Do you think Microsoft has too many models for Lumia devices? (Poll)

[MDMcAtee]

Way to many models and as a direct result any updates have to be tested on more models and the more resources have to be deligated to do this which slows down updates passed on to us.

Have 3 tiers 1 flagship, 1 midgrade and 1 entry level and 1 specialty tier 1020 replacement and 1520 replacement for the phablet so basically 5 phones. You can have as many color variations as wanted but no hardware differences on each tier for the various carriers or countries and no carrier exclusive deals.

Windows 10 is going to be a game changer once it is finished and Microsoft needs to understand this and not give away the platform by destroying what is truly unique and trying to oversaturate the market with low-end devices.

They need to stop giving people no reason to use a Windows phone (like myself) who are on the other platforms. Believe me I like being able to use Microsofts services on my Android m8 and can fully understand the anger many people who have stood by so long feeling crapped on... So it's not just about too many models but a heck of a lot more.

Cry me a river if you want but then build me bridge to get over it... Posted from my HTC M8

 

[Asskickulater]

To me, I'm mixed.. In the short term, I think its important, the best way to increase market share is to flood the market with them (increasing market share increases developers, increasing developers increases market share) however, its a double edged sword.. while good for the short term, I think it will cause issues in the long term, eventually there will need to be a Lumia downsizing (that or introduce a new brand solely for high end devices) which will ultimately result in "abandoning" a lot of the low end phones.. so honestly.. Microsoft is stuck in a pretty tough spot.. but all in all, I think Microsoft is making the right call here, as annoying as it is to see low end after low end flood the market.

 

[SnailUK]

WP has rubbish marketshare. Until that changes, Microsoft will be constantly begging telcos to take their phones, and will end up having to do as the telcos wish, or not sell phones.

Maybe what they need to do, is find some way of financing mobiles to people. So people can buy a 2,3,4,5 hundred dollar phone from Microsoft directly with interest free, or minimal interest. So people have an unlocked phone, they can chuck any old sim-card in, and they have no tie to a carrier.

 

[wuiyang]

Why would people think Microsoft/Nokia has much more complex naming system? look at samsung naming system...

 

[Draconica5]

How about like this:

• Lumia Max 4 (1540)
• Lumia Stylus 4 (1340)
• Lumia Pureview 4 (1040)
• Lumia Icon 4 (940)
• Lumia Extra 4 (840)
• Lumia Selfie 4 (740)
• Lumia Xpress 4 (640)
• Lumia Simple 4 (540)
• Lumia SimpleZ 4 (440)

Just put a name before the number, then everything will be easier.

 

[someone2639]

How about like this:

• Lumia Max 4 (1540)
• Lumia Stylus 4 (1340)
• Lumia Pureview 4 (1040)
• Lumia Icon 4 (940)
• Lumia Extra 4 (840)
• Lumia Selfie 4 (740)
• Lumia Xpress 4 (640)
• Lumia Simple 4 (540)
• Lumia SimpleZ 4 (440)

Just put a name before the number, then everything will be easier.

Lumia camera 4

 

[Inkling]

This should be the Lumia line-up. Right now, it's too complicated.

• Lumia 540 - 3MP Camera, VGA Front Camera, Snapdragon 210, 1GB RAM, 4 inch display, entry level device
• Lumia 640 - 5MP Camera, 2MP Front Camera, Snapdragon 400, 1GB RAM, 4.5 inch display, low-end
• Lumia 740 - 7MP Camera, 5MP Front Camera, Snapdragon 425, 1GB RAM, 4.7 inch display, mid-range
• Lumia 840 - 12MP Camera, 5MP Front Camera, Snapdragon 615, 2GB RAM, 5 inch display, mid-range
• Lumia 940 - 50MP Camera, 5MP Front Camera, Snapdragon 615, 2GB RAM, 5.2 inch display, high-end
• Surface Phone - 20MP Camera, 7MP Front Camera, Snapdragon 815, 3GB RAM, 6 inch display, high-end

 

[colinkiama]

You guys are forgetting that Samsung releases so many phones yet they are super successful

 

[slivy58]

You guys are forgetting that Samsung releases so many phones yet they are super successful

Yet when a variant of Samsung's Android phone gets update all of those models (say Galaxy S5) get it within short order, hasn't been the case with the Lumia... So who's truly to blame, the carriers or MS and why?

 

[ajst222]

How about like this:

• Lumia Max 4 (1540)
• Lumia Stylus 4 (1340)
• Lumia Pureview 4 (1040)
• Lumia Icon 4 (940)
• Lumia Extra 4 (840)
• Lumia Selfie 4 (740)
• Lumia Xpress 4 (640)
• Lumia Simple 4 (540)
• Lumia SimpleZ 4 (440)

Just put a name before the number, then everything will be easier.

I honestly think that sounds far more complex than the numbers, and the fact that there are still many more models than there needs to be makes it more confusing

 

[nohra]

I stopped trying to keep track of all the Lumia models about the time the 53Xs started to come out. For a while I was doing well keeping straight what number went with what carrier, etc, but it's just not worth trying to remember it all. For my shopping list it's pretty easy; is there a 1030 or 1040 out yet? No? Then I'm waiting. But for the sake of making shopping easy, they should do something for the low end so that people can easily know if a 630 would be better than a 535. On higher end phones with more expensive features, fine go ahead an have 5 models each with different niche features, but on low end, just give people the best you can at the price points and make it easy to get into people's hands without them having to do a lot of research. It doesn't have to be complicated to be successful - which Apple has shown with their 'limited' lineup.

