My prediction for high-end WP devices in the US this year

[Fiann]

So MS has said that they are focusing on the low-end and that they are shifting flagship engineering to devices coming out with Threshold next spring/summer. They did mention forthcoming high-end devices (but note they didn't say flagship or hero so not likely cutting edge). Here's what I think we're going to see in the US.

• Successor to the 1020. Most likely this will be a 930 with an upgraded camera module and possibly an updated SoC compared to the 930 to better support the high-res camera. It might incorporate Canon's liquid lens technology to provide optical zoom and allow for less of a hump. Almost certainly will be called the 1030.
• A slightly upgraded version of the 930 with a few minor tweaks. It will probably be called the 935 and/or 938 (think 920 -> 925/928). This will probably be available for AT&T and possibly T-Mo
• Lumia 1525 we already know about. Basically a 1520 with a few tweaks and a slightly newer SoC.

 

[MikeLip]

Well, I hope you're wrong since that's a really dreary outlook

 

[Fiann]

Yeah, I hope I'm wrong too but the signs so far seem to be pointing in that direction, especially with them saying they're shifting their flagship engineering efforts to systems coming out with Threshold.

 

[carlosrdd]

If MS doesn't WOW me with a High end phone this fall they will lose a long time MS supporter. Been using WP since HTC Fuse.

 

[HelloLudger]

Well, a Lumia 1030 with Snapdragon 805 and canon liquid lens would wow me easily. But I don't think we could get such a device so soon.
Sent from my Lumia 920 using Tapatalk.

 

[Plimbob]

How about a WP that will forward emails properly without trying to trick it with Reply....

 

[switch side method]

How about a WP that will forward emails properly without trying to trick it with Reply....

. Agreed. How about an email where we can actually download a video and save it.why can't they do this yet when someone sends you a video via email you can't save it. So annoying

 

[psurob55]

If MS doesn't release some high end devices on multiple carriers this fall, they are going to lose some customers. Including myself.

 

[RStock521]

If MS doesn't release some high end devices on multiple carriers this fall, they are going to lose some customers. Including myself.

Agreed. I'm still holding on to my ATT 920, but if something doesn't get announced relatively soon, I'm going to have to jump ship.

 

[pankaj981]

Agreed. I'm still holding on to my ATT 920, but if something doesn't get announced relatively soon, I'm going to have to jump ship.

A high end 920 or a smaller version of the international 1520 (qi is a must) is what I can think of a high end device

 

[psurob55]

here it is.....almost november, and still nothing. The wife just ordered an iPhone 6, and it feels great. I may have to consider one myself if MS doesn't give me some glimmer of hope SOON.

It also stinks that there is no official dunkin' donuts app for WP. I'm missing out on alot of free coffee offers as a result.

 

[Harry Wild]

here it is.....almost november, and still nothing. The wife just ordered an iPhone 6, and it feels great. I may have to consider one myself if MS doesn't give me some glimmer of hope SOON.

It also stinks that there is no official dunkin' donuts app for WP. I'm missing out on alot of free coffee offers as a result.

I got an iPhone 6 too when the 735 went to Verizon as an exclusive model! Now I heard that Sprint of all carriers might be getting it too. Don't know what is in the head of the genius at U.S. Lumia marketing? Are they on acid or what going on here?

 

[jleebiker]

Long time WP supporter here. I've been an evangelist and champion for it whenever I can. I've converted numerous people and made it a standard in a couple of processes I am responsible for at work. That being said, I'm getting tired of being the platform no one wants to play with. There's absolutely no excitement for this environment whatsoever. I'm not talking about the app gap either. Where is the hardware? Where is the marketing? Where is the general buzz in the air about this environment? Say what you will about iOS, no one has as much influence as they do.

 

[steve_w_7]

So MS has said that they...are shifting flagship engineering to devices coming out with Threshold next spring/summer.

Although I have suspected this, I have not officially heard this nor seen it in print. Could you provide a link to your source.

Thanks!

 

[fatclue_98]

All I can say is that if users feel that they have to have the latest and the greatest to keep up with the Joneses, feel free to move on to a different platform. Microsoft is in the middle of a "culture change" as Nadella himself has stated. Half-baked ideas and products during a period like this will be worse than having a few irate users. Microsoft isn't looking at the next quarter or the next fiscal year, they're looking at the next quarter century. Sometimes you have to take a time-out and plan your next phase. This has nothing to do with sales of a few puny phones that only has a +/- 10% worldwide share. There is a bigger picture at play that will be very beneficial in the long run. But if you insist on having it now, don't let the door hit you where the Good Lord split you.

 

[Nogitsune Micah]

I hate the fact is the only high end we got recently is the one m8, a rehash of another phone.

I'm disappointed. Even if it is simply a 930 coming to other carriers or improved 1520, it would be something more than we have now. I am considering giving another OS a try. I did like the iPhone 6 when I briefly had it

 

[jleebiker]

All I can say is that if users feel that they have to have the latest and the greatest to keep up with the Joneses, feel free to move on to a different platform. Microsoft is in the middle of a "culture change" as Nadella himself has stated. Half-baked ideas and products during a period like this will be worse than having a few irate users. Microsoft isn't looking at the next quarter or the next fiscal year, they're looking at the next quarter century. Sometimes you have to take a time-out and plan your next phase. This has nothing to do with sales of a few puny phones that only has a +/- 10% worldwide share. There is a bigger picture at play that will be very beneficial in the long run. But if you insist on having it now, don't let the door hit you where the Good Lord split you.

While I respect where you are coming from. I would counter and say that the WP community has constantly been told "Wait, it's coming..." since its inception. My point is not that we need to be on the bleeding edge, but at least have parity with the other environments. Where is the excitement? Where is the light at the end of the tunnel? Don't get me wrong, I'm all for this environment. I just want to see it do better.

 

[fatclue_98]

While I respect where you are coming from. I would counter and say that the WP community has constantly been told "Wait, it's coming..." since its inception. My point is not that we need to be on the bleeding edge, but at least have parity with the other environments. Where is the excitement? Where is the light at the end of the tunnel? Don't get me wrong, I'm all for this environment. I just want to see it do better.

The excitement is precisely what Nadella is trying to instill. Windows 10 will be the pathway to achieve that. A company as large and diverse as Microsoft does not change its culture overnight, it can sometimes take years. Microsoft is trying to eliminate that endless pattern of "wait for it" across its entire portfolio, not just phones. By Nadella's own words, the cloud computing division is the rainmaker in Redmond and unprofitable product lines like WP and RT will simply have to take a back seat and wait for the dust to settle. Not to mention the Nokia takeover, they got bigger fish to fry than release a token "high-end" device to appease the vocal, but very small, crowd.

I'm not trying to offend anybody who wants that shiny new toy, and wants it now. What I am saying is that there is a pecking order being established and phones are literally at the bottom getting crapped on by the bigger birds. There are new vendors coming online soon, maybe they have something palatable.

 

[wplee]

I honestly think it could be another year before the true Windows 10 Flagship is actually available to buy looking at the Windows 10 release schedules. Could be worth getting an iPhone 6 or Note 4 for a year and then setting where were at? OneNote, Office and OneDrive are all available on the other app stores so may not even need to come back. We need to remember that Microsoft want Apple and Samsung users to buy their next flagship. They don't care too much about us even if that's sad, we only represent about 1% of the iPhone/Android target market.

 

[chrisevans937]

If MS doesn't WOW me with a High end phone this fall they will lose a long time MS supporter. Been using WP since HTC Fuse.

THats how I've been feeling.