Lumia 920 only exclusive for 6 months?

[Izaku]

Source

This is somewhat great news for those of us that don't use AT&T and/or those that won't switch providers for it, but 6 months is more than enough time for new devices to be announced and released. My hope is that a Surface phone is in the works by then if Microsoft is planning to manufacture it.

 

[metalchick719]

I sincerely hope this means that the 920 gets to T-Mobile and Verizon. Of course, I was looking to upgrade by January at the latest, but damn it, the Lumia 920 is definitely worth waiting for! It's a questionable move by Nokia to have the phone exclusive to AT&T for this length of time, though, since it would obviously sell a lot more across three carriers (or four, if we count Sprint). If it does end up available by T-Mobile come May 2013, I don't even care which colors they offer - that's how badly I want this phone!

 

[independentvolume]

The Phone will be a dinosaur by then. This is terrible news for those that don't want to be on at&t.

 

[Winterfang]

Well if it's released as a budget phone then sure, but no one should pay 199$ on contract for the device in six months.

 

[Mitlov]

The iPhone 4S was sold at full price for nearly a year until the iPhone 5 came out. I have trouble believing that the Lumia 920--as quality and as loaded with features as it is--wouldn't be able to sell for $199-on-contract with T-Mobile and Verizon in April 2013.

 

[ironsoulreaver]

The iPhone 4S was sold at full price for nearly a year until the iPhone 5 came out. I have trouble believing that the Lumia 920--as quality and as loaded with features as it is--wouldn't be able to sell for $199-on-contract with T-Mobile and Verizon in April 2013.

That's iPhone though, it can do whatever it wants! The fact that the iPhone accounted for almost half of every phone sold this year on Verizon and AT&T is proof on its own.

Windows Phone and Nokia isn't even a speck on Apples radar and there's no way Nokia can expect to perform at the same level.

 

[Villain]

6 months is a long time in the mobile market.

 

[independentvolume]

The iPhone 4S was sold at full price for nearly a year until the iPhone 5 came out. I have trouble believing that the Lumia 920--as quality and as loaded with features as it is--wouldn't be able to sell for $199-on-contract with T-Mobile and Verizon in April 2013.

The galaxy s3 came out 4-5 months ago and it's now 100. No way the 920s premium price outlasts that. They can try I guess but it won't sell.

 

[theeboredone]

The galaxy s3 came out 4-5 months ago and it's now 100. No way the 920s premium price outlasts that. They can try I guess but it won't sell.

Best Buy had a one day promotion where they made the S3 for 100 with a 2 year contract. Outside of that, I see it being 200 everywhere else unless you go online possibly?

Anyways, I'm a T-Mobile user, and I will be sitting back and letting other people take a swing at seeing if the 920 can be unlocked and used on T-Mobile's refarmed network. I don't want to spend 800 on a brick.

On the flipside, I hope T-Mobile announces a possible 920 after the 6 month exclusivity. I don't mind paying 600 dollars less if you know what I mean LOL.

 

[Winterfang]

The iPhone 4S was sold at full price for nearly a year until the iPhone 5 came out. I have trouble believing that the Lumia 920--as quality and as loaded with features as it is--wouldn't be able to sell for $199-on-contract with T-Mobile and Verizon in April 2013.

You can't compare a Nokia device to the freaking iphone. The iPHone is the iPHone, there's no Iphone Nano or IphoneX or IphoneXL pro or anything like, it's ecosystem doesn't have competition on smartphones.

If you want a smartphone with IOS you get the iphone, want a bigger screen? Tough luck, wait for the next one.

The 920 barely the best Windows Phone device spec wise, are you realling telling me there's not going to be something better from Samsung/HTC for Windows Phone in six months? If that's so then might as well kill Windows Phone right now.

On a side note, Walmart has the 810 at 100$ dollars while the 8X is 150$. Nokia has no idea what they are doing.

 

[theeboredone]

The only reason I can see the price of the Lumia 920 being higher than 199.99 with a contract is just because of the OIS tech they are using. From the interviews I've read, the R&D spent plenty of years on perfecting it, so there's no doubt a lot of money was put into it. Plus, you got the storage space being at 32GB as opposed to 16GB. Though if you personally ask me, manufacturers are just ripping us off. There's no way in heck an Iphone should jump up 100 dollars for every double of storage.

