Microsoft's Letter Reminding us Why Windows Mobile is Awesome

Some info not in the letter - WM has shipped 4.3 million in Q1, much more than Apple's 1.7 million, and that the increase in WM sales YoY for Q1 was 1.9 million (80% growth YoY) which was more than Apple shipped in total.

Most of the blogosphere in USA has counted Windows Mobile out, and unfortunately these things become self-fulfilling prophesies. MS needs to do a lot more to show people that WM is not just still around, but actually thriving.

Surur

Microsoft has been woefully slow and clumsy in updating Windows Mobile. They've insisted on staying with the sill start menu and have done a terrible job at one handed operation. Voice Command is great but isn't fully usable with Bluetooth. The litany of woes and shortcoming is long and Microsoft has been terrible in addressing them or communicating with the community.

What we need from Microsoft is not PR and letters, but real actions at an accelerated pace to improve Window Mobile.

On the one hand, the iPhone is not affordable, reliable (AT&T might not provide the best coverage in your area), or accessible to everyone who wants an all in one device. On the other hand, those flashy Apple product launches make people say “I want MY phone to do that!” So, they get a smartphone. So Apple’s gain and innovation is Microsoft’s gain.

I never used my phone for media before the iPhone. Steve Jobs made me see the error in my ways. I DO want one device for everything. Now, I and others are plugging in and rocking out and leaving our iPods at home.


I agree with you justaur. Microsoft could do much better with user interface. I think Windows Mobile 7.0 is supposed to address this. But, when I go down the list of what I need and want from my one device. Microsoft fills all of my needs in form, function, and availability where devices on other platforms fall short.

Microsoft has been woefully slow and clumsy in updating Windows Mobile. They've insisted on staying with the sill start menu and have done a terrible job at one handed operation. Voice Command is great but isn't fully usable with Bluetooth. The litany of woes and shortcoming is long and Microsoft has been terrible in addressing them or communicating with the community. What we need from Microsoft is not PR and letters, but real actions at an accelerated pace to improve Window Mobile.

Letters from Senior VPs going via the PR department so they don't read like someone saying grace would be a start, but agreed they can't get the new UI out fast enough.

"paean"? Dieter sure has the thesaurus out when he writes this things, doesn't he?

"paean"? Dieter sure has the thesaurus out when he writes this things, doesn't he?

Sadly, no, I just know too many words. :D

Surer, WM may have shipped 4.3 million or whatever it is but don't forget there are 4.3 million different WM phones (or so it seems) out there with a multitude of manufacturers too.. There are only 2 models of the iPhone.

Surer, WM may have shipped 4.3 million or whatever it is but don't forget there are 4.3 million different WM phones (or so it seems) out there with a multitude of manufacturers too.. There are only 2 models of the iPhone.

Hardly relevant, except that Microsoft provides choice of form factor and features. No-one uses these excuses to explain Symbian dominance.

Surur

Some info not in the letter - WM has shipped 4.3 million in Q1, much more than Apple's 1.7 million, and that the increase in WM sales YoY for Q1 was 1.9 million (80% growth YoY) which was more than Apple shipped in total.

During Q1 WM was available in many dozens of countries worldwide and on an even greater number of carriers, while the iPhone was being sold in just five countries and on five carriers (two of those only came on board during the quarter). Given this disparity, and the lower price point of many WM devices, WM's performance was pathetic.

During Q1 WM was available in many dozens of countries worldwide and on an even greater number of carriers, while the iPhone was being sold in just five countries and on five carriers (two of those only came on board during the quarter). Given this disparity, and the lower price point of many WM devices, WM's performance was pathetic.

During Q1 the iPhone was available in many dozens of countries worldwide and on an even greater number of carriers.

Given this disparity, and the lower price point of the iPhone, iPhone's performance was pathetic.

Surur

You know full well that the iPhone was only officially available in 5 countries, and that it had to be jailbroken (voiding the warranty) to run on other networks. WM devices, of course, were officially available almost
everywhere. So why don't you just face facts and admit that WM's Q1 figures just don't look very when good stacked up against a single device with extremely limited official distribution. You're the one who came up with those Q1 figures, and now they don't look so good you're resorting to making things up and distorting the truth.

You know full well that the iPhone was only officially available in 5 countries, and that it had to be jailbroken (voiding the warranty) to run on other networks. WM devices, of course, were officially available almost everywhere. So why don't you just face facts and admit that WM's Q1 figures just don't look very when good stacked up against a single device with extremely limited official distribution. You're the one who came up with those Q1 figures, and now they don't look so good you're resorting to making things up and distorting the truth.

