What if Verizon is waiting for 8.1?

[Premium1]

Re: What if..

I didn't know that they're the last to release Galazy devices. I don't have any interest in them, so I never really follow the releases. I just know they exclusivity stuff doesn't happen to them. If there's a delay with Galaxy compared to other carriers then it all boils down to testing. I know the iPhone they must release on certain dates due to contracts, though Apple grates on the VZW people quite a bit. I've heard AT&T and others are the same. There's a lot of talk inside Verizon about the end of contracts (VZW expects that contracts may cease by the end of this year due to T-Mobile and now AT&T responding, though I'm sure they'll enforce existing contracts, but I know they're working on a plan similar to the month to month that T-Mobile offers where the price drops when the phone is paid for) and how it will impact Apple. They expect the prices of most phones to come down and Apple to struggle when carriers are no longer subsidizing the high price. When customers must pay the full price and actually SEE the full price, they tend to focus more on the value offered. I've heard speculation from Verizon sales people that they think MS has a distinct advantage once they acquire Nokia's phone business. Samsung, LG, HTC, and Apple are all focused on hardware margins to some extent. They are all hardware makers and that is really their business. Each aims for high margins due to the prices being hidden from consumers. Those margins will drop when subsidies from cell carriers do. Even so, Microsoft has a distinct advantage because their business is more diversified. They have Office, Windows, Enterprise, Azure, etc. While no one expects them to operate the phone business at a loss, they are expected to shoot for lower margins and are able to do so because of their diversity.

So as carrier subsidies disappear, Microsoft may be positioned to offer the best value to consumers that suddenly have to pay for the whole phone. Hypothetical here, but what if the consumer can get a Lumia Icon for $399, and iPhone 5S for $599, a Galaxy S5 for $499, a HTC One for $449? I actually expect those prices to go much lower because the margins are actually crazy high on subsidized phones. What if the Lumia is $299? Again, hypothetical, but the person in the know at VZW suspects that Microsoft may be the first to drop prices on high end phones on unsubsidized deals. They'll have to be careful to not go too far so they don't alienate other OEMs that they do want to make WP devices, but it is certainly expected that ALL of them will undercut Apple by a wide amount. That may greatly disrupt Apple's US marketshare.

Sad thing is they will price it much higher than tmo and make the "discount" for bringing your own phone much less if they do indeed actually go that route. If they really wanted to crush everyone bring back unlimited and they would really crush the other 3 carriers with once again having unlimited data. I like what TMO has caused in the industry and hopefully they do not get bought up so they can keep it up.

Also you have to take into account what motorola and google are doing with the aggressive pricing of their devices (moto g, nexus, moto x) I hope subsidies go away and phone prices will then begin to drop if the carriers no longer subsidize the devices. I just think in many areas, people are clueless and want the subsidy even though without those, the devices would be cheaper.

 

[tgp]

Re: What if..

Also you have to take into account what motorola and google are doing with the aggressive pricing of their devices (moto g, nexus, moto x) I hope subsidies go away and phone prices will then begin to drop if the carriers no longer subsidize the devices. I just think in many areas, people are clueless and want the subsidy even though without those, the devices would be cheaper.

I hope too that subsidies go away completely. They artificially inflate the price of the devices, and make them more expensive for those of us on prepaid that pay full price. Google has something going with their Nexus devices, but so far they have not been high enough volume to create competition in off contract prices. The vast majority of customers are postpaid anyway, and pay subsidized prices for their phones. It'll be interesting to see how Apple will respond to the off contract shift!

 

[Tjarren]

I just would like to see a lower monthly rate for those that buy phones outright. The contract phones are subsidized heavily and compensated through the monthly service amount for the carriers, right? Considering how heavy that subsidy likely is, it's likely that $20+ a month is all to make up for the subsidy and allow them to have some kind of profit. So when we pay full price for a phone, what's the economic benefit for a consumer?

It allows me to keep unlimited data on the most consumer unfriendly network in America, sure, but I'll be paying for a subsidy that I never got. If Verizon would make this change, it would technically give them something to compete with T-Mobile on.

 

[Kieta]

I left T-Mobile for the dropped calls, connection loss and because they don't subsidize phones anymore. I was paying the same amount for one line that I could pay Verizon, granted it was *unlimited versus a 4GB a month plan. But I just don't see the cellphone companies lowering plan cost if they do away with subsidized phones. They will find a way to nickel and dime us until its close to the same amount. And I don't see cellphones dropping in price because they wouldn't be subsidized. T-Mobile phones still cost the same amount off a plan and even more if you decide to pay for it in installments. I don't do accounting for any of them but my belief has always been cellphone companies and cable providers overcharge us to begin with.

*T-Mobiles unlimited is only to a certain amount per month and then they throttle you down.

 

[chinesepiratefood]

I left T-Mobile for the dropped calls, connection loss and because they don't subsidize phones anymore. I was paying the same amount for one line that I could pay Verizon, granted it was *unlimited versus a 4GB a month plan. But I just don't see the cellphone companies lowering plan cost if they do away with subsidized phones. They will find a way to nickel and dime us until its close to the same amount. And I don't see cellphones dropping in price because they wouldn't be subsidized. T-Mobile phones still cost the same amount off a plan and even more if you decide to pay for it in installments. I don't do accounting for any of them but my belief has always been cellphone companies and cable providers overcharge us to begin with.

*T-Mobiles unlimited is only to a certain amount per month and then they throttle you down.

