Did Microsoft mess up?

[CJT1980]

I've been with Windows Phone since the HTC HD7 .. then I moved to the 920 and finally the 1520. Two weeks ago the unthinkable happen my daughter knocked my 1520 out of hand and cracked the screen. The nav buttons don't work on the phone. I went to T-mobile to get the ALCATEL ONETOUCH FIERCE? XL ... hell I was like well its still a windows phone. The guy behind the counter told me that next month will be 3yrs with them and as a result I can get any phone that I won't for "free" just pay the taxes. So I didn't get the OneTouch. Over the weekend it hit me I could get an Android or an Iphone and still have access to all the Microsoft apps ... like groove .. xbox app... office ... heck I can even use Cortana on both platforms. I will even get access to the apps that "we" don't have or with the latest update (ie Facebook live).

I said all that to say this .. I do consider myself a "windows phone loyalist" and if I had this thought about potentially switching ... i'm wondering did Microsoft take in consideration this possible outcome.

I wrote this not to get people to say don't leave blah blah blah ... I wrote this because I really do love the Windows OS but at the same time I don't want to waste a "free" phone on a mid range Windows phone.

I holding out hope that T-Mo will get the HP Elite and that would make me a happy camper.

Truly at a crossroad

 

[RumoredNow]

Actually, T-Mo will be getting the Alcatel Idol Pro 4 "SuperPhone" this summer. Save your freebie till then. Check Swappa for a hold over device or spring for this phone which will still make a good backup and is only $50 on Amazon: http://forums.windowscentral.com/mi...427636-deal-blu-win-hd-lte-$50-amazon-us.html


Microsoft is trying to help partners get handsets through the pipeline and it takes a bit of time so there is some lag.

Check out news about the soon to be Idol Pro 4 here: Alcatel Idol Pro 4 - Windows Central Forums Pro Tip: It will be one of the first phones out that is built for Redstone 1.

 

[finalrelief]

They're a software company first and they cannot ignore the user base of android/iOS

 

[RumoredNow]

They're a software company first and they cannot ignore the user base of android/iOS

IMHO, I think you are missing the point of the OP.

He has a Flagship phone and it needs replacement. His carrier is offering him a free phone at this time and there is no suitable replacement available to him today.

He's caught in the lull between Microsoft retracting from hardware and OEMs filling the gap.

Microsoft services being available across platforms was only a tangential issue as I read it.

 

[xandros9]

I think the offer should go to a free iPhone since they're pricey and hold value best. surely you can switch the phone later through sale?

 

[TechFreak1]

Right now as it stands, use what ever feels right for you.

Microsoft are now a platform agnostic company and as such that approach will always cannibalise sales.

Combined with whats happened to the mobile division in the past has only made the negative perception even worse. Which is totally understandable, in regards to T-Mobile getting the Elite X3 - that I highly doubt as it's an enterprise phone not a consumer one therefore there are no consumer retail channels (It will most likely be authorised corp resellers, HP and Microsoft). Futhermore T Mobile in general have only taken on Mid tier or low tier phones.

Never the less we will need to wait and see what July brings to the table.

If it was me I would get the iphone and resell later.

Also what are the tax differences or they are the same regardless of model / phone ?

 

[Bobvfr]

I was at the same crossroad, my 1520's battery was on the way out, I had hoped to wait for the HP, but MS cut the price of the 950 XL.

I know lots of people have had issues, but mine is superb and honestly makes the 1520 feel like an antique. Very impressed.

 

[cracgor]

I had the exact same thing happen to me. It was when the 950xl first came out. I went that route and unlike Bobvfr, I had a lot of problems with it. That was in the first days, but they were too many to ignore, so I went with another flagship device. Either Windows Phone will be there for me when it is time to switch again, or it won't. Unfortunately, I think your best decision is to get an iPhone or flagship android with your free phone. If you really want to stay with some windows phone experience, you could get a cheaper one, but I have a hard time juggling two phones. Free is still something like $30 with the tax?

 

[Krystianpants]

IMHO, I think you are missing the point of the OP.

He has a Flagship phone and it needs replacement. His carrier is offering him a free phone at this time and there is no suitable replacement available to him today.

He's caught in the lull between Microsoft retracting from hardware and OEMs filling the gap.

Microsoft services being available across platforms was only a tangential issue as I read it.

Problem is MS has always been a PC company. They know how to deal with all the aspects of launching PC's, working with OEMs, working with FCC etc.. But they have absolutely no leverage in the phone business where you have to work with carriers, carriers that are super demanding, have too many requirements and pretty much are the bosses. MS is usually the boss in their field. This is why they don't want to be in the phone industry. They just want to make the Software that runs on phones, but let the other companies who have experience in these areas do all the work for themselves. The OS is free for them to use. MS is working on trying to get more apps over through UWP, more new innovations to try and break the app barrier and adding unique features. OEMs may be able to grab some share in a new area where competition is not as tough. Android is a vicious world for OEMs. There are the behemoths and then there are the rest.

