back to article Ballmer: Windows Phone 8 'WILL ramp quickly', god dammit

In an unsurprising vote of confidence in his own company and its latest product, Microsoft's Steve Ballmer predicts that Windows Phone 8 will create a strong third player in the mobile market and sell quickly. Speaking at a launch event for Win 8 in Israel, reported on by Reuters, he said: With the work we have done with …

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  1. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    If only

    But sadly one of most desirable and premier Windows Phone 8 devices (Nokia 920) has been made an exclusive with EE and even the SIM free devices you can get from Phones4U are locked to EE Orange and T-Mobile.

    Quite a few people have had to import from Germany or just give up and buy something else.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: If only

      Premier and desirable are not things you usually hear in the same sentence was "Windows Phone", unless of course you got wrapped up into the launch hype and missed the bit about everything being fakes... or you work for Nokrosoft of course...

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: That was the easiest up-vote in a while

      What the hell do Nokia think they're playing at? They and Microsoft both need these phones available to the biggest possible audience from the staring blocks.

      1. CaptainHook

        Re: That was the easiest up-vote in a while

        I'd imagine the EE paid a hefty sum for the rights and they might be hoping that the a single vendor makes the phone exclusive and thus desirable.

        It's bollocks of course, but that's probably what they are hoping.

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: That was the easiest up-vote in a while

          They're likely in a make believe world where they're in the same league as apple were when apple launched, as not even apple force you to use a single carrier anymore.

        2. Robert E A Harvey

          Re: Hoping that the a single vendor makes the phone exclusive

          that would almost make sense if they had coverage.

    3. N13L5
      FAIL

      Re: If only

      I don't like the new choices of Apple's walled Garden and Microsoft's fenced Ghetto, both greedily making our software 30% more expensive and censoring what can be offered. Those who would trade their freedom for security will end up with neither.

      Thats like voting with our wallets to be patronized like children and loose all freedom we're used to having. In the new fully controlled Apple and Microsoft future, we won't really own the devices we paid for. In the name of security, we're already seeing this "secure boot" atrocity, which prevents us from booting any operating system of our choosing, unless those OS makers were able to obtain some special keys, which they have to tickle out of Intel and M$. Maybe large distributions will make it, but smaller ones probably will disappear.

      And after downgrading my PC to Windows 8, I certainly know not to buy a Windphone until Windows 10 is released. Because its like starting with Windows 1.0 again, and M$ always takes 3 attempts to get it right, so it won't be till Windows 10, before it goes from barebones to actually being complete enough to be convenient. If they keep Steve "I'm the only one with a clue" Sinofski for another round, it'll probably end up 4 attempts instead of 3...

      I don't blame M$ for that part, Android 1.0 wasn't as slick as it is today either. Apple was opposite there, iOS 1.0 was very slick, but from there was moving so slow, its behind the curve now. Still just rows and rows of icons pfff

      Poor Nokia got caught in the wrong place at the wrong time, while they originally were the best prepared shop and could have owned everything.

      They could still be where Samsung is now, by doing what Samsung does: make different phones with different operating systems, so people who dislike some OS are not prevented from buying their hardware.

      Nokia: sell your phones like this: on unpacking the phone and turning it on, you get a menu with four choices of what OS you want to install: Bada, Windphone8, Android, Symbian, or Tizen or whatever else strikes your fancy. Nobody would even argue at that point, they would just be buying your phones. Bang!

  2. Matt_payne666

    does balmer realise that you actually have to have devices on the ground to make a sale?

    Im getting more and more fed up waiting on the 920, Ive resisted the iphone 5 thus far, but if there is nothing by the end of the week, then windows looses out and Ill be on my 4th Iphone...

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Out of the frying pan, into the fire....

      iPhone5, really???? Clearly someone that's not heard of the iPhone5 beating Nexus4 that's half the price....

      1. Bob Vistakin
        Happy

        Yup, the Nexus 4 looks awesome

        I'm going to get one of those - Awesome price too!

