Do you think Windows Phone 8 will be Microsoft hit phone?

[ACTIONpack]

there been a lot of press for Windows Phone 8 and now with Nokia Lumia 920 coming out. Do you think Windows Phone 8 be Microsoft hit phone?

[greenwizard88]

Ask anyone who has a Windows Phone 7, and they'll tell you it's already the best OS you can get.

[Arpit]

definitely hope so. those who'll like it will like it a lot. if microsoft plays its cards well, then they can expand into the enterprise market and muscle out RIM easily. if they can extend the product's life cycle by optimizing the software even for older phones, they'll have a bigger hit. just hope they don't pull "windows 7.8" crap again in the future.

i'm less sure about the success/popularity of windows 8

[bjoswald]

Personally, I think it's too early to tell. However, I'm sure if you ask one of the ten people who use WP7, they'll tell you it's the best there is.

[AJerman]

There's really not much more press than there was for WP7, and you see how that went. To be honest, I'm a big Android fan myself, but with WP8, I'd most definitely suggest Windows Phone over iPhone now to people who want something simple that just works. We'll see how it goes. I don't think WP8 is capable of unseating iPhone from the throne, and that's it's main competition. Too many blind followers of the iPhone to pay attention to something new.

[kevpan815]

It very well may be so, considering the fact that Apple's Foxconn Plant Shut Down Today due to Rioting leaving the IPhone 5 Future Uncertin!

[123456789A]

It's Lumia 920 time!

[aviator189]

it's definitely an excellent os. it just needs buyers. it's got some, but needs more. that's the only issue.

[tsupersonic]

The problem with Windows Phone is there is just NO (or very little) product advertisement. If they could put an ad for WP8 devices like the stupid IE9 ad I see, then maybe people would know that it even exists. As an Android user, I have high hopes for this platform. I loved WP7, the UI is amazing, very fluid, and Office/Xbox/Microsoft integration were superb. This platform has so much potential yet and I think it is the most under-rated mobile OS on the market right now.

[firey]

don't think so personally. I mean, it's still WP just a new version of it. It all depends on the hardware when it comes to phones. People don't buy new iDevices for the new iOS, they buy it for the new hardware. Same as with android it's for the new features the hardware has, not necessarily the OS.

I personally will never use a WP Device, not because it's windows, but because of the interface. Tiles aren't for me, and that really affects my decision. My next device will almost certainly be an Android device (I have one now), purely because I can make it look, behave, and run exactly as I want it. I can have whatever style interface I want (launchers), I can use it exactly as I want, and I am not stuck.

So, as I mentioned above.. I don't think the WP8 OS will make any major change to the WP shares.

[AJerman]

don't think so personally. I mean, it's still WP just a new version of it. It all depends on the hardware when it comes to phones. People don't buy new iDevices for the new iOS, they buy it for the new hardware. Same as with android it's for the new features the hardware has, not necessarily the OS.

I personally will never use a WP Device, not because it's windows, but because of the interface. Tiles aren't for me, and that really affects my decision. My next device will almost certainly be an Android device (I have one now), purely because I can make it look, behave, and run exactly as I want it. I can have whatever style interface I want (launchers), I can use it exactly as I want, and I am not stuck.

So, as I mentioned above.. I don't think the WP8 OS will make any major change to the WP shares.

What??

"People don't buy new iDevices for the new iOS, they buy it for the new hardware. Same as with android it's for the new features the hardware has, not necessarily the OS."

Which you followed up saying you don't want WP because of the OS, and you want Android, because of the OS. Hardware is definitely not what sells the iPhone, it's absolutely the OS. If hardware were the reason people bought iPhones, then people wouldn't buy iPhones since the iPhone hardware is far inferior to the alternatives.

Unless you mean the design, which I'd still have to disagree, because while the iPhone hardware is very sleek, most people I know would prefer to see changes. The single button approach is awful compared to having menu and back buttons, most people aren't happy with how small the screen is, though the iPhone 5 may hold off those complaints for a little while, but it's still going to look tiny next to everyone else's phones. These are opinions I hear echoed by a lot of iPhone users.

The unknown of the Windows Phone OS is exactly what's keeping it's sales small. Everyone has either Android or iPhone, so unless Microsoft can turn the tech community onto Windows Phone, don't expect to see the general population follow along. People need to see someone else have something and say "Whoa, that's cool, I want one" before they buy it.

[tsupersonic]

What??

"People don't buy new iDevices for the new iOS, they buy it for the new hardware. Same as with android it's for the new features the hardware has, not necessarily the OS."

Which you followed up saying you don't want WP because of the OS, and you want Android, because of the OS. Hardware is definitely not what sells the iPhone, it's absolutely the OS. If hardware were the reason people bought iPhones, then people wouldn't buy iPhones since the iPhone hardware is far inferior to the alternatives.

Well firey and Ajerman...Existing WP devices can't upgrade to WP8. WP8 brings in a plethora of new devices with new software AND hardware features. You can't upgrade hardware through a software upgrade :p You're getting NFC, more CPU/screen resolution support in WP8, plus more. So, the hardware and software have to sell for WP8 to be successful.

