Is Verizon trying to sabotage WP?

[bsayegh]

Yeah, im sure this sounds like some stupid conspiracy theory, but it seems to me like Verizon just wants WP to go away.

Every recent potential flagship WP has been a Verizon exclusive. The Icon, the ATIV (not yet official?), and the M8 were all somehow snagged by Verizon. I would understand the benefits of doing that if any of these phones were going to sell really well or even generate some hype, but these phones don't have much of a chance. I would think that under these circumstances, its better for more carriers to have the devices so that market share can increase. The carriers would benefit from that in the long run since there would be more people out there buying phones. Then they can start snatching up exclusives.

But why do it now? What is the benefit? Are they just trying to get the few of us on WP to switch to Verizon? I guess that makes sense, but it doesn't seem like there are enough of us for it to matter to them.

What they are succeeding in doing is dividing the market. They are angering a consumer base. Verizon probably doesn't intend to sell too many of these, but they don't want anyone else selling them either. It is, after all, much easier for them to focus on a hand full of devices on 2 platforms than it would be to focus on 3 platforms. Selling iPhones and Android devices is easy. They pretty much sell themselves. WP, on the other hand, needs a lot more support and attention. Attention that Verizon doesn't really give them once the exclusive rights have been obtained.

All of these deals seem to be hurting WP as a whole, and I cant imagine Verizon is making much money off of them. Is it possible that they are just trying to kill the platforms under the guise of supporting it?

 

[N_LaRUE]

I'm not entirely sure why Verizon would want to kill off WP. Doesn't make financial sense. Why spend money getting exclusives if you're not going to support the platform?

In any case, for whatever reason, MS or Nokia, or both have decided this the way business has to be done. Though we all hate it passionately this seems to be the only way WPs can get on the market.

What really needs to happen is that they can produce phones that works on all networks and have a consistent marketing scheme. Get away from carriers demanding that they have some special phone. Why Apple can do it and not MS is beyond me. Regardless of popularity it's makes very little market sense, for MS to do things this way.

 

[tgp]

What really needs to happen is that they can produce phones that works on all networks and have a consistent marketing scheme. Get away from carriers demanding that they have some special phone. Why Apple can do it and not MS is beyond me.

I don't know the reason for Windows Phones being carrier exclusive in the US, but I have a theory. Maybe it's the only way that Microsoft can persuade the carriers to offer the device in the first place. If a phone such as the Icon were also offered on AT&T, Verizon might have said that with only getting half of the total Icon sales, it's not worth it to go to the bother of carrying it. It was good enough to encourage some WP users to switch carriers. Verizon may have told Microsoft that the only way they'll carry it is if they're the only one to have it. Devices like the iPhone & flagship Androids sell in enough volume that a carrier cannot afford not to carry them. They are well worth it with even a fraction of total sales. WP devices do not yet have that luxury.

My 2?. Shoot it down! This theory does have some holes in it, but I can't think of anything better.

 

[bsayegh]

I would like to think that MS has some really experienced people in their marketing and accounting departments that have figured out some kind of fuzzy math in which their scheme makes any sense. On the other hand, MS has done some silly things in the past, so why stop now?

Yeah, Verizon would certainly be wasting money trying to burry WP, but they are also wasting money by getting exclusive rights to the phones. Did they even sell 1 million Icons? 500,000? Enough to justify whatever they spent to get it in the first place? Or is it Microsoft that offers them exclusivity rights so that they will stock the devices? I may have it backwards altogether.

 

[RaRa85]

While I disagree that Verizon is in to kill off WP I am wholeheartedly against carrier exclusives when it comes to Windows Phone. If we had the type of market share that Apple or Android had it wouldn't matter as much. With WP being way behind in terms of actual sales and market share, it does nothing but hurt opportunity for consumers to purchase a phone that would otherwise be available on their carrier. I can't tell you how many times I had carrier envy as a WP loyalist and T-Mobile customer.(no I'm not switching carriers either). Thankfully going the unlocked route has been my one saving grace as I have owned a Lumia 920 and currently a Lumia 1020 that works flawlessly on T-Mobile's network. But as far as WP, this stupid "we have the phone and you don't" thing has to end for the sake of the consumer and potential sales.

 

[HeyCori]

Is [Sprint] trying to sabotage WP?

Fixt

 

[WillysJeepMan]

Yeah, im sure this sounds like some stupid conspiracy theory, but it seems to me like Verizon just wants WP to go away.

Every recent potential flagship WP has been a Verizon exclusive. The Icon, the ATIV (not yet official?), and the M8 were all somehow snagged by Verizon. I would understand the benefits of doing that if any of these phones were going to sell really well or even generate some hype, but these phones don't have much of a chance. I would think that under these circumstances, its better for more carriers to have the devices so that market share can increase. The carriers would benefit from that in the long run since there would be more people out there buying phones. Then they can start snatching up exclusives.

But why do it now? What is the benefit? Are they just trying to get the few of us on WP to switch to Verizon? I guess that makes sense, but it doesn't seem like there are enough of us for it to matter to them.

What they are succeeding in doing is dividing the market. They are angering a consumer base. Verizon probably doesn't intend to sell too many of these, but they don't want anyone else selling them either. It is, after all, much easier for them to focus on a hand full of devices on 2 platforms than it would be to focus on 3 platforms. Selling iPhones and Android devices is easy. They pretty much sell themselves. WP, on the other hand, needs a lot more support and attention. Attention that Verizon doesn't really give them once the exclusive rights have been obtained.

All of these deals seem to be hurting WP as a whole, and I cant imagine Verizon is making much money off of them. Is it possible that they are just trying to kill the platforms under the guise of supporting it?

It is a stupid conspiracy theory.

Have you considered the possibility of Verizon being the only one willing to take Microsoft up on an offer to provide those WP phones? You make it sound like Verizon fought to have a WP exclusive only to turn around and try and squash it.

Verizon is the only one large enough to "dabble" in WP without affecting it's bottom line. AT&T took a chance with the first few generations of iPhones and it paid off for them. I see the Verizon/WP situation in a similar light. Verizon simply wanting to have a hand in the game should Microsoft actually deliver on their promises. If MS doesn't, then Verizon won't be worse off for it. There may be some other deal that Verizon made with Microsoft (beneficial to Verizon) and Verizon took on these WP as part of the deal.

What incentives do the carriers have for getting into yet another platform? Especially one that is a slight step up from Blackberry. It's nothing more notorious than following the money.

 

[sicnus]

I forgot to put on my tin foil hat before reading this thread!