Were it not for the OIS, then the Lumia 920 would be pretty ordinary, and the price would be expected to be more sensible.

 

[havox22]

Too long for me, I just got out of contract now, I'm getting the best WP8 phone that's available on Verizon when they launch.

 

[anon(157335)]

Too long for me, I just got out of contract now, I'm getting the best WP8 phone that's available on Verizon when they launch.

I'm thinking the same. My contract ends in early November.

I was hoping Verizon would have the 920, but if they have the 8X that will definitely suit my needs.

 

[Heron_Kusanagi]

Only? It's too long IMO.

Then again, who knows what CES will bring to Verizon?

 

[Aykazu]

You can't compare a Nokia device to the freaking iphone. The iPHone is the iPHone, there's no Iphone Nano or IphoneX or IphoneXL pro or anything like, it's ecosystem doesn't have competition on smartphones.

If you want a smartphone with IOS you get the iphone, want a bigger screen? Tough luck, wait for the next one.

The 920 barely the best Windows Phone device spec wise, are you realling telling me there's not going to be something better from Samsung/HTC for Windows Phone in six months? If that's so then might as well kill Windows Phone right now.

On a side note, Walmart has the 810 at 100$ dollars while the 8X is 150$. Nokia has no idea what they are doing.

I agree that Nokias strategy in the US is just stupid and it cannot do well especially with a handset that runs on Windows Phone. As much as I like to see Windows Phone grow into a real alternative to Android and to iOS, it just isnt there yet.

However Nokia currently is the only OEM that really is pushing Windows Phone into new heights and doing everything within its power to see Windows Phone succeed. If we look around the globe (peeking outside the sandbox of northern America!) we can see that Nokia is launching the 920 and 820 everywhere.
Who knows (I sure dont) the exclusive deals in Canada and US might be a valuable pre-caution in order to meet the demand in other parts of the globe.

I have been studying the pre-order charts and it would seem that Nokia has started pre-orders in most parts of Europe and through some of its networks into Asia and even in America (Expansys for example). I can't find HTC anywhere, its like the 8X and 8S would be hiding under a rock. To me that only tells that HTC does not have what it takes to compete with Nokia at least not in the segment of Windows Phones.
Samsungs Ativ-S on the other hand is also on pre-order in many places through out the globe but in sales numbers its fighting more with the 820 than it is with the 920.

The charts are weird, I never would have taught that the 820 would do so well to compete with Ativ-S that definetly was a big surprise because specs wise Ativ-S destroys the 820. The Ativ-S in my opinion is a premium device and thus should fight with the Lumia 920.

May I ask you Winterfang, why are you giving Nokia such a hard time compared to HTC and Samsung, even though Nokia is the only one out of those 3 that really supports Windows Phone? HTC brought nothing with its new 8X and 8S, only the design is different.
Samsung brough the Ativ-S, it represents Samsung from design to its specs, Micro-SD card slot, removable battery and back cover. Thats what we have been seeign from Samsung through out its Android devices. Thats Samsung style.
Now Nokia in the other hand brough something new to the table with its supersensitive screen and OIS technology, those are new features in the whole business and thus differentiating from Android and iOS devices as well as competing Windows Phones.

So explain why do you bash Nokia but I dont see you bashing HTC even though it would propably deserve more bashing than any other OEM. HTC has been really quiet since its launch and it propably will stay so, no one really cares about an OEM that does not care about their consumers as much as others do. Or Samsung? Why doesnt it get bashed around. Is Samsung going to promote its Ativ-S? I dont think so, they are doing really well with their Android devices and they propably dont want any more competition than they allready have..

 

[cgk]

The iPhone 4S was sold at full price for nearly a year until the iPhone 5 came out. I have trouble believing that the Lumia 920--as quality and as loaded with features as it is--wouldn't be able to sell for $199-on-contract with T-Mobile and Verizon in April 2013.

You are joking aren't you? The resell value of WP devices goes through the floor - if they sell like the first generation, the price in six months is not going to be anything like that.

 

[Winterfang]

Great post

While Nokia is doing great outside the united states (The way it should be, as it's the reason for Microsoft partnership with them), what they do in there doesn't affect me. I'm going to T-mobile and the 810 is hideous beyond belief, also they have an asking price of 99$-150$ for it, a bit expensive in my opinion.