[AJerman]

Well firey and Ajerman...Existing WP devices can't upgrade to WP8. WP8 brings in a plethora of new devices with new software AND hardware features. You can't upgrade hardware through a software upgrade :p You're getting NFC, more CPU/screen resolution support in WP8, plus more. So, the hardware and software have to sell for WP8 to be successful.

True, I didn't mean to make it sound like hardware has nothing to do with it, but 80-90% of the population doesn't have a clue what most of that means. That's just stuff for us techies, and for us to teach the general population to achieve that "Whoa, that's cool" effect. I used Android Beam the other day to show someone how to share a picture, now they love that feature. Previously they had no clue what NFC was or that their phone had it. That's the only reason I say that hardware is less important to most than the OS.

[firey]

What??

Let me Explain...

"People don't buy new iDevices for the new iOS, they buy it for the new hardware. Same as with android it's for the new features the hardware has, not necessarily the OS."

Which you followed up saying you don't want WP because of the OS, and you want Android, because of the OS. Hardware is definitely not what sells the iPhone, it's absolutely the OS. If hardware were the reason people bought iPhones, then people wouldn't buy iPhones since the iPhone hardware is far inferior to the alternatives.

That is correct, but what I am saying is that going from Version 1 to 2 or 2 to 3 isn't going to make people jump all over the device. People aren't buying the new iPhone because it's iOS6, no it's because its an apple device. I should have been clearer in my statement, but it's based around a new version won't make things better necessarily. While the OS has a role, it's versions aren't what make the difference (which is what I was stating based on the WP7 wasn't so good, so WP8 (the next version of WP) isn't going to make a huge impact/about face in and of the WP market.

Unless you mean the design, which I'd still have to disagree, because while the iPhone hardware is very sleek, most people I know would prefer to see changes. The single button approach is awful compared to having menu and back buttons, most people aren't happy with how small the screen is, though the iPhone 5 may hold off those complaints for a little while, but it's still going to look tiny next to everyone else's phones. These are opinions I hear echoed by a lot of iPhone users.

While you are correct, that didn't stop 5 million iPhones from being sold in a weekend at launch. It doesn't stop iPhone 4, 4s, etc from selling like hot cakes on ebay and various other sources. People are buying the hardware and the brand name, not the OS that comes with the device.

The unknown of the Windows Phone OS is exactly what's keeping it's sales small. Everyone has either Android or iPhone, so unless Microsoft can turn the tech community onto Windows Phone, don't expect to see the general population follow along. People need to see someone else have something and say "Whoa, that's cool, I want one" before they buy it.

I've seen people with WP7, and the only thing I think is wow, the gui sucks, which I am sure plenty of other people think too. While I agree in some ways it's an unknown, a new version of the software won't make a whole lot of difference in and of it's own, people have to want to try it, and honestly.. even if they win techies over it won't mean that non-techies will start wanting it.

Maybe that clarifies what I was saying a little bit.

[efjay]

No. ios and android are too entrenched, its like trying to get Windows out of the enterprise, never going to happen. WP8 and beyond will be in the market but wont be more than a niche, 7% marketshare tops. The rest will be shared between the 2 current leaders. And before anyone jumps in and says MS has cash, are willing to wait, etc, that doesnt apply here. They will have to produce an absolutely jaw-dropping OS to make those millions of ios and android users to switch, and that is definitely not going to happen.

[ajua]

The problem with Windows Phone adoption is that advertising is nowhere near the other platforms. Word of mouth, which largely depends on early adopters of new phones, doesn't have much traction, even to this day.

If carriers and OEM commit to advertise it heavily, it could succedd and regular/casual users will spread the experience to their family and friends. Once that happens in most countries, chances are people jump ship from Android or iPhone to WP.

The hardware is being made to compete toe to toe with Android phones and the iPhone. In some cases, the design and features are better.

The OS is superior to iOS in almost everything, except in its ecosystem (It can get there eventually) and the main rival IMHO it's Android.

With Jelly Bean, Android has matured enough to offer unique features and good performance (still not as smooth as WP or iOS, but very close). This is the main rival for WP.

[AJerman]

Let me Explain...

That is correct, but what I am saying is that going from Version 1 to 2 or 2 to 3 isn't going to make people jump all over the device. People aren't buying the new iPhone because it's iOS6, no it's because its an apple device. I should have been clearer in my statement, but it's based around a new version won't make things better necessarily. While the OS has a role, it's versions aren't what make the difference (which is what I was stating based on the WP7 wasn't so good, so WP8 (the next version of WP) isn't going to make a huge impact/about face in and of the WP market.

While you are correct, that didn't stop 5 million iPhones from being sold in a weekend at launch. It doesn't stop iPhone 4, 4s, etc from selling like hot cakes on ebay and various other sources. People are buying the hardware and the brand name, not the OS that comes with the device.

