Limited WP Options

[LumiaIcon]

Does the limited availability, carrier exclusivity and model update schedule of the WP line hurt those that purchase phones often? I have the Icon right now and love WP, but I certainly miss the constant availability of options to change phones. On Verizon my choices are HTC M8 & Icon. If I want to go to a phablet (which I do) I'm stuck switching carriers.

 

[RaRa85]

For this exact reason and never getting one single flagship Windows Phone(I do nit consider the 16gb Lumia 925 a true flagship) supported by T-Mobile along with not knowing what Microsoft is doing to change that alongside the constant bombardment of equally as good or better competing phones from rivaling OS's is why I am most likely leaving the Windows community at least for a little while. Also their constant efforts to supply the same rivaling OS's with features from Windows Phone means I won't miss a hitch. I plan to get the Sony Xperia Z3 and I can still stay in touch with the WPCentral app for Android, they now have the same Mobile Office suite of apps that we have, and they have a WP clock live wallpaper that features some of the same gorgeous typography and cleanness of Windows Phone along with their full app ecosystem. It's hard not to leave when you consider what's available. The Lumia 830 and 730 have not only been announced before the iPhone 6, 6 Plus, Sony Xperia Z3, and Galaxy Note 4 which all will be available before they are, but they have no mention of more than one carrier each and these are just midrange devices. How is Microsoft to entice consumers and developers with these kinds of practices? I thought this year would be the year that all changed but alas I had to buy my (soon to be up for sale)Lumia 1020 from eBay and get it unlocked for T-Mobile. The HTC One for Windows is the only known flagship coming to T-Mobile and ATT but nobody knows when. This is frustrating.

 

[WanderingTraveler]

Yeah, there's a distinct lack of variety in carrier-bound phones.

To be honest, I'd say this is largely because of the lack of powerful OEMs working with Windows Phone at this point.

 

[LumiaIcon]

Yeah, there's a distinct lack of variety in carrier-bound phones.

To be honest, I'd say this is largely because of the lack of powerful OEMs working with Windows Phone at this point.

I agree, and it seems odd that their own Lumia line is so slow to adjust. You would think that Nokia and Microsoft together could get the phones out in a more timely manner. The 1020 successor is a good example. If you want a Samsung, Apple, LG, Motorola etc, you can have it. But if you want a Lumia you have to choose your carrier. If you want a Lumia phablet, you can choose ONLY one.

I also do not understand how it can take so long from concept to announcement to release? Samsung announced the Note 4 in September and will have it in stores in October, however the 830 will be around "by the holidays".

How hard it it to simply pull the trigger, build it, release it? For Nokia maybe but for Microsoft?

 

[MDMcAtee]

For this exact reason and never getting one single flagship Windows Phone(I do nit consider the 16gb Lumia 925 a true flagship) supported by T-Mobile along with not knowing what Microsoft is doing to change that alongside the constant bombardment of equally as good or better competing phones from rivaling OS's is why I am most likely leaving the Windows community at least for a little while. Also their constant efforts to supply the same rivaling OS's with features from Windows Phone means I won't miss a hitch. I plan to get the Sony Xperia Z3 and I can still stay in touch with the WPCentral app for Android, they now have the same Mobile Office suite of apps that we have, and they have a WP clock live wallpaper that features some of the same gorgeous typography and cleanness of Windows Phone along with their full app ecosystem. It's hard not to leave when you consider what's available. The Lumia 830 and 730 have not only been announced before the iPhone 6, 6 Plus, Sony Xperia Z3, and Galaxy Note 4 which all will be available before they are, but they have no mention of more than one carrier each and these are just midrange devices. How is Microsoft to entice consumers and developers with these kinds of practices? I thought this year would be the year that all changed but alas I had to buy my (soon to be up for sale)Lumia 1020 from eBay and get it unlocked for T-Mobile. The HTC One for Windows is the only known flagship coming to T-Mobile and ATT but nobody knows when. This is frustrating.

It's really no better on Android in this regard.

I am waiting to see what Microsoft offers on Threshold and what HTC does in the spring with the m9 prime before deciding what phone I'll get.

If by then Microsoft hasn't fixed the standing issues WP has or if HTC hasn't stepped up it's game... then the Sony may be my next phone as well.

The m8 is a great phone but there are others that are just a bit better.

What is troubling me is if it's going to be the same old song and dance about having to wait for a update or fix or work around like it has been with 8xxx because it's all new again...

Posted via Windows Phone Central App

 

[S640]

I agree that it's extremely frustrating, and likely a large part of WP's problem. I understand that a lack of powerful OEMs is a problem, but Microsoft is powerful and certainly capable of throwing around money. If they really want to WP to be a success it's a pretty straightforward path.

1)Have a low-end phone, maybe 2 mid-range phones, and a flagship phone.
2)Announce these phones within a reasonably short amount of time of their release (while they're still on peoples' radar)
3)Do whatever is necessary to ensure that these phones are available on all the major carriers
4)Market the hell out of them

It seems so straightforward, I really don't understand why they keep half-assing it with long lead times, carrier exclusives, and missing products (the 830 is NOT a flagship at all!)

 

[dameon_03]

I'm also trying to hold out to see what MS has coming down the pipeline. Hopefully soon we can get some rumors on news devices. I'm due to upgrade soon in November. I'm going to be patient and try to hold out as long as I can for MS and some new devices.

 

[Michael Tillman]

Totally agree. I'm very frustrated. After three years and six phones on WP I am seriously considering Android. I love windows but TMOBILE only carries low end Lumias. I want at the very least a midrange Lumia. I'm tired of waiting for a phone that has the hardware that I need. Z3 is looking good to me right now. If by the time TMOBILE offers the Z3 and Lumia 830 or HTC M8 is not available I will most probably switch back to android even though the thought is a bit upsetting. What a dilemma!

