NOK to MSFT: We really need to get all major carriers at WP8 launch.
MSFT to NOK: Agree! Let’s make it happen.
NOK to VZW: Do the 920 for launch!
VZW to NOK: Well, ok. Maybe.
MSFT to VZW: Do WP8!
VZW to MSFT: One word: Kin.
MSFT to NOK: Hey, Elop, beg them please!
NOK to MSFT: Ok, working on it…
Meanwhile.
MSFT/NOK to ATT: Do the 920 at launch.
ATT: Sure. We’re in. Let’s do it. But we can’t spend much on marketing.
MSFT/NOK to ATT: What would it take for you to spend more?
ATT: How about an exclusive?
MSFT/NOK to ATT: Can’t really do that. Need to support all carriers. What else?
Meanwhile…
NOK to MSFT: VZW is dragging their feet. I think they hate you.
MSFT to NOK: Yea, they’ve always hated us. Fuck.
NOK to MSFT: Maybe we should give ATT a 3 month exclusive. It’s clear VZW is not committed. Better to have one committed carrier than two who aren’t really committed.
MSFT: Agree. Let’s do that.
Meanwhile…
Clever, but I’m not sure it makes any sense seeing as HTC is launching on Verizon. So the Kin jab doesn’t fit at all.
Just watch and see how committed VZW is to WP8. Read my “Canary” post and do your own test in early November. My bet is VZW does a half-assed job and ATT does an “ok” job.
And the HTC models look pretty decent. Sure beats the Trophy. Maybe I can finally s_can my Moto flip-phone…well, donate it somewhere.
And the Kin failure was Verizon’s fault. The monthly plan prices were too expensive (smartphone prices for a phone that was aimed at teenagers, makes no sense)
Bull. Shit.
Kin was the wrong product for the wrong market. It was a product of MS hubris.
The team building Kin did some amazing work. But the concept (and business) was ill-conceived. It was also late and missing core, critical, and promised features.
MS is not solely at fault, VZW shares some blame, but at the end of the day VZW felt screwed, and that’s all that matters.
It’s sorta humorous in this imagined conversation, but does the Kin really have anything to do with anything? I’d view VZW’s reluctance as simply a function as not wanting to divert attention from high profile iPhones or high profit androids
The point I’m trying to emphasize is that VZW (in general) is hard to work with and MS has a spectacularly bad history with VZW. They did a half-assed job of support WP7 and other some specious words promising support of WP8 and a weak device selection with the HTC phones, I don’t see any evidence this has changed.
I’d be happy to be wrong about this. Both my kids are on WP7 on VZW. I want to be able to get them nice WP8 devices next year when their contracts are up.
Glad you added that last part. Because it was starting to look like you were rooting for failure.
Probably more like VZW to NOK: we’ve invested a lot in the Droid brand and we’re not about to undermine that by offering a superior product running another OS. We’ll take your mid-range offering, though.
Charlie, Many pundits are saying the 920 AT&T exclusive is a serious tactical mistake by Nokia – “those days are over”, but the play makes some sense if VZW will not push WP8 and ATT will do something – but it seems even MSFT is hedging with WP8 and have put their weight behind HTC. Are msft unhappy with Nokia’s execution, is it a warning shot perhaps they want to bring HTC back home – they’re not making money on Android maybe c) a bit of both ? Nokia’s execution is just crap , I can’t understand why Jo Harlow wasn’t booted out already and the lumia 920 non-launch was a joke. The hardware is great, the OS is great but I still think your blog post a while back regarding the salespeople in the stores is on the money. Msft have to play the long game on WP , just like they did with XBox. Rome wasn’t built in a day 😉
What’s your take ?
Cheers
Chris
I’m biased as a longtime customer, but without a flagship phone, T-Mobile USA continues to hemorrhage cash and market share. I wish they could have inked the exclusive on the 920, which would attract attention from folks that might not otherwise consider T-Mobile. Their HTC One S and the Galaxy S3 are nice Android handset, and the HTC 8S Windows Phone is rumored to be coming to T-Mobile, but I just wish they would try to stand out as they did as the exclusive G1 launch carrier.