Why WP 8.1 could lead to skyrocketing sales

[Ebuka Allison]

By Skyrocketing I don't mean massively individual sales like 20 million for the Lumia 930. I mean cumulatively. Taken this way, there are 20 windows phone OEMs at the least right now. If each one of those sold just 1 million phones, that's 20 million sales right there. Repeat two quarter and double the second quarter and there's an optimistic 60 million more sales for this year. That's not bad. Ita both pessimistic and optimistic ar the same time if you know what I mean. But its possible

 

[raptr569]

I think you're probably right for the low end market. The amount of OEMs that are going to be pumping out pretty good phones is huge and their are a lot of national brands in various countries that have signed up for building WP81 handsets.

Although, at the high end, even though the big Android players like Samsung and HTC are going to push out high end handsets I would bet the naming conventions they use are not enough to sway people.

What I mean is for instance Samsung sell the Galaxy, pretty much most people and their dog know that's their iPhone equivalent. Those same people are going to say, "what on earth is an Ativ?" and assume it's a lesser handset. Now if Samsung called it a Samsung Galaxy SW8 for example or HTC go with the rumoured HTC One W8 they are recognisable product names and as the price point for WP phones have historically been a little less than the high end Android phones I believe more consumers at the local phone shop might go for Windows.

I also think one trick Microsoft themselves are missing here with marketing, and it's the main reason I've never owned an iPhone or Android handset is that Windows phone at its core is a communications device, it may not have the apps and the big features but it's a rock solid clear and concise experience when your priority is making calls, texts, emails or using social sites and it integrates so well and in a way that neither iPhone nor Android (without third party apps or OEM customisation) can compete.

 

[Taigatrommel]

I have to agree with higher sales, especially when it comes to the often called emerging markets with more sensitive price points. Markets where phones like the 520 or 620 already performed very well.

For the high-end or even mid-end audience however I even fear the opposite will happen. Taking a look at the rather poor performance of all Windows Phone 8 flagship phones which were made for the broad audience, especially 920 and 925, just strengthens my thoughts.
There are almost no reasons why people looking to get a 500-600 bucks flagship will now suddenly chose a 930 over competition like Galaxy S4, Note 3, HTC One M8 or Nexus 5 and of course the iPhone(s). People didn't do that back when the 920 was a rather hot device. Windows Phone 8.1 won't do the trick alone. Going further now the 930 has been delayed again in many countries, the competitions shines with a recently announced new Android version which got HUGE press coverage, new iPhones around the corner and new Android flagships like the Note 4 on the horizon.

Maybe I am too pessimistic here, but I don't think Microsoft has anything in their hands right now to sell more expensive devices to the people.

 

[ohgood]

By Skyrocketing I don't mean massively individual sales like 20 million for the Lumia 930. I mean cumulatively. Taken this way, there are 20 windows phone OEMs at the least right now. If each one of those sold just 1 million phones, that's 20 million sales right there. Repeat two quarter and double the second quarter and there's an optimistic 60 million more sales for this year. That's not bad. Ita both pessimistic and optimistic ar the same time if you know what I mean. But its possible

if we play with numbers, I could sell tickets to the Moon for $1 million each, and only need to sell 300 to buy a small island.






what is going to convince those people to buy though?