While you might say the United State is just a sandbox compared to the rest of the world, is also the biggest market for smartphones right now. Nokia needs to get in right now if they want a good piece of the pie. They ignored the market for so long that people just associate them with the cheapest of cheap 10$ grocery store devices. Now they are trying to come back and they somewhat think they are the iphone? Exclusivity won't work with them, even if it's only 6 months, who will pay full price for a 6 month outdated phone?

How much do six months do? Well look at the One X and Galaxy S3 and compare them to the One X+ and Note 2. The second ones win time and time again. Now look at the HTC J Butterfly, that phone will be out in December on Japan. In specs absolutely destroys not only Nokia and all current Windows Phones but even top of the line Android devices.

Nokia isn't just competing with Windows Phone, they are playing against Android and IOS, which baffle me how they are getting aggressive against Samsung and HTC in their WP offerings and not in their Android ones.

Why do I'm harsher against Nokia? Because they are the ones betting fully on Windows Phone and so far haven't show me their best. They still release and heavily advertise the Asha line of device, they don't bring full 41mm pureview camera to Windows Phone. (people will say that phone is a niche product, but if it didn't had Symbian it will be a good alternative).

I hold Nokia to a higher standard than HTC and Samsung, I do voice against the bad things on HTC side but I'm going to be honest with you. If the HTC 8X/8S didn't existed, I would had nothing left to excite me for Windows Phone. I'm going to T-mobile and I wouldn't be caught dead with the 810.

Also is not fair to jump on the Nokia bandwagon and say they are the only truly innovative Windows Phone manufacturer, that's complete wrong.

HTC

HTC has the best Front Facing Camera on the market and is one of the features I'm most excited on WP8, it's wideangle lens means I can take good pictures of myself with my buddies and in front of monuments and other places, the quality of the FFC is also top notch, meaning the pictures are actually worth sharing. (A first on Windows Phone)

Super LCD 2 is still the best screen on the market for much people, and at 4.3 it has a really high DPI which means it will look beautifully crisp. (A first on Windows Phone)

Beats Audio is not to be ignored, the speaker sounds loudly and clear. And the music will sound as good as their Android counterpart. (A first on Windows Phone)

The 8X also has a dedicated camera ship, which means the camera will take pictures insanely fast, something that I personally will take great joy in it. As I lose my chance of great pictures because I scare some animal away.

Samsung

There's not much to say about samsung, the brought everything hardware wise that makes the Galaxy S3 great. (Features that people care about in general)

Super light
Super Thin
Beautiful
4.8 screen (A first on Windows Phone)
Super Amoled HD screen (A first on Windows Phone)
SD card slot
Removable battery (big battery also)

Why do you wildly proclaim they brought nothing to the tablet? The Lumia 920 has none of the features I mentioned them from their rivals. Is that's nothing new how come the 920 doesn't have it?

Because those aren't standard features, HTC and Samsung brought great devices with enough differentiation to swag people from Nokia.

Nokia shouldn't be barely competing against HTC and Samsung inferior to Android, Windows Phone counterparts, it should be shaking the industry up by making something that rivals and goes above their android offerings.

The Lumia 920 is not only not good enough to compete against Iphone/GS3 but in only one carrier, it doesn't have a chance.

I want Windows Phone to have a chance.

 

[stmav]

Very good post Winterfang. While I disagree with just about everything there. It's a matter of personal opinion and personal taste, nothing else. It's a good, concise explanation on your part of how you feel. We can disagree but I can still respect your opinion.

 

[Gaichuke]

...are you realling telling me there's not going to be something better from Samsung/HTC for Windows Phone in six months? If that's so then might as well kill Windows Phone right now.

On a side note, Walmart has the 810 at 100$ dollars while the 8X is 150$. Nokia has no idea what they are doing.

You don't see any drastic improvement in the HW during the next six months except maybe PureView + whatever else Nokia is brewing in their labs. The whole point in WP8 platform is to make it run on very standardized platform so there won't be new chipsets supported quite that soon.

Also, the 50$ difference between 810 and 8X sounds pretty ok to me. 810 does have a killer Super AMOLED display (RGB, super sensitive, next gen ClearBlack) even though the resolution is relatively low. FFC is also improved. You'll also get wireless charging, microSD, replaceable battery and all the Nokia exclusives on top of that.

 

[Winterfang]

HTC say it was already working on a 4.7 devices, there's a chance its the quad-core Zenith device. Things will change in six months, just look at the difference between the 900 and the 920.