"Catastrophic" used to describe Windows Phone 7 sales numbers

Eldar Murtazin, the well-connected Russian analyst and tech writer has said today that Microsoft's Windows Phone 7 sales are "catastrophic."

Earlier this year, the software company reported it had shipped 1.5 million phones, well above estimates.

Murtzain says, however, that only 674,000 of those have actually been purchased by consumers, while the rest sit on carrier's shelves.

Additionally, the writer says that Nokia CEO Stephen Elop will retire at the end of 2012, after he completes the transition of Windows Phone.

Windows Phone 7, alongside mixed critical reviews, has been plagued by botched firmware updates, some of which even left users with bricked devices.

Written by: Andre Yoskowitz @ 3 May 2011 17:02

biglo30

What else is new, Microsoft just always like to take the wrong approach.These days people spend more time on their phone using apps rather than using their laptops or computers. Microsoft's decision to create a phone that wants people to spend less time on the phone is a failure which is why no one is supporting them, and why nokia's shares will continue to fall.

3.5.2011 19:45 #1

KillerBug

WinMo7 isn't even as good as WinMo6 in some ways...it was released for the stockholders...to make it look like microsoft is trying to get a foothold in the market that will (mostly) replace their current core market in 10-20 years.

In spite of this, it is selling about 100x better than their last phone offering (the Kin)...so it is actually a massive improvement. Soon they might only lose a few million on each new device they release.

4.5.2011 00:17 #2

Memnock

Seriously did anyone think Windows Phone 7 was going to do anything? At least it's not as bad as Kin was, but it's not that far off. Android and IOS rule the smartphone landscape now.

4.5.2011 02:00 #3

SomeBozo

As a former Microsoft employee, i remember the mantra when i was hired to do more and give the customer more then what they expect. Needless to say that was a long time ago and many people who are bashing it now use to really like MS and think they could do no wrong. Now a days it is a different short, while i'm no longer there, the attitude before i left was completely different, it seemed to be "Find the minimum quality bar in order to ship that meets 80% of the users needs." And other comments like "You don't need to do everything providing less to users is actually more..." This is nearly a direct quote best as a I remember hearing a release PM say it. In the end you cut corners, get slack on quality, eventually customers will get pissed off... I wonder if Balmer should step down, since he has taken over the company has turned downward in many if not all respects. As a CEO i would say he should get a 2 or 2.5 and is in the bottom 10% of CEOs as the market goes. Well, one thing Microsoft does excel at is supporting a lot of charitable organizations, that's good, but nothing to do with the software they release :)

That said, most of the latest products just fall in line (i really wanted to say "Fail in line") with the progression of Microsoft's current trend... Zune (RIP), Win Phone 7 (terminally ill, soon to be RIP)... Office and it's changes suck, Vista, Win 7 all suck, most all the stuff i need to do in them are now a pain as compare with WinXP or Win2000 Server. Win 8 from what i've seen and heard what is going to be in it really sucks more than the rest. Oh well. Best thing MS could do is stop trying to be date driven and release stable, high quality software, which is what they use to do and do well.

4.5.2011 03:17 #4

Stewed (unverified)

*Yawn* What a surprise! Another article filled with fallacy and a MSFT hating fan base filled with (well, I don't know what to call it: ignorance, foolishness, jealousy... Who knows what motivates these people.)

Firstly, lets point out the ignorance of the claims. How did they determine the amount of phones left on shelves? How did they determine the number of gifted phone? Funny, they don't seem to substantiate any of those claims. Almost as if they just pulled them out of thin air. Hmmm.... Very curious, isn't it? Then, this garbage gets regurgitated and some ignorant people want to take it as some kind of fact. I don't know how many phones have been sold, but than again, I don't make up numbers and claims without any real info to go on. I could just as easily make up a very high number and it would be just as justified and relavent as this claim was.

Believe as you will. The OS is an attractive one and knocking it just because is silly. I'm no MSFT lover, but I'm no hater either. I am smart enough however, to see that they've built a phone OS that can compete, as long as they keep developing it with the same sense of style and ease of use they have with this initial release. We'll being seeing multitasking probably before the year is out and html5 browsing capability. I suspect we'll be seeing a dual core processor in the not to distant future and even more attractive phones. The app market is growing at a pretty good clip and I expect that to continue. So, where, in all you people's infinite wisdowm, do you see that WP7 can't compete? With the things I've mentioned so far, Wp7 would easily be on par with offerings from ios and Android. Choosing to be blind to it, doesn't make it any less true. You'd think some of you would want some competition and choice, but I guess you feel that creating another Microsoft in the mobile world will somehow benefit you. Good luck with that. There's one truth I can tell you with 100% certainty, at least in my mind: Apple, Google, RIM or any other smartphone OS that takes over the market will stagnate, just as MSFT has with some of their products. With all of these companies trying to branch out in so many areas, not much time or effort will be put into any platform that they control almost exclusively. I know you love to hate MSFT, but things would be no different if someone else had the control that they enjoyed for so long. You can be naive enough to believe otherwise, but you're wrong in that belief. This isn't someting new with Microsoft. They're just the current big boy that everyone loves to hate. Creating another MS changes nothing significant, it simply changes the name of who you'll all hate in the future. Some new kid will show up on the block and he'll become your best friend and we'll play the cycle out again and so on and so on.

