No Premium WP8 phones?

[wormy6]

Back when Windows Phone 7 looked pretty cool, everyone was saying how they were cheap because WP7 'didn't support the hardware' yet and that with WP8 we would get more powerful and premium phones.

So here comes WP8, and I read this...
AT&T Nokia Lumia 920 and HTC 8X Both A Steal At Just $100 - Mobile Magazine

$100 for the flagship WP8 phones? Where is a premium WP8 phone? WP8 is the best OS, but it will always be looked down on if it doesn't have a handset that can compete with apple and android's newest phones. The manufacturers really dropped the ball, in my opinion. Cheap phones can help WP8 gain marketshare but there needs to be premium phones too to help build the brand and hype.

I think HTC and nokia looked at the iphone and said: "If we make a $200 phone we won't be able to make it as small, as fast, light, or as good battery power as the iphone. Lets just go for the cheaper market so they can't compare our phones to premium ones."

I really hope we see a surface phone from microsoft. I don't think these other manufacturers have the tech or balls to release a phone thinner and more powerful than their competitors. Surface has already proven it can take on the ipad both spec and feature wise, and now it's going to have to do the mobile market too.

 

[Reflexx]

Umm... those are premium phones. They just happen to be inexpensive.

The important thing is marketshare and mindshare right now.

Because of that, consumers have an amazing opportunity right now. They'll get premium devices at budget prices.

 

[VagrantWade]

Premium = Quality not price. If someone gives you a Louie Vuitton bag for free, it's still a premium product regardless of cost.

 

[wormy6]

They are not premium hardware. To be premium, they need to compete with previously released devices. Lets take the 8x for example:

The S3 has a screen 0.5" larger but weighs the same and has the same thickness as the 8x. Why does the 8x weigh about the same as a large phone like the S3? Why does it weigh so significantly more than an iPhone? Why is the iPhone 5 thinner and smaller?

Probably because the 8x has not been fully optimized: time constraints, budget constraints, cheap parts, cheap engineers, whatever it is... The hardware is not of the same quality. We will have to wait for more reviews to be sure, but a spec overview is already giving us major clues and the price difference is a huge red flag.

It isn't a game ender for me, I am still considering buying the 8x... Its worst specs are maybe 2 years old at max, and that is not enough to stop me from using the WP8 OS. Yet I am still frustrated at the lack of premium WP8 device hence my OP.

 

[ncxcstud]

If you can't tell that the 8X and 920 are premium devices that compete with the Android and iPhone handsets now, than I don't know what to do to help you...

The 8X is = to today's android and iphone. Where are you getting this idea that the specs are 2 years old?

 

[Villain]

surface phone is most likely going to be a low end device.

 

[MaulerX]

You got it all twisted. Your logic is all twisted. Both the 920 and 8X are as premium as they get (the 920 a bit more).

The subsidized price for the 920 was the result of a very aggressive deal between AT&T and Nokia that gave AT&T exclusivity. Make no mistake, it's a beast of a phone that just happens to be heavily subsidized by the carrier, again, because of that exclusivity deal.

 

[weetigo]

They are not premium hardware. To be premium, they need to compete with previously released devices. Lets take the 8x for example:

The S3 has a screen 0.5" larger but weighs the same and has the same thickness as the 8x. Why does the 8x weigh about the same as a large phone like the S3?

Samsung is releasing a WP8 phone with same screen size as its S3, its called the Samsung ATIV S. Check it out.

 

[Landsharkk]

I bought my Samsung Focus during the first month of Windows Phone 7 release for $99 as well.

I'm not really sure what else to say in response to the original post. What exactly is not-premium about the Windows 8 phones that have the iPhone 5 beat in almost every category, including price?

 

[dameon_03]

like others have said the 920 ativ s and 8x are all premuim devices. price does not mean they arent.

 

[anon(5335877)]

I bought my Samsung Focus during the first month of Windows Phone 7 release for $99 as well.

I'm not really sure what else to say in response to the original post. What exactly is not-premium about the Windows 8 phones that have the iPhone 5 beat in almost every category, including price?

