Can't understate how important Verizon is to WP8!!

[12Danny123]

Winterfang, Winterfang, Winterfang....

How can you have such a happy, smiling avatar which brings joy to the forum, and yet be so irratated?

I do not want to go into the "WP doesn't have this, WP doesn't have that" debates. We all know WP 8 is coming, we all know it will bring all kinds of improvements, more than Mango brought to the pre-nodo WP 7.

I want to see Verizon and it's customers have a chance to truly see the potential of this OS. I want it to happen because I am a self centered greedy jerk. WP offers all the things I want in a smartphone, and I want it to be around to continue to improve and evolve. I know from your posts you too are excited, or at least open minded, to WP 8. But we need it to be on all 4 carriers, we need great device options and we need new devices every few months to compete with Andriods army. Otherwise we all lose. Competition is good.

Agree he looks so happy and positive in his avatar. But his personality is short with happiness.possibly heart broken, likely I'm guessing he's angry because of relationship problems. Winterfang if that happened to you. I feel your pain man

 

[wolf1891]

Agree he looks so happy and positive in his avatar. But his personality is short with happiness.possibly heart broken, likely I'm guessing he's angry because of relationship problems. Winterfang if that happened to you. I feel your pain man

look back through his earlier posting history here and you will see that Winterfang wasn't always such a surly/negative critter. When I first started coming here he was one of the members that seemed to have a relatively positive outlook and came across as friendly and helpful to new members. But, lately it seems like he just keeps getting more and more negative about WP and has no substantative contributions to offer anymore. It's to the point where I've pretty much stopped reading anything he posts because it's likely to just be more grumbling and complaining to no end.

Really Winterfang, has WP been THAT MUCH of a dissapointment for you? I know it's far from perfect right now, and I'm not exactly thrilled about current phones not getting updated to WP8 (heck, right now I'd be flipping thrilled just to see Tango make it to my phone and resolve this darned dissapearing keyboard glitch) but... I still really like my phone despite all of that and I very much enjoy how easily it does most of what I need it to do. and I'm looking forward to seeing what new offerings Nokia, Samsung, HTC, etc... will have for us when WP8 hits the streets (and with my current contract ending early next year I'll be ready and able to take advantage of what I hope will be a wide range of excellent choices).

 

[Reflexx]

I think it was the whole fiasco about current devices not having an upgrade path to WP8. If I recall correctly, he had convinced himself that it would be impossible for there not to be an upgrade path. And when that turned out to be wrong, it really shook him.

So now he is convinced that MS doesn't know what they're doing.

He's open to them proving him wrong. But he strongly has different opinions on where WP should go.

 

[Vallos]

My contract on Verzion is eligible for upgrade around March 2013 as well. Problem is, the new all-inclusive plans. I've compared the new plans to my current plan and I can't save any money on the new plan, especially when I have unlimited data now.

As much as I'm looking forward to seeing Verizon increase their line of WP offerings, I can't (won't) afford to purchase a phone outright in order to keep my current plan. Other than that, I will have to wait several more months until the newer phones come down in price and I can get one off ebay. So I will see my upgrade date come and go. Provided my Trophy is still running along.

How many other Verizon customers are in the same boat as me? Maybe several. The new all-inclusive plans may hurt sales in the long run.

I'm in the same boat. I want to keep my unlimited data plan, so hopefully the new devices will be coming down in price around Feb. - Mar. Especially since sharing my internet connection is possible with the latest update.

For me, I am saving up now so that by the time the phones hit the market, I should be able to get one on retail.

 

[GoodThings2Life]

Wow, this entire thread is simultaneously disturbing and hilarious.

First, I do agree that it's make or break for Windows Phone and more so for Nokia, however, I believe firmly that Windows Phone is about to score big. Second, I do NOT agree that Verizon is critical to success, although I do believe it is a big benefit.

So, first of all... make or break factor. This is Microsoft's 3rd attempt to get Windows Phone right, and history dictates they either get it hugely right or give up on their 3rd attempt at something. I expect them to score big, because they have a perfect storm brewing of OS, platforms, and features that mesh so amazingly well that it may just reinvent them in the eyes of consumers and businesses. They've got the whole package, and as long as they keep developer interest engaged and market their package, they WILL succeed.

As for Verizon, one only needs to look at the success of the iPhone on AT&T to prove that a company can succeed without Verizon. However, adding Verizon and Sprint to the iPhone lineup didn't really give them the huge bump that is suggested in this thread. Not to say that iPhone on those carriers is unimportant, but it hasn't been nearly as popular as it began on AT&T...

On the other hand, Verizon is important. After all, Verizon pushed Android hard and fast, and the higher Verizon subscriber numbers allowed Android to grow at a faster rate. So having Verizon as a prominent promoter of Windows Phone would go a long way to its success.

All that is to say, without AT&T and Verizon offering AND promoting the platform, it can't succeed. Marketing is and has always been the key. Apple has been successful, because it's invaded the media... a commercial every break, it feels. Microsoft needs to do the same. Informative ads AND catchy ads... not just one or the other.

 

[snowmutt]

As for Verizon, one only needs to look at the success of the iPhone on AT&T to prove that a company can succeed without Verizon. However, adding Verizon and Sprint to the iPhone lineup didn't really give them the huge bump that is suggested in this thread. Not to say that iPhone on those carriers is unimportant, but it hasn't been nearly as popular as it began on AT&T...

On the other hand, Verizon is important. After all, Verizon pushed Android hard and fast, and the higher Verizon subscriber numbers allowed Android to grow at a faster rate. So having Verizon as a prominent promoter of Windows Phone would go a long way to its success.

All that is to say, without AT&T and Verizon offering AND promoting the platform, it can't succeed. Marketing is and has always been the key. Apple has been successful, because it's invaded the media... a commercial every break, it feels. Microsoft needs to do the same. Informative ads AND catchy ads... not just one or the other.

The only point I Disagree on is the iPhone analogy. There is no way to duplicate the situation the iPhone was in when it got launched. It was a unique device that truly did redefine what a smartphone could be. Up to that point, BlackBerry and Windows Mobile were pretty much the only game in town for a smart phone experience, and they were strickly work related devices. The rest of the mobile phone using world were on basic flip phones for the most part. The iPhone changed that, and casual users flocked to it. And the addition of Verizon is what propelled Apple to it's hieghts today as the most valuable company EVER in the history of the US. The iPhone and iPad added millions of subscribers. (Sprint.... so far, not so much.)

However, the rest of your post is spot on. MS needs to make WP 8 a serious publicity push that highlights it's abilities in a fun way.

 

[GoodThings2Life]

You're right about the conditions of the time, which is precisely why I say that Apple got "lucky" on the timing and conditions, and it's not something I could see them reproducing.

Even the popularity of the iPad, I believe, only worked for two reasons... popularity of the iPhone and ease of use. I don't think they could have done iPad first or by itself.

Don't get me wrong, though... as much as I loathe Apple, I recognize that they have been successful in stirring the pot for the markets. Apple forced Microsoft and others to stop being complacent and do something new and exciting.

BUT, at the end of the day, Apple's hyper-control over things is always their downfall. Users inevitably want more choice and control of their technological destiny, so they'll always choose the platforms that give choice.