Should Microsoft make the 950/950XL available early to Insiders?

[PepperdotNet]

I have previously tweeted @GabeAul my idea that Insiders should be able to get the new devices NOW, with whatever preview build is currently available. I mentioned it again today in a reply to him where he mentioned that he uses a 950XL for Continuum. He replied "Interesting idea" and a tweetstorm of mentions and favorites followed.

Should Microsoft take the next logical step in the Insider program, and open it up so Insiders can test the new hardware before it's generally available? What do you think?

 

[Musicman247]

I voted Yes at a discounted price. I don't think it should be heavily discounted, but it should be slightly less than retail, especially if we're getting it several months in advance for testing purposes.

I think logistically it would be a nightmare, especially if they do slight hardware revisions before launch and want those tested as well.

It would be neat to be able to just go and purchase a device a week or two early at full price, just as a sign of appreciation. Of course we'd have to sign NDAs, and one leaked review could shut the whole thing down for everyone. So maybe not the best idea? I don't know.

Edit: If we're talking just the 950s, then yes at full price would be my vote. From the original post it seemed like it would be something they might consider for future devices.

 

[920Walker]

No. I can see the complaints and returns now if anything like the Insider program. A big NO if hardware revisions were involved, which would never happen.

 

[anon(8555314)]

Maybe if there was a way to limit it to real developers. If you look at all the people using early versions of 8.1 and W10M, there are too many clueless wanna-be beta testers who complain about the bugs and lack of stability. Newsflash: don't sign up for this if you can't handle battery issues, bugs, slow performance, crashes, etc.

 

[RumoredNow]

Maybe if there was a way to limit it to real developers.

I concur. Insiders no. Developers yes.

 

[Daniel Rubino]

Interesting The Windows Insider program may soon expand to Microsoft hardware | Windows Central

 

[Jon_Rubinstein]

If Insiders no, Developers yes,otherwise every single person in here would become an insider.... "wink wink"

 

[TechFreak1]

I'd say discounted, developers and a select group of insiders .

 

[Jakub Suchy]

Did you get an invite? I did.
Btw, yeah.
For developers it's a good idea.
For those Insiders who have W10 only 'for free' purposes it would be bad...

 

[dandrayan]

To those who did get invites, what level of feedback and involvement did you give? I felt like I submitted a lot of feedback and upvotes, but wonder if there is anything I can do to improve my feedback and involvement to further help the existing program (and, selfishly, be eligible for special programs like this)? I included screenshots and detailed steps to reproduce issues just as I would for any bugs in apps that I develop for my work professionally.

 

[rhapdog]

I think Insiders who are also developers should be able to do this, IF they have been providing valuable feedback to Microsoft and show they are truly being testers and putting in the hard work to show for it.

In my situation, it would leave me out of it, because I haven't had the time or extra backup phone through most of the program to do this properly, but it is still what I think is fair.

As far as cost of devices, I think as a reward/payment of sorts to those valuable people, those devices should be offered at a discount, and only to those people that meet that criteria. It should also be a limited number of people. I can't see a large production run helping MS productivity just for this.

 

[HoosierDaddy]

I have previously tweeted @GabeAul my idea that Insiders should be able to get the new devices NOW, with whatever preview build is currently available. I mentioned it again today in a reply to him where he mentioned that he uses a 950XL for Continuum. He replied "Interesting idea" and a tweetstorm of mentions and favorites followed.

Should Microsoft take the next logical step in the Insider program, and open it up so Insiders can test the new hardware before it's generally available? What do you think?

I would be glad to get one, but I don't think its likely simply because my sense is that everyone involved is running flat out for the public launch. Adding a whole new project would distract from the public launch not to mention might not even be to set up everything needed to get them to the insiders.

I have no idea if they should but I would be shocked if they did.

 

[Musicman247]

I could see it done in a limited way with a few hand-picked Insiders. But on a massive scale, no. It would be nice to get another Insider coupon, though, like they did with the launch of Windows 10.

 

[PepperdotNet]

lol, only Daniel can take a two word tweet from Gabe and make a news story out of it. Fantastic!

 

[Muessig]

I'm liking the idea if this but there would have to be some sort of nda. If you bought the device at a discounted price some people might try to sell on an exclusive device for money as a leak etc. Lots to consider with this.

 

[Jakub Suchy]

To those who did get invites, what level of feedback and involvement did you give? I felt like I submitted a lot of feedback and upvotes, but wonder if there is anything I can do to improve my feedback and involvement to further help the existing program (and, selfishly, be eligible for special programs like this)? I included screenshots and detailed steps to reproduce issues just as I would for any bugs in apps that I develop for my work professionally.

At the end of mail:

You are receiving this email based on the following criteria: you signed up to participate in the Windows Insider Program; you are running a recent build of Windows 10 Mobile and provided feedback, you indicated an English-language preference.

Well as one reply below yours states that he doesn't have resources to have secondary phone for testing etc...
I run Win 10 Mobile on my main phone. So by every day using I caught a lot of bugs. Sometimes it drove me really crazy, but nothing made me any real-life trouble which would cost me. After every build update I kind of went through all new/improved features and tried all possibilities for bugs (turning on/off things, setting things, etc..) If the bug was really serious I immediately contacted Microsoft Support for finding a workaround or if there wasn't any to just tell them about this issue. If I had to quantify the amount of feedback from me I guess I upvoted tens maybe over hundred Windows Feedback Issues. Contacted MS Support up to max 10 times. And Wrote like up to 10 issues in Windows Feedback, which were wrote in deep details (Short cover of whole issue, detailed replication of the issue, possible ways that could causing the issue or could resolve the issue). Sometimes, when I found a workaround I published it on some forums that were easily searchable on google.

One time I asked MS Support about their involvement in speed of relaying those bugs to developers and they said, that from them the bugs goes faster to MS developers, because if you are trying to resolve the issue with MS technican you basically gather more information than what are collected in Windows Feedback app, so the developers have more precise info about specific bug.

 

[Adam Frix]

wait--I thought that was already their business model, for many many years now.

Release it early to everyone, before it's finished. Make everyone help you develop it that final 10%. Charge full rate for the privilege.

 

[Keith Wallace]

DEFINITELY not for free. Full price or a discount would be cool, but there's the concern of how the prototypes were pulled from stores over hardware defects. So, if the hardware's what is holding the release back, no. If it's waiting on the OS to finish, yes.

 

[ssapre]

Even giving it at a very minimal price + on contract to developers / insiders, later on which can be taken back by MS upon new phone release providing some discount on the new released device....might be one good option !!

 

[illegaloperation]

Maybe for developers with apps in the Store, the prototypes for Lumia 950 and Lumia 950 XL could be available for purchase, full price.

When the phones are actually released, Microsoft can just let those developers exchange the prototype for retail hardware.