 

[RaRa85]

That's what I keep saying! Maybe tomorrow will bring some welcome news about the future. I hate having to sell my Lumia 1020 but I will upgrade either to a new Windows Phone or the Xperia Z3 and I consider my phones investments more than collectibles. If I had to keep one phone it would be the 1020 though. The camera is what I'll miss the most. If Microsoft just came out and flat out said "We're working on a Lumia 1020 successor" I would definitely stay with Windows. Especially if it was available across all the major carriers or at least the three that support it the most.(ahem....Sprint) That would be a dream come true.

 

[dagrepont]

I'm 100% with you guys. I'm on T-Mobile with an unlocked 920 and I've been patiently waiting for an upgrade. So far though so many phones have skipped over T-Mobile and to be honest I don't get it. Unless I'm wrong, this hasn't been a problem for LG or HTC. The Android version of the One came out on all carriers around the same time(March 24th for Verizon, April 10th for the rest) The LG G3 was released to the 4 US carriers throughout July. So the question is, why does Windows Phone phones get locked to carrier exclusives? It's really a shame. Right now it seems like the 830 is going to be another exclusive to At&t making 4 Lumias that never made their way to T-Mobile. Even if Microsoft announced a successor to the 1020, I'm not going to hold my breath waiting for it come to T-Mobile. I can't just up and switch carriers either. I'm 1 of 4 on a family plan and plus the other carriers are way more expensive. I've said if before I'll say it again. I LOVE Windows Phone but the lack of options has me eyeing some Android phone and to be honest they aren't half bad. I would miss Cortana and Nextgen Reader though.

 

[HeyCori]

Totally agree. I'm very frustrated. After three years and six phones on WP I am seriously considering Android. I love windows but TMOBILE only carries low end Lumias. I want at the very least a midrange Lumia. I'm tired of waiting for a phone that has the hardware that I need. Z3 is looking good to me right now. If by the time TMOBILE offers the Z3 and Lumia 830 or HTC M8 is not available I will most probably switch back to android even though the thought is a bit upsetting. What a dilemma!

Any particular reason you're sticking with T-Mobile?

 

[LumiaIcon]

I'm 100% with you guys. I'm on T-Mobile with an unlocked 920 and I've been patiently waiting for an upgrade. So far though so many phones have skipped over T-Mobile and to be honest I don't get it. Unless I'm wrong, this hasn't been a problem for LG or HTC. The Android version of the One came out on all carriers around the same time(March 24th for Verizon, April 10th for the rest) The LG G3 was released to the 4 US carriers throughout July. So the question is, why does Windows Phone phones get locked to carrier exclusives? It's really a shame. Right now it seems like the 830 is going to be another exclusive to At&t making 4 Lumias that never made their way to T-Mobile. Even if Microsoft announced a successor to the 1020, I'm not going to hold my breath waiting for it come to T-Mobile. I can't just up and switch carriers either. I'm 1 of 4 on a family plan and plus the other carriers are way more expensive. I've said if before I'll say it again. I LOVE Windows Phone but the lack of options has me eyeing some Android phone and to be honest they aren't half bad. I would miss Cortana and Nextgen Reader though.

That's my point exactly. I "love" the OS but the model line is slow to update and even slower to come to market once it is announced. Further, when they do update they only go to one carrier. Why? If LG and Apple and Samsung can get it done, why not one of the tech blue chips?

My first Windows phone was the Icon.

Had things been like they were in the Android world, I would have already moved to a 1520 to try a phablet and then to the next variant of the 1020 (complete with snapdragon 801 and 1080p screen) all in a year. If I am stupid enough to do it... Why not take my money? Instead the plan seems to keep me on the icon until it is pathetically outdated, let me switch to Android and hope I will be back for the Icon 2.0 which should come about 1.5 years out.

 

[Michael Tillman]

I stick with TMOBILE because I travel abroad three times a year and the International roaming is twenty cents per minute with free texting and unlimited free 2G data. If anybody else matched that I'd switch today for a better windows phone!

 

[RaRa85]

That's my point exactly. I "love" the OS but the model line is slow to update and even slower to come to market once it is announced. Further, when they do update they only go to one carrier. Why? If LG and Apple and Samsung can get it done, why not one of the tech blue chips?

My first Windows phone was the Icon.

Had things been like they were in the Android world, I would have already moved to a 1520 to try a phablet and then to the next variant of the 1020 (complete with snapdragon 801 and 1080p screen) all in a year. If I am stupid enough to do it... Why not take my money? Instead the plan seems to keep me on the icon until it is pathetically outdated, let me switch to Android and hope I will be back for the Icon 2.0 which should come about 1.5 years out.

Why are you even on this thread?lol The Icon is a fabulous device that's not even that old and you should be enjoying it as such especially seeing that it will get all the new features of the Denim update. But I can tell you don't like to stay loyal to your phones.lol Ain't nothing wrong with that if you have the money to jump around.

 

[RaRa85]

I also do not understand how it can take so long from concept to announcement to release? Samsung announced the Note 4 in September and will have it in stores in October, however the 830 will be around "by the holidays".

How hard it it to simply pull the trigger, build it, release it? For Nokia maybe but for Microsoft?

HTC is the only OEM that has pulled this off flawlessly almost too well with the launch of their HTC One(M8) for Android and Windows as well. They announced and launched the phone within 24 hours of each other! Some would say that it is too fast but it's better than not having a solid release date and having to wait "for the holidays."