Windows Phone users age group

[Tsang Fai]

I am still optimistic on WP despite the recent layoff of 7800 phone employees.

But when I consider the age group of WP users, I am really worried of the future of WP. I cannot find any statistics from the internet. But I am quite sure that the market share of WP for young teenagers should be very low (<1% I guess, while the overall share is 2.5% in Q1 2015). Given such consideration, it seems even harder for WP to gain any market share.

Any thoughts?

 

[xandros9]

No Snapchat = not too many people who like it considering its importance among my peers, and no doubt in younger age groups. I say that because it's perhaps THE major missing app that people are not willing to lose for some M$ OS. (unless we're talking a budget model that they can't wait to swap out for an upscale iPhone. Usually.) Although that's a sweeping generality. I know people who enjoy theirs, they're just on the fringe of the mainstream I guess.

People do think it's cool though. It's just that the lack of Snapchat or maybe things like Hangouts is the "...oh..." moment.

 

[RumoredNow]

I think the refocus is going to help.

Enterprise will probably pick up tremendously and many in the older demographics will get exposed to Win 10 Mo in the workplace. Sorry Blackberry...

 

[Great deal]

I think youngsters go with whatever is considered 'cool'. Be it the latest trainers, designer, music, anything really, plus the small % of 'alternatives' who go against the grain. But trends change very fast and things that were once cool can be damaged by a single event and the masses can go against the establishment and then that is considered cool. These companies spend millions just on research, cant say much other than that as I don't know demographioc data or whats cool as im really uncool lol

 

[eds817]

I am by no means a youngster and don't look for the coolest gadgets. I am on Facebook but only with family and don't spend much time there. Never took to Twitter but have an account. Never used Snapchat. I played Candy Crush when the recession was still upon us but now that business is back I don't have the time to waste on a game. I use my phone a lot for work and personal use.

The apps I use everyday are: Email, Messaging (SMS), Calendar, Evernote, OneDrive, Maps, Flipboard, Camera, Excel, Wells Fargo (personal banking), Cozy (control my t-stat), Phone, There are a lot of apps I've used on my Android but aren't available on Windows mobile (yet). They would be more of a convenience and are not a deal breaker when it comes to making a decision to buy a new device or switch to an OS.

The most important things to me are OS stability & hardware reliability. Apple advertises that they design and build the hardware and software and that's why the iPhone works so well. I've been told that people like the iPhone because it works. I really thought that when Microsoft bought Nokia that we would see some big improvements in hardware and software.

Over the years Microsoft failed to keep up with the changing times. Instead of seeing what Apple did and follow suit they sat back thinking that PC's were going to be the "in thing" forever. They just keep coming to the dance too late. They need to make a decision once and for all if they are going to be just a software company or software/hardware. There is no reason why they can make mobile work but they can't sit back and expect people to come to them because they are Microsoft. Build some high end mobile devices to compete with iPhone and Samsung and tell us when we will see it. Do what is needed to get developers on board. It might take some money but if they're really dedicated to mobile it will prove worth while. I think there are a lot of Android users out they that don't want to go to the Dark Side (Apple) but have not choice but to stay with Android. If you own an Android device you are dependent for updates on Google, the phone manufacturer and the carrier. iPhone users don't have to worry about that and Microsoft has teased us with the hope of them doing the same thing.

It's very simple to succeed in mobile - give the customer what they want.

Microsoft has done a great job with the Windows Insider program while developing Windows 10 that they plan on making it a regular feature. Why not create a Mobile Insider program and get people to bombard them with comments, suggestions and wish lists. Then once they have this data listen to the customer and implement it.

BlackBerry's downfall was just that, they failed to pay attention to the customer until it was too late. They were so concerned with the business, enterprise customer base they failed to see what the average, everyday user was doing.

Lets hope Microsoft does not follow this course.

Thank you all for listening to my rant.