      2. Matt_payne666

        yep, good specs, like the LG optimus a lovely screen - rdesktop is a dream on that device, but as an android tablet owner, I wouldn't want to rely on that OS for my day to day life...

        Android has a very open source feel to it, just like Linux - yes, it is infinitely customisable but in my opinion, that's its downfall, for any one simple situation - ie, copying my photo collection to the device - there is no single way of doing it, just lots and lots of ways that pretty much almost work... generally with poor documentation and I just don't have the time for that sort of malarkey...

        as a windows 8 user, I like the idea of some sort of compatibility and with its iTunes integration it means that photos, music, etc are things that hopefully I dont have to worry too hard over...

        1. PaulR79

          @Matt_payne666

          Copying photo collections to a device 'mostly works'? Dropbox sync, USB cable drag and drop? Add to that now NFC and beaming as well as the older Bluetooth file transfer and I have no problem doing what I need. Is there something specific you need that is very unusual? If not I can't think of a single thing I need to do that is difficult, or even hard, on Android.

        2. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          "Android has a very open source feel to it, just like Linux - yes, it is infinitely customisable but in my opinion, that's its downfall, for any one simple situation - ie, copying my photo collection to the device - there is no single way of doing it, just lots and lots of ways that pretty much almost work... generally with poor documentation and I just don't have the time for that sort of malarkey..."

          You are bad at technology. Get an iPhone.

        3. N13L5
          FAIL

          @Matt_payne666

          God, I hope you live in a city that has only one-way streets. And hopefully only a single street between your house and your work. Cause with the way your mind works, a regular city with many roads you can take would be a horrible Malarkey, confusing you to the point you'd never make it to work.

          Are you on some kind of prescription, like Lithium, Ritalin or is there just too much Fluoride in your drinking water?

          Oh wait, it might be the check coming through from M$ for your work on adding hoax user opinions in favor of...

  3. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    "I expect the volumes on Windows Phone to really ramp quickly."

    Is that a feature or a bug ?

    1. TheOtherHobbes

      Re: "I expect the volumes on Windows Phone to really ramp quickly."

      He didn't say which direction he expects the ramp to slope.

      1. Chemist

        Re: "I expect the volumes on Windows Phone to really ramp quickly."

        "He didn't say which direction he expects the ramp to slope"

        I expect it will go quiet !

  4. Anonymous Coward
    Joke

    Totally agree!

    Being Dutch I totally agree that Win8 will ramp, the sooner the better!

    (fyi: "ramp" is also a Dutch word meaning 'disaster') :-)

    1. Stoneshop
      Holmes

      Re: Totally agree!

      Back when, Digital Equipment had a new line of DECSystems, and attached the buzzwords "Reliability, Adaptability, Maintainability, Performance" to them.

      The salespeople who went to pitch these to Philips got some funny looks, to put it mildly.

  5. Stuart Ball
    FAIL

    Spoke to Nokia Customer Care today and tehy had no clue 9where I should really stop, but humour me) when stock levels would ramp up so you could actually buy one, let alone on a network you want it on.

    HTC were unable to say when their O2 exclusive would run out, but its supposed to be soon.

    So of the 5 phones on the Windowsphone.com website, you cannot actually BUY one with any degree of success, let alone in a colour you want (yellow in my case).

    It's like someone forgot to raise the purchase order to manufacturing for the hardware part of the WinPho8 launch.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      "order to manufacturing for the hardware part "

      Now you know that the important part is the software !

  6. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    So Ballmer's Lack Of Foresight

    Might get Microsoft their market share back to the windows mobile days if they are lucky at a cost of billions of dollars. Take out their desktop monopoly and MS is a financial disaster on every front that loses money.

    MS needs breaking up and Ballmer sacking.

    1. asdf
      FAIL

      Re: So Ballmer's Lack Of Foresight

      Not sure the breaking up is necessary any more because the decade plus of Ballmer has taken care of that. The fool has not increased share price in over a decade as well coincidentally but still has a job. Accountability only applies if you don't own a Bentley.

