No wonder Windows Phone market share sucks
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With just over a month to go before I get a phone upgrade discount from Verizon, and thinking it's maybe time to try out a smartphone, I stop by the local Verizon store yesterday. Ask to see a Windows phone [wife has an iPhone and can't say I'm impressed]. 1st Verizon rep: "Windows phone?" and off he goes to find somebody more knowledgeable. 2nd Verizon rep: "Not sure we even have one on display." However, he does find one, then spends the next 15 minutes telling me I don't want a Windows phone and trying to sell me on Android. He finally admits he doesn't really know anything about WP7 and leaves me alone. To my frustration, the demo WinPhone was stuck in an endless loop of "updating demo material, resetting, restarting, rinse, repeat," and I was never able to actually try it. Don't know how you can expect to sell a phone in any quantity when the carrier's rep argues against the product. Seems MS ought to be throwing some marketing muscle at the carriers, or big subsidies on the hardware to get the phones into peoples' hands.
Never go to the store to actually make the purchase. Only go if you want to test the phone because those reps have to have a quota on a certain device. Everytime they will steer you to a specific phone (at least in my experience). Sad they can't even bother to get their floor models to work properly though. Horrible salemanship.
------------------------------------- Do not do what has already been done. Absolute power corrupts absolutely.. but it ROCKS absolutely, too.
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Never go to the store to actually make the purchase. Only go if you want to test the phone because those reps have to have a quota on a certain device. Everytime they will steer you to a specific phone (at least in my experience). Sad they can't even bother to get their floor models to work properly though. Horrible salemanship.
------------------------------------- Do not do what has already been done. Absolute power corrupts absolutely.. but it ROCKS absolutely, too.
Doctor Nick wrote:
Never go to the store to actually make the purchase
Wasn't going there to buy, just to sample. Listened to the 15 minute Android pitch because I have an open mind about smartphones. Well, an open mind about non-Apple smartphones. But I just wanted to TRY a WP7 device, following which I was going to TRY an Android device. The anti-WP7 pitch was pretty irritating, especially after he admitted scant knowledge of the platform. I'll wait a week or so and then try again, because I really do want to play with WP7 a bit before making a decision.
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With just over a month to go before I get a phone upgrade discount from Verizon, and thinking it's maybe time to try out a smartphone, I stop by the local Verizon store yesterday. Ask to see a Windows phone [wife has an iPhone and can't say I'm impressed]. 1st Verizon rep: "Windows phone?" and off he goes to find somebody more knowledgeable. 2nd Verizon rep: "Not sure we even have one on display." However, he does find one, then spends the next 15 minutes telling me I don't want a Windows phone and trying to sell me on Android. He finally admits he doesn't really know anything about WP7 and leaves me alone. To my frustration, the demo WinPhone was stuck in an endless loop of "updating demo material, resetting, restarting, rinse, repeat," and I was never able to actually try it. Don't know how you can expect to sell a phone in any quantity when the carrier's rep argues against the product. Seems MS ought to be throwing some marketing muscle at the carriers, or big subsidies on the hardware to get the phones into peoples' hands.
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Doctor Nick wrote:
Never go to the store to actually make the purchase
Wasn't going there to buy, just to sample. Listened to the 15 minute Android pitch because I have an open mind about smartphones. Well, an open mind about non-Apple smartphones. But I just wanted to TRY a WP7 device, following which I was going to TRY an Android device. The anti-WP7 pitch was pretty irritating, especially after he admitted scant knowledge of the platform. I'll wait a week or so and then try again, because I really do want to play with WP7 a bit before making a decision.
Right. What I meant in my post was I suspect it's due to quotas. Didn't mean to ignore the fact you weren't actually shopping at the time :doh:
------------------------------------- Do not do what has already been done. Absolute power corrupts absolutely.. but it ROCKS absolutely, too.
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With just over a month to go before I get a phone upgrade discount from Verizon, and thinking it's maybe time to try out a smartphone, I stop by the local Verizon store yesterday. Ask to see a Windows phone [wife has an iPhone and can't say I'm impressed]. 1st Verizon rep: "Windows phone?" and off he goes to find somebody more knowledgeable. 2nd Verizon rep: "Not sure we even have one on display." However, he does find one, then spends the next 15 minutes telling me I don't want a Windows phone and trying to sell me on Android. He finally admits he doesn't really know anything about WP7 and leaves me alone. To my frustration, the demo WinPhone was stuck in an endless loop of "updating demo material, resetting, restarting, rinse, repeat," and I was never able to actually try it. Don't know how you can expect to sell a phone in any quantity when the carrier's rep argues against the product. Seems MS ought to be throwing some marketing muscle at the carriers, or big subsidies on the hardware to get the phones into peoples' hands.