Apparently size/volume to weight ratio matters.

 

[txaggies07]

 

[hcoreyh]

Not sure if

Not sure if trolling or one of the most ignorant people I have ever seen. Hardware wise the only phone that is more up to date is the nexus 4. Although that lacks 4G. I guess the iphone 5 is maybe slightly ahead in processor although lacks nfc. The htc 8x will have the best audio experience of any phone period. This is thanks to a built in amp (which causes the extra width). The 920 is extremely advanced in its camera and screen. In my opinion it is the most advanced in both these categories and the only phone that i know of with wireless charging. The price for this is due to heavy subsidies as it is an exclusive phone. The ativ s is actually an exact equivalent of the s3 spec wise (American version anyway). Not to mention thin + light does not say premium to me. I prefer a better looking phone that literally doubles as a hammer (have you seen that video). Each phone has compromises. The Lumia 920's is only it's size which I prefer. If you want a thin phone get the ativ s. I just hope with your thin and light 'premium' phones you have enough cash to replace them each time you drop it, or don't mind a thick and heavy not to mention ugly case.

 

[socialcarpet]

So get a Lumia 920 and pay them $299 for it if it makes you feel better.

 

[wormy6]

I know you guys feel defensive because you like these phones a lot. Still, the devices so far with WP8 weigh more, are thicker, and cheaper than the top phones.

Aside from the label 'premium' and arguing what is/isn't premium, can we agree that manufacturers have failed to deliver on progressive hardware, and is pushing out outdated dimension/weight specs and 'me too' speed specs?

 

[Munkeyphyst]

Please stop feeding the troll. It only increases the amount of fecal matter they produce...

 

[Reflexx]

I know you guys feel defensive because you like these phones a lot. Still, the devices so far with WP8 weigh more, are thicker, and cheaper than the top phones.

Aside from the label 'premium' and arguing what is/isn't premium, can we agree that manufacturers have failed to deliver on progressive hardware, and is pushing out outdated dimension/weight specs and 'me too' speed specs?

No.

Who the heck cares about dimension/weight specs? You either like how it feels or you don't. But the ratio doesn't mean one is more "premium" because it does NOTHING for you.

So, tell me about the other "premium" phones that have better screen sensitivity than the 920. How about refresh rate for clarity and glare reduction? How about viewability in direct light? What other phone ranks higher?

What about low light photos? What "premium" phone does it better? How about image stabilization for video? Surely you know of a "premium" device that does it better than the 920, don't you?

Do you define "premium" as "lacking the new and innovative technology already available in the 920"? That's what it sounds like.

 

[wormy6]

No.

Who the heck cares about dimension/weight specs? You either like how it feels or you don't. But the ratio doesn't mean one is more "premium" because it does NOTHING for you.

So, tell me about the other "premium" phones that have better screen sensitivity than the 920. How about refresh rate for clarity and glare reduction? How about viewability in direct light? What other phone ranks higher?

What about low light photos? What "premium" phone does it better? How about image stabilization for video? Surely you know of a "premium" device that does it better than the 920, don't you?

Do you define "premium" as "lacking the new and innovative technology already available in the 920"? That's what it sounds like.

Well the 920 is interesting because unlike the other phones it has an overload of features that the iphone does not, but it is a beast as far as size goes. It is especially difficult to compare them since some people care more about having a compact phone and some people care more about features. That goes for all comparisons, but 920 vs more compact phones especially. I think the 920 has a stronger argument for being a 'premium' phone because it does so much to remove itself from direct comparison with the market leader. I won't be buying a 920 but I think it was a smart move to go feature heavy for Nokia (I own some stock).

 

[ncxcstud]

So - premium essentially for you means "Must cost more than others."?

So, Bose is premium compared to others?

And Monster Cables?

Dare I say Apple products (even though a lot of their products are very good)

Even though first two are considered to not be worth nearly the amount those companies charge for them (especially Monster).

 

[Landsharkk]

I'm thinking maybe the OP's definition or use of the word 'premium' is not inline with what we are familiar.

And I mean that honestly, not trying to sound mean.