What is MS long-term strategy for Lumia?

[davidD93]

This is the way I see it: It looks like MS are building a "Surface-Phone" [labelled S-P from now on], with the aim to inspire other manufacturers (how) to create excellent W10M hardware (not compete with them), like what has (eventually) happened with the Surface line-up. This make sense to me. This then leaves us with the question of what will happen with the Lumia line?

First, let's presume in this instance that W10M becomes as stable and bug-free as WP was, and that the S-P becomes a success in itself and in inspiring the other OEM's, which in turns makes W10M a success. What then happens to the Lumia line-up? Taking the above presumptions into account, I cannot see MS wanting to keep both Lumia & S-P, as this (among other reasons) would go against the ideology of not wanting to compete with other OEM's, plus we are all aware that Nadella, and others at MS, were less keen on (/dead against) the Nokia purchase from the start.

Therefore, I can only see 2 options. Either they get rid of it completely, or sell the Lumia line. The question then is, who would they sell it to? Also, what do you think and/or what would you like to happen to Lumia, imagining the circumstances above do happen?

 

[libra89]

They are going to keep it. Even though they are building a Surface phone, we don't know if it would be a Lumia or not, but I would be surprised if it wasn't one because that doesn't make sense to me.

 

[jmshub]

I would guess that Lumia will continue to be the brand name for ARM based Windows smartphones, and they'll use Surface to differentiate the x86 models.

 

[EspHack]

sell back to nokia? LOL

but seriously I think they just gonna keep going with it, enterprise is doing good, Europe is doing good, now they need to fix this buggy mess of w10m and we'll be good, just look at all the new universal apps that appear every week, things are looking bright in certain ways

 

[colinkiama]

I think it's a shame that the mid range gets left behind. It would have been interesting to see the 750 and 850 would have been like.