In my opinion, WP7 is mostly a geeks and developers phone right now. I don't know of any normal people who use those phones. So it's not surprising that the sales guy tried to sell you an iPhone/Android.
Regards, Nish
My technology blog: voidnish.wordpress.com
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Doctor Nick wrote:
Never go to the store to actually make the purchase
Wasn't going there to buy, just to sample. Listened to the 15 minute Android pitch because I have an open mind about smartphones. Well, an open mind about non-Apple smartphones. But I just wanted to TRY a WP7 device, following which I was going to TRY an Android device. The anti-WP7 pitch was pretty irritating, especially after he admitted scant knowledge of the platform. I'll wait a week or so and then try again, because I really do want to play with WP7 a bit before making a decision.
I'm from Brazil, but AFAIK, you'll be pissed off if you want to try Windows Phone at Verizon or Sprint. There are many complaints about how WP7 is treated by these carriers. Their salespeople hate WP7, they'll keep pushing you androids forever. They will even tell you absurds, such as that Windows Phones run Windows OS just like desktops and therefore are full of virus (these are stories I often read at Windows Phone forums). At least it seems that AT&T or T-Mobile shows some respect for the platform.
There's no free lunch. Let's wait for the dinner. Take a look at Windows Phone Labyrinth here in The Code Project.
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I'm from Brazil, but AFAIK, you'll be pissed off if you want to try Windows Phone at Verizon or Sprint. There are many complaints about how WP7 is treated by these carriers. Their salespeople hate WP7, they'll keep pushing you androids forever. They will even tell you absurds, such as that Windows Phones run Windows OS just like desktops and therefore are full of virus (these are stories I often read at Windows Phone forums). At least it seems that AT&T or T-Mobile shows some respect for the platform.
There's no free lunch. Let's wait for the dinner. Take a look at Windows Phone Labyrinth here in The Code Project.
Just tell them you are a programmer and they usually leave you alone - sales guys I mean.
Regards, Nish
My technology blog: voidnish.wordpress.com
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Just tell them you are a programmer and they usually leave you alone - sales guys I mean.
Regards, Nish
My technology blog: voidnish.wordpress.com
:laugh:
There's no free lunch. Let's wait for the dinner. Take a look at Windows Phone Labyrinth here in The Code Project.
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In my opinion, WP7 is mostly a geeks and developers phone right now. I don't know of any normal people who use those phones. So it's not surprising that the sales guy tried to sell you an iPhone/Android.
Regards, Nish
My technology blog: voidnish.wordpress.com
Nish Sivakumar wrote:
geeks and developers ... I don't know of any normal people ...
Luc Pattyn [My Articles] Nil Volentibus Arduum
Fed up by FireFox memory leaks I switched to Opera and now CP doesn't perform its paste magic, so links will not be offered. Sorry.
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Nish Sivakumar wrote:
geeks and developers ... I don't know of any normal people ...
Luc Pattyn [My Articles] Nil Volentibus Arduum
Fed up by FireFox memory leaks I switched to Opera and now CP doesn't perform its paste magic, so links will not be offered. Sorry.
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With just over a month to go before I get a phone upgrade discount from Verizon, and thinking it's maybe time to try out a smartphone, I stop by the local Verizon store yesterday. Ask to see a Windows phone [wife has an iPhone and can't say I'm impressed]. 1st Verizon rep: "Windows phone?" and off he goes to find somebody more knowledgeable. 2nd Verizon rep: "Not sure we even have one on display." However, he does find one, then spends the next 15 minutes telling me I don't want a Windows phone and trying to sell me on Android. He finally admits he doesn't really know anything about WP7 and leaves me alone. To my frustration, the demo WinPhone was stuck in an endless loop of "updating demo material, resetting, restarting, rinse, repeat," and I was never able to actually try it. Don't know how you can expect to sell a phone in any quantity when the carrier's rep argues against the product. Seems MS ought to be throwing some marketing muscle at the carriers, or big subsidies on the hardware to get the phones into peoples' hands.
OTOH if a phone salesman wants you to not buy something, it's usually something good.
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| FoldWithUs! | sighist | WhoIncludes - Analyzing C++ include file hierarchy -
With just over a month to go before I get a phone upgrade discount from Verizon, and thinking it's maybe time to try out a smartphone, I stop by the local Verizon store yesterday. Ask to see a Windows phone [wife has an iPhone and can't say I'm impressed]. 1st Verizon rep: "Windows phone?" and off he goes to find somebody more knowledgeable. 2nd Verizon rep: "Not sure we even have one on display." However, he does find one, then spends the next 15 minutes telling me I don't want a Windows phone and trying to sell me on Android. He finally admits he doesn't really know anything about WP7 and leaves me alone. To my frustration, the demo WinPhone was stuck in an endless loop of "updating demo material, resetting, restarting, rinse, repeat," and I was never able to actually try it. Don't know how you can expect to sell a phone in any quantity when the carrier's rep argues against the product. Seems MS ought to be throwing some marketing muscle at the carriers, or big subsidies on the hardware to get the phones into peoples' hands.