Of course you are wrong.

Unlocking the iPhone is central to its success. If Apple had not allowed unauthorised distribution the iPhone would only have sold half as much. Case in point, AT&T have only activated 2.5 million of the 5-6 million iPhones Apple sold.

To re-iterate, your understanding of the situation is wrong, try another argument.

Surur

The bottom line is that Apple sold 1.7 million units in Q1, while WM could only manage 4.1 m - despite huge advantages in terms of distribution, pricing, and a pre-existing foothold in the enterprise. That's not something to crow about. The letter from Lees smacks of desperation; it wasn't a genuine expression of thanks to MS's business partners, but was issued as a press-release (!) in a vain attempt to generate some "buzz" for WM devices. Unfortunately, it backfired, with most commentators viewing it as a poor attempt to upstage the iPhone 2.0 announcement which is expected next week.

The bottom line is that Apple sold 1.7 million units in Q1, while WM could only manage 4.1 m - despite huge advantages in terms of distribution, pricing, and a pre-existing foothold in the enterprise. That's not something to crow about. The letter from Lees smacks of desperation; it wasn't a genuine expression of thanks to MS's business partners, but was issued as a press-release (!) in a vain attempt to generate some "buzz" for WM devices. Unfortunately, it backfired, with most commentators viewing it as a poor attempt to upstage the iPhone 2.0 announcement which is expected next week.

Thats the bottom line for you.

The actual bottom line is that, despite the huge iPhone hype and being called the JesusPhone for which people queued up for, and an extension of Apple's iPod monopoly, Apple only sold 1.7 million devices.

Its going to make Jobs look a bit foolish when he claims 10 million shipped worldwide, and then claims to own the smartphone world.

Surur

You've been wrong about everything else to do with the iPhone, so it's hardly surprising that you're wrong on this too. The world is moving on, Surur; try not to get left behind.

You've been wrong about everything else to do with the iPhone, so it's hardly surprising that you're wrong on this too. The world is moving on, Surur; try not to get left behind.

Sorry, I believe I am the arbiter on who is wrong or not (I am certainly as qualified as you), and thats you.

Surur

The actual bottom line is that, despite the huge iPhone hype and being called the JesusPhone for which people queued up for, and an extension of Apple's iPod monopoly, Apple only sold 1.7 million devices. Its going to make Jobs look a bit foolish when he claims 10 million shipped worldwide, and then claims to own the smartphone world.

I think the only one looking foolish here is you. (And why do you feel the need to put words into Steve Jobs's mouth? He has never said that he would "own the smartphone world".)

The iPhone has (up to the end of Q1) sold 5.7 million units, despite having been officially available in five countries and on five carriers. (The fact that people queued for the device and were prepared to take the risk of unlocking/jailbreaking large numbers of units speaks volumes for the level of pent up demand.) And if Apple simply maintains its current level of sales it is on track to sell 6.8 million units in this calendar year (2008).

But, when iPhone 2.0 goes on sale in more than 70 countries later this year, it's highly likely that Apple will breeze past its 10 million unit target for this year. I guess then you'll still be huffing and puffing about how poor iPhone sales are.

Sorry, I believe I am the arbiter on who is wrong or not (I am certainly as qualified as you), and thats you.

No, it's the buying public and facts that will determine who is right or wrong, not personal prejudice or misinformation. For the record, although WM sales may have grown 19% year on year, that's slower than the overall growth of the smartphone market, which was 29% according to IDC. In contrast, RIM's unit growth over the same period far outpaced the market, and Apple's growth was exponential, because they started from zero.

WM is going backwards in relation to its competitors and underperforming the market as a whole, and no amount of lame PR can disguise the fact.

Since when is going from 2.4 to 4.3 million 19%.

I think some one is looking foolish, and its not me.

Surur

Got me. But at least I'm big enough to admit it.

The real question is whether that information changes your perception or not, and I bet it doesn't.

Surur

Of course it does. WM is clearly performing better than I had thought in relation to the market as a whole - I had misread the figures.

However, I suspect that even if the iPhone sold 15 million units by the end of this year - including those from last year - you would still rubbish the figures, even though - for most of that time - the device would not have been officially available in most parts of the world.

As I said, at least I'm big enough to admit when I'm wrong.