Hey, all you reps - I'm sure most of you caught the whole Windows Phone 7 Series hoopla last week, but I'm wondering if your customers also caught the buzz, and if they're starting to ask you about the new OS?

And then there's the even bigger question: What's your take on selling the 6.5 phones still in store? Obviously they're still a great option for customers who need the range of capabilities that WM offers, but are you encountering people who are hesitant about buying now, and instead thinking about waiting for 7 Series devices to hit the streets?

I'm sure as the 7 Series strategy starts to crystallize at MSFT - particularly after more critical details are released at MIX10 and in the coming months -  it will become clearer what role 6.5 will continue to play in the Windows Phone portfolio. But you may already have your own strategy for pitching these to customers. We'd love to hear from you!

 

Bill,

My over the phone tech support has landed me a few calls from people inquiring about the WP7S. But when people ask me about upgrades, and they currently have/love their WinMo phone, but don't want to really buy anything we have now, I tell them everything I know, have they go to the WP7S website, watch the videos, etc.

I am also slowly poisoning the minds of my co-workers away from their RIM and Android bias, and re-look and WinMo. I am, and have been eligible to trade my contract for an upgrade for well over a year now, but have been waiting for a device that is either upgradeable to WP7S or just wait for one to be released with it from the start, and I will continue to wait now.

You have to wonder what MS is thinking sometimes.  The announcement of WP7S followed by the complete lack of details about upgradability of current devices seems a little like they've thrown their OEMs and mobile operator partners under the bus with respect to sales of current devices.  Imagine how, Ford dealers would feel if Ford announced this week that next years' Ford cars would run on tap water instead of gasoline, and refused to answer if this years' cars could be upgraded to the new tech.  How many cars would they sell until the new models debuted? 

If Windows phone 6.5 is going to continue as a business/low-end alternative, or if WP7S will eventually include more chassis types that current phones WOULD qualify to upgrade to, you'd think MS would want to make that part of the road map clearer, if only to allow OEMs to properly position and price those devices for sales the rest of the year.  (I just can't bring myself to believe that all MS OS-based phones will be giant iPhone/Zune-like slabs from this point forward, unless MS is completely ceding the mobile messaging device market to RIM and its Blackberry!)

I'd humbly submit that OEMs like HTC are in intense negotiations with MS right now to determine which, if any, existing WM6.5 phones can meet the WP7S "chassis" specs, or are lobbying MS to slightly alter the specs to fit their higher-end existing devices.  This might explain the vagueness of MS' responses- the full answer might not be known yet.  For example, if the phone has three (or more) buttons, but are labeled improperly for the new OS, can the phone qualify for upgrades if the buttons' functions are altered to match the spec, regardless of the icon silkscreened on the buttons themselves?  Does it impact the user experience to have a "zoom in" icon on their "search" button more or less than telling a customer of a six month-old $700 device they need to buy a virtually identical one with different buttons to get WP7S?  (I remember the WM2003 to WM5 upgrade for my circa-2004 Samsung i730- to match the OS, the two buttons directly under the screen became the left/right softkeys, like all WM5+ devices use, but had messaging and task manager icons on them; their default functionality in the Samsung WM2003 ROM the phone was originally included with.) 

It seems silly to block the ability to upgrade a device just because, say, it doesn't have a "search" button- particularly if MS didn't suitably warn OEMs prior to WP7S of the necessary chassis requirements (I don't know if they did or not, but with the tight lid MS kept on WP7S info, it's possible that the OEMs were kept in the dark until too late to ensure their current line up would be compatible, or that the sudden deployment of search buttons on all recent WM6.5 would fuel WP7S speculation.)

On the other hand, with the release of WP7S devices only 8-10 months away, it's possible that OEMs simply decided to continue with business as usual, and simply built fewer WM6.5 devices, fully expecting the MS announcements to gut WM6.5 sales, but thought (as MS seems to) that the excitment over WP7S is better for long-term success of the platform, even if it effectively kills WM6.5 for 2010.  (And, you can imagine some marketing person even suggesting that killing WM sales in 2010 will make the phoenix-like rise of WPS7 in 2011 even more impressive and dramatic!)  It does seem to me that we're seeing fewer new WM devices this year than in prior years- maybe the OEMs were suitable warned, and chose to cut back?

 

 

Todd Allcock:

I'd humbly submit that OEMs like HTC are in intense negotiations with MS right now to determine which, if any, existing WM6.5 phones can meet the WP7S "chassis" specs, or are lobbying MS to slightly alter the specs to fit their higher-end existing devices.  This might explain the vagueness of MS' responses- the full answer might not be known yet. 