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A quick search of the Verizon site shows only one phone (HTC Trophy) for WP7. Not sure if it's MS, the handset manufacturers or Verizon. But that is truly sad.
Probably VZW. After the MS Kin fiasco Big Red's had a major hateon for all phones Redmond.
Did you ever see history portrayed as an old man with a wise brow and pulseless heart, waging all things in the balance of reason? Is not rather the genius of history like an eternal, imploring maiden, full of fire, with a burning heart and flaming soul, humanly warm and humanly beautiful? --Zachris Topelius Training a telescope on one’s own belly button will only reveal lint. You like that? You go right on staring at it. I prefer looking at galaxies. -- Sarah Hoyt
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With just over a month to go before I get a phone upgrade discount from Verizon, and thinking it's maybe time to try out a smartphone, I stop by the local Verizon store yesterday. Ask to see a Windows phone [wife has an iPhone and can't say I'm impressed]. 1st Verizon rep: "Windows phone?" and off he goes to find somebody more knowledgeable. 2nd Verizon rep: "Not sure we even have one on display." However, he does find one, then spends the next 15 minutes telling me I don't want a Windows phone and trying to sell me on Android. He finally admits he doesn't really know anything about WP7 and leaves me alone. To my frustration, the demo WinPhone was stuck in an endless loop of "updating demo material, resetting, restarting, rinse, repeat," and I was never able to actually try it. Don't know how you can expect to sell a phone in any quantity when the carrier's rep argues against the product. Seems MS ought to be throwing some marketing muscle at the carriers, or big subsidies on the hardware to get the phones into peoples' hands.
I agree that they need to be doing something to get the carriers to push the platform. It's a great OS, but unless you get the chance to see it in action, you won't know that.
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In my opinion, WP7 is mostly a geeks and developers phone right now. I don't know of any normal people who use those phones. So it's not surprising that the sales guy tried to sell you an iPhone/Android.
Regards, Nish
My technology blog: voidnish.wordpress.com
Well, one of my sons, my daughter, her husband, and my sister-in-law all have Windows phones. But they're all connected to me (not literally, of course), so perhaps they don't count. :-D
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Worse than that is the developer program. You have to pay them $99 per year to "unlock" your phone in order to test your apps on it (vs. using the emulator). To me the message is "we don't care about developers".
QRZ? de WAØTTN
But you can get the development environment for free and it runs on a computer you probably already own.
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Well, one of my sons, my daughter, her husband, and my sister-in-law all have Windows phones. But they're all connected to me (not literally, of course), so perhaps they don't count. :-D
Marc A. Brown wrote:
so perhaps they don't count. :-D
No, they don't. They are nerdy by biological association or through marriage. :-D
Regards, Nish
My technology blog: voidnish.wordpress.com
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I agree that they need to be doing something to get the carriers to push the platform. It's a great OS, but unless you get the chance to see it in action, you won't know that.
Marc A. Brown wrote:
they need to be doing something
Interestingly, just this morning I read that MS will be paying Nokia $240US/phone, thereby enabling the carriers to offer phones with higher-end hardware specs at bargain basement prices. The article suggested that the Lumia 900 will debut at AT&T for $99. No word on when a Verizon version of the NOK phone(s) would appear. While price is a key component of the equation, there is no buzz among consumers and certainly no push from the Verizon reps I encountered. Without some consumer buzz or some carrier push, or both, I fear the brand will languish. I already got caught in the Zune player discontinuation fiasco when that offering languished - don't want a repeat on the phone front
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Marc A. Brown wrote:
so perhaps they don't count. :-D
No, they don't. They are nerdy by biological association or through marriage. :-D
Regards, Nish
My technology blog: voidnish.wordpress.com
All through marriage, technically (the kids are stepchildren). Poor people, absorbing my geekiness through association. But they're all very happy with their phones, so I guess it's not all bad. :-D
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All through marriage, technically (the kids are stepchildren). Poor people, absorbing my geekiness through association. But they're all very happy with their phones, so I guess it's not all bad. :-D
Marc A. Brown wrote:
But they're all very happy with their phones, so I guess it's not all bad. :-D
Goes without saying - Metro for the win! :cool:
Regards, Nish
My technology blog: voidnish.wordpress.com