I'm rooting very much for the platform. Maybe i'll use it and maybe I won't, but I do know that if it gains some market share, it'll help keep things competitive and innovation and creativity will continue. The more competition the better. The more choices the better. I understand why so many of the younger generation have this hatred for MSFT: Because, they simply haven't experienced enough of life to realize there's nothing unusual going on. Microsoft was once the little kid on the block too and part of their success can be attributed to people rooting for the little guy and hating the established bully. The funny thing: We don't get rid of the bully, we just change the bully's name. He'll remain there regardless, ready to wield his power at any moment. Until we recognize that the only way the bully can't succeed is if there are other kids just as big and strong as he is, we'll continue this cycle indefinitely. So, hate away, but just remember, today's love affair is tomorrow's breakup.

4.5.2011 10:50 #5

cgarrad

Microsoft could not care less about current sales, they have a multi annual vision that see market share in a decade not a year. There is no way that they wont be a major player just like the now dominate the last major industry the turned there gaze to, i.e. XBOX.

Crippled iOS versus open (comparatively) WP7 is a no brainer as Apple cant even release a new iPhone as they have no features to add. No hardware advantage and controlled OS do not make an attractive format going forward.

Thank you Apple for your contribution but the masses have awoke to smell the coffee and Android is eating you for lunch. Numbers from Apple are stellar but no new iPhone and basically no new iPad shows the crisis they are in. Its all about software now and 4.3.3 removes features (location tracking) and adds nothing!! Next gen is pivotal....

Just imagine what WP7 will do with its tight integration of handset requirements, applauded interface and billions for R&D.

Come back in 3 years and see the division of market share.

I have had iphone 3g, 3gs and currently have an iPhone 4.

Im so very tired of iTunes...

6.5.2011 07:52 #6

Mez

That was predictable. M$ can't even consistantly build a descent OS. They have lots of money and no brains.

6.5.2011 09:14 #7

ChiefBrdy

The Android OS rules (Love my HTC 4G)

iPhone OS comes in at a close second.

Blackberry rolls up to third place

Windows Phone 7 is a dead last joke.

No guessing here or making up numbers. Sales figures are a fact and that's that.

"Is that 3 thousand dollar bounty on the shark in cash or check?"

"We can do it the easy way...Or we can do it the REAL easy way."

6.5.2011 09:27 #8

TekPete

Hmmm. I'm thinking of buying a new phone. It was toss up between a HTC Desire and a Windows 7 phone. However after reading all the comments here I think I'll go with the HTC. I bought a laptop before Christmas and that has Windows 7 on it; it's a mucking fuddle - it takes ages finding things that at one time were easily found in Device Manager.

6.5.2011 11:21 #9

voyager

I play with windows seven phone a lot of time in the AT&T kiosk and i don't see any problem mentioned.Is a very nice phone with a very nice and very responsive touch screen.

6.5.2011 20:53 #10

DanandJen

Companies cannot please everyone. Find what you like and go with it. Stop flaming people and companies for releasing products that don't meet your own personal expectations. Some of you need to grow up.

Here's a better thought. Instead of constantly bashing others and mocking software and hardware, why don't you show us all how great you are. Go create something and bring it back for us to see. Then we'll see how superior and great you feel.

7.5.2011 02:02 #11

DanandJen

Anyone who cannot navigate around a Windows OS; 7 or otherwise, clearly does not deserve to even have the opportunity to own a computer. Navigation is simple and the transition between OS's takes a meer hour or less. Wish these cry baby youngins would man up. In my day, all we had was DOS prompt and had to go thru tons of lines of text to navigate around!

And don't get me started about the version flames here. Most of you software users were born into Windows XP. You all clearly have no idea what type of fantastic and stable software they produced and continue to produce. Just because a certain piece of software fails to meet your own personal expectations, doesn't make it garbage. I could easily say the same thing for Android, or iOS. Neither one has anything that has personally impressed me, but I would never go so far as to say it is worthless or the companies behind them suck.