 

[N_LaRUE]

I think a serious overhaul is required in their thinking. I am honestly hoping they stop following the Nokia model and go with a streamlined group of phones. What that grouping will look like is anyone's guess but I think the OP is not far off.

Simplification all around is required. If you go to the Lumia update page you can see for yourself just how many different firmwares there are. It's just plain ridiculous.

I'm not sure if it's possible but they really need worldwide phones to get away from these custom firmwares per country nonsense.

 

[Daniel Ratcliffe]

I personally think we should have at most four models. 540 - entry level, 740 - mid range, 940 - flagship (include the 10XX specs in this, and chuck a damn i7-Extreme in the thing!), 1540 - phablet. Merge the 10XX series into the 9XX series as both are flagship models. 15XX is slightly different due to phablet stuff.

 

[TechFreak1]

Yes, there are far toooooooooooooo many models especially in the low end tier and not to mention the 535 has better overall specs compared to the recent 63x models. Sure the screen is subpar, no clearblack, quality of the materials is well rather low. However when the average joe looks at the spec sheet and then the phone - the 535 really is a no brainer.

I guess Microsoft initially thought they would bring in all these OEM partners and they would push out affordable models thus leaving them for the high end (like what they did with the Surface).

If they keep pushing out low end models every other month, they are really making more rope to hang themselves. As by going down this approach they reduce the value of the previous model substantially thus making the customer regret not waiting so they could've saved more money. Especially true for emerging markets where the average monthly wage is eye shatteringly low. Not to mention the margin on these devices are pretty low - essentially non existent (this is why Apple refuses to make Low end models, the margin on the iphones well is brain-explodingly-high).

Furthermore it just increases their workload when it comes to updating devices and to compound matters you have carriers refusing to offer updates for certain models they carry under the pretext that less than 12 -18 months is the norm for the support cycle. Despite them selling models which are clearly older than that (dated from launch date for that particular carrier).

 

[Fire 29]

Here's what I think should the phones lineup look like:
Two low range series(5xx,6xx) (having two phones each)
Two mid range series(7xx,8xx)(having two phones each)
Two flagships series(9xx,10xx)(having two phones each)

And they can come up with something for the phablets.

 

[Tom Snyder]

Um...no...

First off, you're taking this way too far here. Second of all, you're also missing my point. I'm not about limiting choices. It just doesn't make sense to have several phones that are competing in the same area, and also the fact that they're all way too specific to regions and carriers. It's about cutting down on the redundancy. That's not good for a business. You're whole spiel about communism doesn't make sense because that's apples and oranges in this context.

And in fact, I'm more about choice...pushing phones across the board and across carriers so they can be in the hands of more people. The exclusivity severely limits the market for a phone.

I feel I've explained myself well enough to perfectly address everything you're saying throughout numerous posts

If you're comparing my thoughts on how a company can become more efficient and have a more sensible business model (you know, things that succeed in a market economy, for the record) to communism, then I have no more response to that. That's ridiculous.

OK, I misunderstood parts of what you were saying and I don't like the idea of carrier exclusives either, along with carriers stripping functions on cell phones. I know AT&T stripped the wireless charging function on the 1520 and to have wireless charging on a US AT&T phone you have to purchase the optional charger back-cover to have it.

I can't believe there is nothing being developed or released in the USA to fully upgrade a 920 or 1020, or a 1520.
It would be nice if cell phone became like a regular computer OS and would operate across any cell carrier you chose to use just like picking your ISP, really very sorry for the misunderstanding.

 

[psudotechzealot]

Yes. All they need is four phones, In my opinion.
Low end: 4inch lumia(5xx)
Mid end: 4.5inch lumia(7xx)
Flagship: 5 inch lumia (9xx)
Phablet: 6 inch lumia (15xx)

 

[nikholaspappas]

I also believe they should NEVER CHANGE THE NAMES!!! Ugh... Pick 4 or 5 phones, and never change the name, just have model years like cars "Introducing the 2015 Lunmia Icon" or "Microsoft just detailed the 2016 Lumia 1520"

 

[bo_woods]

It should be

Surface Phone XL (1540)
Surface Phone ( 940/icon/1040)
Surface Phone mini ( 830-535)

The surface phone should be an upgrade for icon/930 users and 1020 users, Microsoft main and excellent flagship running windows 10 ( completely against Microsoft cameraphone and main flagship being separate phones) it should have the best of the best camera specs and features... next the surface phone xl should be the same phone except with n trig pen support, a bigger screen and bigger battery to accommodate it..lastly the surface phone mini should be a smaller surface phone (around 4.3 - 4.7 inches) coming in 2 to 3 different versions so it can compete at different price points but all 3 will have the same branding and name to minimize confusion..

Or it should go

Surface phone xl
Surface phone

And then Lumia for everything below these

 

[ajst222]

As far as the name "Surface" goes, for all those who suggested it, I think changing the model line from Lumia to Surface would be even more confusing. For one, the name Lumia is pretty recognizable when it comes to mobile phones. It's already established, and axing both the name Nokia AND Lumia would anger Nokia fans even more. I think the name Lumia should most certainly stay.

Second of all, the name Surface kind of implies that it's running full Windows (we had this issue before). Keep the Surface line for all Microsoft devices running full Windows, and the Lumia line for all devices running a mobile version. I think that would also help cut down on confusion.