 

I saw a news item the other day in which an MS chap stated there would be no WP7S upgrade for the HD2 due to the fact the device did not have the 3 hardware button cofiguration required by WP7S and this button situation was a deal breaker as far as upgrades are concerned.

 Here we go, I knew I'd seen it somewhere, the article is here.

It will be great to get the facts at some point down the line (soon would be good) - I don't believe that Microsoft have yet announced officially what and if any WM 6.5 phones will be upgradeable.

 Did you look at the article I linked to Laura? According to that there won't be any WM6.5 devices upgradable to WP7S unless they have the 3 button configuration.

Yes , I did look but I covered my eyes with a sack

 Is that something you do often? A US thing you've picked up?

It's something I have developed when I read things that I wish weren't true - a bit like checking your bank statement when you know you are overdrawn 

I just caught a post at WMPoweruser.com, which was quoting a Pocket-lint article in which the head of consumer marketing for Windows Phone UK was quoted. To me, it sounds as if there's still nothing definitive stating that every 6.5 device won't be upgradeable - I think this is simply being assumed based on the fact that there aren't any plans right now to upgrade the very high-end HD2:

“We’ve received many questions about the upgradability of HTC HD2 and we currently do not have plans to update the HTC HD2 to Windows Phone 7 Series”, he said.

Clearly trying to placate owners of the premier handset, he notes that Windows Mobile 6.5 is not a mere compromise.

“We are proud of the Windows Phone experience we introduced with Windows Mobile 6.5 and we will continue to partner closely with mobile networks and phone manufacturers to support and invest in the platform". "Windows Mobile 6.5 represents a significant part of the portfolio family that is Windows Phones. With over 50 phones available around the world today, it offers customers the freedom to choose from among the widest selection of device form factors and price points”.

He goes on to note that, as we already know, new handsets will be released with Windows Mobile 6.5 over the coming months and of course these handsets, even if they fit the “Chassis” criteria will likely not be eligible for an update either.

“For Windows Phone 7 Series we are enforcing a strict set of hardware requirements to ensure a consistently great experience for end-users and developers…we cannot confirm that Windows Mobile 6.5 phones that satisfy those requirements will be upgradeable”.

If there is one consolation it is that Microsoft is in fact promising future upgrades to Windows Phone 7 devices, just not Windows Mobile ones.

I think an official statement one way or the other as soon as possible is important- even if it's not the statement people want to hear.

I found the story you linked encouraging from the standpoint that it sounds like WM6.5 will continue to be supported at least short-term, which is the most important thing from the current Windows phone buyer's perspective.  Most people buying high-end phones like TP2s or HD2s tend to upgrade equipment every 18-24 months anyway, so if MS commits to continue supporting WM6.5 for another two years (and by support, I mean providing updates to their "flagship" mobile software products and services like Bing, My Phone, Office Mobile, Live, Mesh, Facebook, etc. to keep the feature set in step with WP7S versions and get released roughly simultaneously) that should be sufficient to cover the transition from the Windows Mobile era to the Windows phone 7 era.  Any of us that still recall the Windows 3.x to Windows 95 transition, will remember that there was a fairly long period of "overlap" where most important software was available on/compatible with both platforms, allowing users to upgrade when it made sense for them.  I think that's all MS should be expected to do. 

Unfortunately, as we've seen with the WM2003 to WM5, and WM5 to WM6 transitions, Microsoft has had a tendency to "forget" about the prior mobile OS versions rather quickly- Live, MyPhone, and Live Mesh, for example, work on WM6+ only, despite the seemingly minor differences between it and WM5.  If WM6.5 device sales drop off dramatically this year as users wait for WP7S, I suspect the product groups at MS might see that as a signal to let sleeping dogs lie, and let the WM6+ software versions reach End-of-Life status.

 

 

 

 It's possible a few manufacturers might release some devices that will be upgradable to WP7S in the second half of the year. HTC did it with the Touch Diamond 2 and the Touch Pro 2 for WM6.5 and Toshiba with the TG01. That said, if the device doesn't have a big sticker on it saying "definite upgrade to WP7S to be made available" then I'd definitely take it as a no hoper.

In my experience with Sprint even simple OS patches are rarely available. Actual upgrades are almost non-existant. Wouldn't you rather sell a whole new phone, with ETF? I think other carriers aren't much different.

Will MS take a more active role in updating software? Given their normal competence, you'll need WP7S SP2 (e.g. 7.2 or 7.3) before being moderately safe/happy.

As for the number of buttons; I'd like more. You won't get the nice iPhone look with 3; might as well have some more.

 

 

 The iPhone only has one though doesn't it?