Even when they release the reference "Surface phone". Likely it will only be available through MS directly unlocked. At&t is probably going to be the only company that carry's it again. But hey other OEMs will follow just like in the 2-in-1 space and we may see some cool stuff.

Samsung is now thinking of shifting to Tizen for all their stuff. I wish MS made some huge deal with them to make Samsung go windows mobile. Not till after redstone 2 of course. At this point it wouldn't be worth it for anyone. But MS could let Samsung build their ecosystem around it. With TV's, appliances, and everything. Let Samsung have their own store, developers can publish to both windows store and samsung store. APIs to take advantage of Samsung phones could be added for additional features. It would be an interesting partnership. Winsung instead of Wintel haha.

 

[Keith Wallace]

IMHO, I think you are missing the point of the OP.

He has a Flagship phone and it needs replacement. His carrier is offering him a free phone at this time and there is no suitable replacement available to him today.

He's caught in the lull between Microsoft retracting from hardware and OEMs filling the gap.

Microsoft services being available across platforms was only a tangential issue as I read it.

That's not how I read it at all. I read it as "I like MS, but hate missing out on apps, and I could get MS services AND apps by switching platforms."

 

[RumoredNow]

That's not how I read it at all. I read it as "I like MS, but hate missing out on apps, and I could get MS services AND apps by switching platforms."

I based my assessment on the summing up at the end of the OP.

... I wrote this because I really do love the Windows OS but at the same time I don't want to waste a "free" phone on a mid range Windows phone.

I holding out hope that T-Mo will get the HP Elite and that would make me a happy camper.

Truly at a crossroad

 

[loribinca]

I read that the Elite was not going to be for retail sale, and only sold thru HP enterprise .. I would go with IOS / Android and run MS apps at this point. MS has ceded the consumer space to Apple/Android

 

[EspHack]

get the iPhone 7 when it launches, its not long from now, then after Christmas there will probably be that legendary surface phone, timing is almost perfect

 

[quratoffice]

You need to sell your phone and buy iphone 7 or android tab

 

[digitaldd]

I've been with Windows Phone since the HTC HD7 .. then I moved to the 920 and finally the 1520. Two weeks ago the unthinkable happen my daughter knocked my 1520 out of hand and cracked the screen. The nav buttons don't work on the phone. I went to T-mobile to get the ALCATEL ONETOUCH FIERCE™ XL ... hell I was like well its still a windows phone. The guy behind the counter told me that next month will be 3yrs with them and as a result I can get any phone that I won't for "free" just pay the taxes. So I didn't get the OneTouch. Over the weekend it hit me I could get an Android or an Iphone and still have access to all the Microsoft apps ... like groove .. xbox app... office ... heck I can even use Cortana on both platforms. I will even get access to the apps that "we" don't have or with the latest update (ie Facebook live).

I said all that to say this .. I do consider myself a "windows phone loyalist" and if I had this thought about potentially switching ... i'm wondering did Microsoft take in consideration this possible outcome.

I wrote this not to get people to say don't leave blah blah blah ... I wrote this because I really do love the Windows OS but at the same time I don't want to waste a "free" phone on a mid range Windows phone.

I holding out hope that T-Mo will get the HP Elite and that would make me a happy camper.

Truly at a crossroad

For what its worth A lot of Microsoft devotees are going that route and if you think of it the Microsoft apps on Android and iOS are better than the universal ones for Windows Desktop and Windows Phone and they even have a Microsoft launcher for Android.

 

[Ten Four]

If you're in the business of making money and you create apps you have to make them available on iOS because that's where all the profit is located. Microsoft makes a ton of money licensing parts of the Android too. I suppose some could say why not just refuse to help out Android and iOS, but that would be short sighted and costly--there is no profit selling Windows phones or software right now.

 

[Krystianpants]

If you're in the business of making money and you create apps you have to make them available on iOS because that's where all the profit is located. Microsoft makes a ton of money licensing parts of the Android too. I suppose some could say why not just refuse to help out Android and iOS, but that would be short sighted and costly--there is no profit selling Windows phones or software right now.

Apparently a lot of their patents aren't that rock solid and some have already been dropped. Satya has realized these patents are not going to be sustainable. So it's likely why they are making so many deals with OEMs where the office apps are preloaded with their phones. This way they are building a different source of revenue from the mobile market while losing out on the patent money. But the patent money will stop eventually anyways so they are being pretty smart about it.

Here's an interesting article about the ordeal. MS made a billion dollars from Samsung alone in patents. I think even Satya sees these as being anti-competitor and he's just trying to build better relationships.

Biggest patent win ever? Microsoft's billion dollar a year Samsung deal | ZDNet