Even Microsoft Stores selling out of Windows Phone 8 handsets

[George P Global Moderator]

Ben Rudolph has tweeted this picture, taken at the Bellevue Microsoft Store, earlier today, indicating that the store has run out of both the Nokia Lumia 920 and the HTC 8X.

Twitter is also full of potential buyers hunting from store to store trying to find a Nokia Lumia 920 in particular, which seems to be the one that is in shortest supply.

http://wmpoweruser.com/even-microsoft-stores-selling-out-of-windows-phone-8-handsets/

[UseLess]

I can understand this - I think the L920 looks like the 'perfect' phone for ME. I want solid design, only glass at the front (id actually prefer the samsung plastic screen). Good res, moderate screen size, LTE.

The only issue i may have is with WP8 - i haven't checked out the details of it, and I just hope they've made it 'business ready'... and that they've got it up to par with a few features other OS' have (because, face it, its missing a few things other OS' has - while it does also have features they don't have, which i love)

Oh...and that I can get this lovely phone in Aust for a reasonable price!! (USA price + shipping to be specific)

Edit: The 8X doesn't have LTE in Aust I don't think =(

[theyarecomingforyou]

The Lumia 920 looks like a great phone but it's way too expensive and the non-removable battery really hurts it, especially given most reviews say it lasts less than a day during normal usage. If it's selling out it's not because it's selling more than the iPhone 5 or the Galaxy S3 - it's because there weren't as many available to start with.

[YouSuck]

Awesome. I love my 920 :)

[singularity87]

I would expect them to be among the first places to sell out, even given the additional stock, simply because people will think of Microsoft stores first to buy them from.

[123456789A]

The Lumia 920 looks like a great phone but it's way too expensive and the non-removable battery really hurts it, especially given most reviews say it lasts less than a day during normal usage. If it's selling out it's not because it's selling more than the iPhone 5 or the Galaxy S3 - it's because there weren't as many available to start with.

How much are they selling the 920 for where you live? Over here it's one of the less expensive phones, especially when considering all the specs.

[theyarecomingforyou]

How much are they selling the 920 for where you live? Over here it's one of the less expensive phones, especially when considering all the specs.

To get it on 4G it's ?36 / $57 a month with a 24-month contract, while the handset costs ?130 / $206 - the basic plan has unlimited calls and texts but only 500MB of data. That means it costs ?994 / $1578 in total, with a data package that is simply too small for a 4G phone. Oh, and the nearest 4G area from me is over 170 miles away. For the 8GB package it would cost ?1364 / $2165.

It's only slightly cheaper than the iPhone 5 (the only difference is the cost of the handset). My contract isn't up for renewal until next June so it's too far away for me to be thinking about what to get, though the Lumia 920 is certainly one of my favourites at the moment - I'm just really annoyed that the battery isn't changeable and that it's so expensive for what it is.

[Noir Angel]

How much are they selling the 920 for where you live? Over here it's one of the less expensive phones, especially when considering all the specs.

In the UK it's currently as expensive to buy sim free as the Galaxy S3, and more on contract.

[subcld]

the good thing is not only L920 sold out but also 8x :)

i wonder how many units was in the store

[123456789A]

To get it on 4G it's ?36 / $57 a month with a 24-month contract, while the handset costs ?130 / $206 - the basic plan has unlimited calls and texts but only 500MB of data. That means it costs ?994 / $1578 in total, with a data package that is simply too small for a 4G phone. Oh, and the nearest 4G area from me is over 170 miles away. For the 8GB package it would cost ?1364 / $2165.

It's only slightly cheaper than the iPhone 5 (the only difference is the cost of the handset). My contract isn't up for renewal until next June so it's too far away for me to be thinking about what to get, though the Lumia 920 is certainly one of my favourites at the moment - I'm just really annoyed that the battery isn't changeable and that it's so expensive for what it is.

I guess I'm used to paying too much for my phone service. I pay $89 a month for "unlimited" service. I wish they would reduce my monthly rate if I bought the phone "off contract" for $449.

[HawkMan]

The Lumia 920 looks like a great phone but it's way too expensive and the non-removable battery really hurts it, especially given most reviews say it lasts less than a day during normal usage. If it's selling out it's not because it's selling more than the iPhone 5 or the Galaxy S3 - it's because there weren't as many available to start with.

Huh, all the reviews I've seen say it lasts well over a day with heavy review usage.

In the UK it's currently as expensive to buy sim free as the Galaxy S3, and more on contract.

It should be more expensive just because it doesn't have a terrible Samsung smiled screen that tints blue/green if viewed at a slight angle :p

[firey]

I guess I'm used to paying too much for my phone service. I pay $89 a month for "unlimited" service. I wish they would reduce my monthly rate if I bought the phone "off contract" for $449.

I pay 74$/month (before taxes, comes out to 85$ or so after), on a 3 year contract with my Atrix (cost me 75$ when I got it, was on a promo + counted as new contract, would have been ~600$ to buy outright)

200 minutes

Fab 10 (Unlimited Talk / Long Distance with any 10 numbers)

Unlimited Text Messaging

Unlimited Picture/Video Messaging

1GB Data

Standard Long Distance Fees

Caller Display

Voice Mail

Still over the course of 36 months, I'll have paid ~3100$

[theyarecomingforyou]

Huh, all the reviews I've seen say it lasts well over a day with heavy review usage.