I've seen people with WP7, and the only thing I think is wow, the gui sucks, which I am sure plenty of other people think too. While I agree in some ways it's an unknown, a new version of the software won't make a whole lot of difference in and of it's own, people have to want to try it, and honestly.. even if they win techies over it won't mean that non-techies will start wanting it.

Maybe that clarifies what I was saying a little bit.

No, I do understand what you're saying, and it makes sense to an extent, but largely I disagree. People don't buy the new iPhone for iOS 6, but I don't think they buy it for the hardware either, because there isn't much changed. They buy it because Apple came out with something new and they HAVE to be the first one to have it. iSheep we call them. From my own experience, most of the general population with Android phones don't upgrade nearly as much as iPhone users do because Android doesn't have that same effect. They just upgrade when their old phone is broken or so out of date it's useless.

As far as switching to a new platform, like switching to Windows Phone, the OS has everything to do with choosing Windows Phone as their next phone versus sticking with their iPhone or their Android. Like you said, it's an unknown, it's a new user interface, all of this scares off potential buyers. The hardware can be ten times better than anything else, and they won't want it because it's Windows Phone, not iPhone.

I feel like the tech community decides the fate of the general population's tech purchases quite a bit. The tech community all jumped on iPhone when it first came out, because it was pretty much the latest and greatest. Once Android came out and started to surpass the iPhone, a lot of the tech community moved over to there, and shortly after the market started shifting. Very few tech people I know own a Windows Phone, but the tech people are the ones who WOULD buy something because it's better, even if it's a new OS. People don't have friends that have Windows Phone, so they aren't exposed to it, don't have people to show it off to them, don't have people to ask questions about it, etc. I feel like this is a huge reason for market adoption. Until they can convince the people who do the convincing of their friends that Windows Phone is the best, they're going to have trouble gaining a lot of traction.

[firey]

No, I do understand what you're saying, and it makes sense to an extent, but largely I disagree. People don't buy the new iPhone for iOS 6, but I don't think they buy it for the hardware either, because there isn't much changed. They buy it because Apple came out with something new and they HAVE to be the first one to have it. iSheep we call them. From my own experience, most of the general population with Android phones don't upgrade nearly as much as iPhone users do because Android doesn't have that same effect. They just upgrade when their old phone is broken or so out of date it's useless.

I agree with that, which most of that is back with what I am saying that it's not the OS that makes it. As you said, people buy iDevices because Apple says it's amazing and magical. With Android the OS is cool and all, but people run out the life of their phones and don't just dump the minute their phone isn't on the latest Android. Which to me says it's hardware related (contract expires/phone becomes too slow/worked in).

As far as switching to a new platform, like switching to Windows Phone, the OS has everything to do with choosing Windows Phone as their next phone versus sticking with their iPhone or their Android. Like you said, it's an unknown, it's a new user interface, all of this scares off potential buyers. The hardware can be ten times better than anything else, and they won't want it because it's Windows Phone, not iPhone.

That's true, I'll give you that, however.. if the only WP phones are made by a crap company and that company has a bad reputation, people will avoid it. Apple is known to make good quality products, outdated or not they have high build quality, and I think that does have an affect on the sale of it.

I feel like the tech community decides the fate of the general population's tech purchases quite a bit. The tech community all jumped on iPhone when it first came out, because it was pretty much the latest and greatest. Once Android came out and started to surpass the iPhone, a lot of the tech community moved over to there, and shortly after the market started shifting. Very few tech people I know own a Windows Phone, but the tech people are the ones who WOULD buy something because it's better, even if it's a new OS. People don't have friends that have Windows Phone, so they aren't exposed to it, don't have people to show it off to them, don't have people to ask questions about it, etc. I feel like this is a huge reason for market adoption. Until they can convince the people who do the convincing of their friends that Windows Phone is the best, they're going to have trouble gaining a lot of traction.

I can see where you are going, and yes in some cases that's true, but at the same time even non-techies like to make up their own mind, and I don't know how many people bought blackberries just because of the fact their friends had them (who's parents had them).

I think in our discussion we have proven it's not just software and not just hardware, it's both that will shape it.. so going back to the OT WP8 alone won't make a change per-se but if the right hardware and the OS is up-to-par or better than the current competition it may make some headway.. otherwise.. nope.

[The King of GnG]

Windows Phone 8 will be the just heir to the Windows Phone 7 kingdom. A desert kingdom...

[Rudy]

Windows Phone 8 will be the just heir to the Windows Phone 7 kingdom. A desert kingdom...

this

[Growled Member]

I can see a case being made for Windows Phone 8 being a hit in a few years. I don't see it being a hit out of the gate but if Microsoft will be patient and give people the time to adjust to Windows 8 on their computer and on their tablets, that will bleed over to the phone sales eventually.

[ACTIONpack]

Advisement and Phone sales reps will push the platform. What Apple and Google do is give money to each sales rep to tell them to buy which phone. Microsoft doesn't do that or not as much money for each sale. If they give the same money ask Apple and Google and better phones than Microsoft will do so much better. T-Mobile only have 2 phones HTC Radar and Nokia Lumia 710. Both phones are on the low end. HTC HD7 is discontinue.