Understand that a company does not market products custom suited to make certain groups of people happy. They take an average overall approach to develop features and add-ons that everyone as a whole can use and be interested in.

7.5.2011 02:11 #12

voyager

Quote:Hmmm. I'm thinking of buying a new phone. It was toss up between a HTC Desire and a Windows 7 phone. However after reading all the comments here I think I'll go with the HTC Tekpete ,Please go first to a kiosk and grab one of the different models(HTC,LG,Samsung) of Win 7 phone and play with it and return to the forums again.

7.5.2011 12:42 #13

ChiefBrdy

Originally posted by DanandJen: Companies cannot please everyone. Find what you like and go with it. Stop flaming people and companies for releasing products that don't meet your own personal expectations. Some of you need to grow up.

Here's a better thought. Instead of constantly bashing others and mocking software and hardware, why don't you show us all how great you are. Go create something and bring it back for us to see. Then we'll see how superior and great you feel. I already did. I invented the internet. Seriously though, your remarks are not relevant to this thread. The article itself bashes the Windows 7 phone. We are merely responding in kind. So...why don't you go find another thread to scold people. Perhaps one that is relevant to the topic.

"Is that 3 thousand dollar bounty on the shark in cash or check?"

"We can do it the easy way...Or we can do it the REAL easy way."

7.5.2011 14:59 #14

salsa36

What is really amazing is that they sold some of them!

11.5.2011 08:08 #15

xtago

11.5.2011 12:36 #16

matt4885 (unverified)

Bought an iphone in 2006 when it first came out and loved it for a while but I really liked the openess of android so I bought an unlocked nexus and customized the hell out of it and it was awesome. But then I tried the Windows phone and loved the interface. It was very fluid and simple, but it is seriously lacking key features. That is why I kept going back and forth between andoid and windows. But when the next version of windows phone comes out I think there will be a serious contender to the crappy android sets that are hitting the market. Android is no longer open, the carriers killed that dream. It's actually easier to jailbreak an iphone than it is to root an android, at least the ones with locked bootloaders. I hated on Microsoft as much as any techie did but I am very impressed with WP7 and am always telling others to at least give it a try. I guess if you back an elephant into a corner it will put up a fight.

18.5.2011 02:26 #17

SomeBozo

Originally posted by matt4885: I guess if you back an elephant into a corner it will put up a fight. Or get a big pile of something to help plants grow :)

18.5.2011 12:35 #18

robot phone hater (unverified)

Originally posted by TekPete: Hmmm. I'm thinking of buying a new phone. It was toss up between a HTC Desire and a Windows 7 phone. However after reading all the comments here I think I'll go with the HTC. I bought a laptop before Christmas and that has Windows 7 on it; it's a mucking fuddle - it takes ages finding things that at one time were easily found in Device Manager. You have got to be kidding. Win 7 is was easier to just about everything vs xp. I am guessing that is what you are comparing it to. Regarding android, it is a fragmented, mess and it's security problems are just beginning. Since no body with a brain actually spends money on security software Norton is licking their chops at android. Maybe you like Google reading all your email as too. I have been using WP7 and you could not give me anonther android. My phone never slows down, has only needed a soft reboot maybe 6 times since November and I have only pulled the battery once in over 6 months. My wife still carries an android. She has issues all the time and hates it. As far as Iphone goes, never had one and with the way my windows phone has been working so far, I have no interest.Originally posted by matt4885: Bought an iphone in 2006 when it first came out and loved it for a while but I really liked the openess of android so I bought an unlocked nexus and customized the hell out of it and it was awesome. But then I tried the Windows phone and loved the interface. It was very fluid and simple, but it is seriously lacking key features. That is why I kept going back and forth between andoid and windows. But when the next version of windows phone comes out I think there will be a serious contender to the crappy android sets that are hitting the market. Android is no longer open, the carriers killed that dream. It's actually easier to jailbreak an iphone than it is to root an android, at least the ones with locked bootloaders. I hated on Microsoft as much as any techie did but I am very impressed with WP7 and am always telling others to at least give it a try. I guess if you back an elephant into a corner it will put up a fight. Window phone is the most intelligently designed communications device ever IMHO. Love mine, super stable fast and easy to use, never slows down, only had to soft reset a couple of times in 7 months and pulled the battery only once. And no malware sending premium text messages in the background to some guy in another country. Android is a geeks toy. It is a security nightmare, just BING android malware threat, trojan marketplace nightmare and you will see what I mean.

6.7.2011 00:36 #19

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