Well, given that it only has a 2000mAh battery that seems remarkably unlikely. TechRadar said "with careful usage you will be able to get a whole day's use out of the Nokia Lumia 920, but if you actually want to use you brand new phone for more than just a couple of calls and few texts you'll need to watch the battery". CNET said "it certainly won't last an entire working day".

Those reviews were from major sites, so it's not like I'm just trying to dig up dirt on the phone. Virtually every review I've seen has complained about the battery life. Some reckon that it can last over a day, with others adamant that it can't.

[jakem1]

Here's what WPCentral had to say about the phone's battery:

Battery life on the phone is decent. It won?t set any records nor will it send you running for a charger every few hours. The Snapdragon S4 is said to be very nimble with the battery (here at 2000 mAh) and so far from our experience this is accurate. After 8 hours of heavy usage?a few phone calls, lots of photos, 30 minutes of a gaming, push services?we?re at 54% with a whopping 18 hours of estimated battery left. In short, no complaints and we think Nokia got the right balance here.

I'd trust TechRadar but I certainly wouldn't trust anything that CNet has to say.

[HawkMan]

Well, given that it only has a 2000mAh battery that seems remarkably unlikely. TechRadar said "with careful usage you will be able to get a whole day's use out of the Nokia Lumia 920, but if you actually want to use you brand new phone for more than just a couple of calls and few texts you'll need to watch the battery". CNET said "it certainly won't last an entire working day".

Those reviews were from major sites, so it's not like I'm just trying to dig up dirt on the phone. Virtually every review I've seen has complained about the battery life. Some reckon that it can last over a day, with others adamant that it can't.

Well it doesn't match up with what other reviewer have said. also I don't find it remarkably unlikely at all, but then I'm used to the remarkable ability of WP to save on battery, whereas my current android will eat battery even if I don't use it, and if I try to use a GPS app or play a game... then it's gone in a second.

Even the best battery saver apps for Android don't match what's built into WP, and at best only badly mimic WP's ability to do sensible stuff like turn off radios that aren't necessary whent he screen is on, only turning on 3G and WiFi intermittently to check mails or other stuff. the problem with android is that such a battery savign feature isn't built into the core OS, which means even IF a third party tool could add a feature like this, the apps wouldn't know about it and either wouldn't find the necessary radio's off, or they would constantly make the battery saver app turn them on. instead of the OS turning it on for a quick "check updates" round, and informing all the apps that "hey, it's time to check for updates".

even so the reviewer use the phones heavily and the off screen battery saving doesn't even factor in to the battery time on the 920. and 54% left after 8 hours of heavy usage seems like more than enough for a day and a half of usage to me. something I don't see many Android phones able to do, maybe except the Razr MAXX, and that's not because it's so energy efficient ;)

[ndoggfromhell]

Confirmed that neither are in stock at my local Sprint store... cause Sprint seems to not want to support freedom of choice and they lack any Windows phone offering.

[Growled Member]

I hope Windows 8 phones sell well. Competition is a wonderful thing.

[George P Global Moderator]

If the marketing holds up the way MS makes it sound and the sales reps in the stores don't try to make you buy something else when you even ask for a WP8 device then it should sell well.

[theyarecomingforyou]

Well it doesn't match up with what other reviewer have said. also I don't find it remarkably unlikely at all, but then I'm used to the remarkable ability of WP to save on battery, whereas my current android will eat battery even if I don't use it, and if I try to use a GPS app or play a game... then it's gone in a second.

I was only pointing out the reviews, which nearly all mention that it has poor battery life. Even the most favourable reviews only puts the battery life at little more than a day, which is pretty terrible for a phone without a changeable battery. Even accepting that WP is better with battery life than Android - which I'm not challenging - we're still talking about matters of degrees rather than factors. Lasting around a day is still bad by any objective measure. It means you have to moderate your usage and be looking to recharge it whenever possible. Most of the positive reviews that you mention base their praise upon the specs rather than real world usage - on paper it's a reasonable battery but lasting at best a little more than a day is poor.

Don't get me wrong, I think it looks like one of the best phones on the market but the lack of a replaceable battery and its weight give me cause for concern. It wouldn't be as much of an issue if I could simply carry an extra battery or two around to be safe, which I do with my current phone. Sometimes I like to play games while I'm out and about and carrying an extra battery allows me the flexibility to do that - with the Nokia Lumia 920, Apple iPhone 5 or the HTC One X you can't do that because of their non-changeable batteries.

The Lumia 920 ticks most of the boxes and the wireless charging facility is brilliant but by the time my contract expires in about 6 months I'm sure they'll be something better on the market.

[HawkMan]

Very few phones today have a changeable battery. And even the ones that do, people don't carry two batteries to make the phone last longer.

[Kalint]

Okay you guys gotta STOP BUYING 920S SO I CAN GET ONE!

Selfish!