noticed most people aren't extremely willing to pay more than $200 for a Windows Phone, the low end side is the only place where WP is succeeding*.

And with no low end devices anymore, a Lumia and Lumia Plus would maybe drop Windows Phone market share to about 0.5%(give or take).

 

[sanjeet_deshwal]

Well, if MS won't stop the numbering, then maybe they should put the name before the number. And, as always, a list:

Lumia Starter 520
Lumia Selfie Jr. 535
Lumia Super Starter 635
Lumia Selfie 730
Lumia Intermediate 830
Lumia Expert 930
Lumia PowerShot 1020 (to appease you)
Lumia MagnaScreen 1520.

And they can also try some comical names

Lumia Flash
Lumia superman
Lumia venom
Lumia batman
Lumia hulk
And more blah blah..
I know it's not practical
it is better to stick with number instead of going with fancy names and focus on hardware and app's quality.

 

[psoham777]

And they can also try some comical names

Lumia Flash
Lumia superman
Lumia venom
Lumia batman
Lumia hulk
And more blah blah..
I know it's not practical
it is better to stick with number instead of going with fancy names and focus on hardware and app's quality.

Yeah numbering is better than giving names. Say tomorrow there's a strong possibility that Samsung might come up with phones like Samsung universe(successor of galaxy) or earth, sun etc. Numbers are always better! Only those would get confused if he's not a WP user, otherwise everyone is quite acquainted with it.

 

[thesachd]

And they can also try some comical names

Lumia Flash
Lumia superman
Lumia venom
Lumia batman
Lumia hulk
And more blah blah..
I know it's not practical
it is better to stick with number instead of going with fancy names and focus on hardware and app's quality.

We'll the possibility of naming phones after comics is nearly impossible, given how much it would cost(if it we're even possible).

You are saying that Microsoft should focus on hardware and app quality. We'll since they don't make most of the hardware themselves, or assign manufacturers to make it and app quality isn't their main priority. Giving their phones a better naming scheme would be nice.

 

[thesachd]

Only those would get confused if he's not a WP user, otherwise everyone is quite acquainted with it.

So you mean to say only people that aren't Windows Phone users will be confused?

That would mean globally over 95% of people(that own smartphones) would be confused with the naming scheme of Microsoft's Windows Phone provided they even knew it existed.

I like numbers as naming schemes a lot too, but sometimes it is just pushing it.

The Lumia 520, 620, 720, 820, 920, 1020 and 1520(some variant we're in between) was completely fine.

Much like how HTC One was fine. But the M8 is killing the name a bit, and an M9 would be a bit too much.

But as far as Windows Phones go, it's gotten way more confusing with tons of numbered smart phones doing one thing better than another.

 

[PetrFodor]

Agree with TGP, hardware is good but what MS lacks is the entire ecosystem. Apps, cross-device functions, developers community, media support and innovative drive. The market deserves the third strong player but it will be difficult for MS.

 

[MrWhiteman]

Recently Huawei has said that it doesn't have any plans of making new windows phone devices which is now the news on every website, just a simple google search of "windows phone" returns with only that Huawei story, but if apple has made it alone since the first iphone, I don't think Microsoft should be afraid at all, it has the best phone manufacturing plants,it shouldn't be begging over new manufacturers, it should now concentrate on windows phone and the hardware division.
Microsoft has my backup! Am not going anywhere! Even if I rant sometimes that am sick and tired, I still find windows phone to be a better OS than there has ever been!, I was here when instagram arrived and I will be here when candy crush debuts!, let the devs whine, let manufacturers whine, time will come, they will have to give up!

Foxconn make the Apple handsets. I think Sharp supply the screens.

 

[realwarder]

There is nothing wrong with Lumia. It is synonymous with Galaxy which works just fine.

Microsoft want people to want a Lumia. When they get in the store the people should be able to help choose the appropriate price/feature Lumia. That is where the failure is - stores NOT having choice and stores being untrained. The name is just fine.

 

[MrWhiteman]

Agree with TGP, hardware is good but what MS lacks is the entire ecosystem. Apps, cross-device functions, developers community, media support and innovative drive. The market deserves the third strong player but it will be difficult for MS.

I think it's coming, already I can play the same games on my Windows Phone and PC with the actual game staying constant between the devices. An example of this is Age of Empires Castle Seige. Unification will be very good for Microsoft.