If you buy the phone outright at T-Mobile your monthly bill is cheaper. If not then the price of the phone is slowly paid off per month. If they "subsidized" the phones as you say like the other companies do then the plans would cost the same regardless if you bought the phone in full or not. Ignoring T-Mobile's coverage, their plans options are superior especially if you use a cheaper phone. Using a cheap phone on AT&T/Verizon is the exact same price as using an iphone.

 

[Kieta]

If you buy the phone outright at T-Mobile your monthly bill is cheaper. If not then the price of the phone is slowly paid off per month. If they "subsidized" the phones as you say like the other companies do then the plans would cost the same regardless if you bought the phone in full or not. Ignoring T-Mobile's coverage, their plans options are superior especially if you use a cheaper phone. Using a cheap phone on AT&T/Verizon is the exact same price as using an iphone.

Please define "cheap phone". Because I had a basic phone(non smart phone) as a line on AT&T last year. It was something like $15 a month for unlimited calls/text.

 

[hopmedic]

Please define "cheap phone". Because I had a basic phone(non smart phone) as a line on AT&T last year. It was something like $15 a month for unlimited calls/text.

I think what chinesepiratefood (I'm not sure I'd want to be Chinese pirate food... :wink is saying is that any low-end Android on a plan costs the same as any high-end phone on ATT or Verizon. Comparing a feature phone just isn't a good comparison.

 

[Kieta]

I think what chinesepiratefood (I'm not sure I'd want to be Chinese pirate food... :wink is saying is that any low-end Android on a plan costs the same as any high-end phone on ATT or Verizon. Comparing a feature phone just isn't a good comparison.

So T-Mobile prices data plans according to low-end or high-end smart phones?

 

[Daniel Rubino]

this phone is taking so long to come to market because Verizon wants it to have Windows 8.1?

That could explain why there are accessories and no phone yet. Holding out for the newest software.

Wishful thinking... maybe..

8.1 devices won't go on sale until June (think 6 weeks from Build), last I heard...so, probably not

More likely: Verizon's "rigid" testing process is taking longer than usual.

 

[Indistinguishable]

8.1 devices won't go on sale until June (think 6 weeks from Build), last I heard...so, probably not

More likely: Verizon's "rigid" testing process is taking longer than usual.

Daniel, could you check out this post from Tcman88. You think he's on to something? http://forums.windowscentral.com/nokia-lumia-929-lumia-icon/242754-8.htm#post2311121

 

[UncleGrandpa]

Nokia reported relatively lousy 4th quarter sales, so I doubt Verizon is in any hurry to get any Nokia/WP to market. They are clearly focusing on Android/Apple sales.

 

[thedogscar]

Techradar is claiming Nokia is going to have the first 8.1 phone at MWC. I doubt it is the 929, but might be?

 

[Indistinguishable]

Techradar is claiming Nokia is going to have the first 8.1 phone at MWC. I doubt it is the 929, but might be?

Link to source? If it's true that Nokia is going to roll out their first wp8.1 phone at MWC, it means that Verizon is most likely rolling out a WP8 device (Icon) a couple months before the first wp8.1 device is rolled out on AT&T. It also means we won't see wp8.1 hardware on Verizon for at least 6 months. That's not to say that Verizon wp8's won't get 8.1, but there's no doubt that there will be features that wp8.1 hardware will take advantage of that wp8 hardware will not.

Thanks, Verizon!

 

[thedogscar]

Link to source?

MWC 2014: what to expect | News | TechRadar

 

[IdemanEric]

US carriers seem to be slow for any phone other than iPhones. ATT just released the HTC update pushing it to Jelly Bean 4.2.2. BlackBerry released 10.2 (Android runtime upgraded to 4.2.2) last fall, but US carriers still haven't pushed it out. Even Verizon which carries the Z30 (v10.2) hasn't pushed 10.2 for Z/Q10s. Now BlackBerry is about to launch 10.2.1, no word if the American carriers will release it.

Sent from my BlackBerry Z30 using Tapatalk.

They still make BlackBerry? Just kidding...

Posted via the WPC App for Android!

 

[hopmedic]

They still make BlackBerry? Just kidding...

Yes - just ask the eleven people who have one! :wink:

 

[Daniel Rubino]

Daniel, could you check out this post from Tcman88. You think he's on to something? http://forums.windowscentral.com/nokia-lumia-929-lumia-icon/242754-8.htm#post2311121

Latest I've heard is Icon will be before MWC.

 

[Daniel Rubino]

MWC 2014: what to expect | News | TechRadar

I find it very unlikely Nokia/Microsoft will announce new hardware before detailing the OS in full at Build. I do not expect new WP 8.1 devices before June.

Just look at the past: new flagship devices from Nokia get announced at special, one-off press events, usually in NYC for AT&T first (Abu Dhabi was a change).

Windows Phone 8 was shown in June at a special WP event in SF. No new hardware was announced, not until months later (Lumia 920).

 

[Indistinguishable]

Latest I've heard is Icon will be before MWC.

Before as in... Announcement tomorrow (1/30/2014) with a release date of next Wednesday/Thursday? :winktongue:

 

[Daniel Rubino]

Before as in... Announcement tomorrow (1/30/2014) with a release date of next Wednesday/Thursday? :winktongue:

lol, honestly, yeah, that could happen. That's not being coy, I honestly don't know the release date, just that current plans have it before MWC.