      1. toadwarrior

        Re: So Ballmer's Lack Of Foresight

        I don't like ballmer at all but this idea that a company should only be judged on its stock price is retarded. Microsoft is still raking in piles of cash. Just because their not the new shiny company and find it hard to continually making huge leaps in marketshare (kinda hard when you're at the top) doesn't mean they're useless.

        In fact that belief, imo, is dangerous. They still want to lock people into their eco-system and everyone thinking they're much smaller and weak will only make it easier for them to go back to their old ways.

        1. asdf

          Re: So Ballmer's Lack Of Foresight

          >a company should only be judged on its stock price is retarded

          I agree but its what all these free market prophets always remind us as the only thing that matters (that and profit distributed to share holders).

          > Just because their not the new shiny company

          Then suddenly your cash cow market goes flat as it matures and starts to decline like is happening with the PC. They are trying to branch out and be cool but they will probably fail and should have had more success in the past but didn't due to poor leadership.

          >will only make it easier for them to go back to their old ways.

          They would love too but the market has corrected itself probably permanently.

  7. Big_Ted
    FAIL

    OoooKaaay

    "In an unsurprising vote of confidence in his own company and its latest product, Microsoft's Steve Ballmer predicts that Windows Phone 8 will create a strong third player in the mobile market and sell quickly."

    Thats right Steve, we need a third player as theres only 2 now, iOS & Android......

    Oh wait a moment, forgot blackberry........and Symbian........oh an those others like Baidu and whatever else the Chinese come up with.

    Oh sorry you meant Smart Phones. Well ok then theres iOS, Android, Blackberry, Symbian, WinPhone 7.7, etc etc. Get in line and pray you can get to number 3 before BB10 which I am sure will be better and sale more than Windows Phone 8................

  8. Travis Hayler
    FAIL

    Marketing win, delivering fail.

    Waited 2+ month from iphone 5 launch to get a Nokia 920 and a move to WP8 and now EE only. I even contemplated moving to EE to the point I walked into the local store, only to be told by EE and the Nokia rep standing there that they don't know when they will be available around 1-2 weeks and Nokia themselves are not bothering to display demo (working) handsets in store... Massive build up to basically a fail for all customers excited to get hold of one!

    Also EE charging £41 to start with 500mb of data, Three would of made a killing for MS and Nokia with their pricing.

    SHAME! Now iPhone 5 or Andriod or upgrade to the iPhone 5 and sell it for an unlocked Nokia 920 which I haven't used? Sad choices

    1. SoFl_G
      FAIL

      Re: Marketing win, delivering fail.

      Operator exclusive in the US also. I was considering a Lumia 920 to replace my old but still servicable HTC HD2 Running Android ICS, but the Lumia 920 is AT&T only in the US. I'd rather use a string and tin cans than get on ATT here. Stupid stupid.... Not the way to gain marketshare

  9. DrXym

    I saw a Nokia advert yesterday

    Seems they're trying to pitch it to hipsters as a fashion accessory and something for people to "love" than for the sake of its functionality. The word love was said repeatedly as if saying it a lot of times makes it so.

  10. Rob K

    He's probably right though

    A huge amount of average punters probably have no clue about when the phones will be released, or the differences between Nokia, HTC and Samsung efforts. Many people (like myself) will be in contract for a few more months so this is irrelevant to them. Storm in a teacup if you ask me - the vocal minority getting outraged about having to wait an extra week for a new phone.

    The buzz around Windows Phone 8 is far greater than anything MS have seen before, and I think that will translate into some quite healthy sales over the next 12 months. It's not that hard to see things "ramping up" considering the low sales of WP7 devices, and the apparent enthusiasm for WP8.

    1. DJV Silver badge
      Facepalm

      Ha ha, love the sarcasm

      Er, you were actually being sarcastic, weren't you? Oh right...

      1. Rob K

        Re: Ha ha, love the sarcasm

        Not sarcastic.. I'd just be very suprised if sales didn't ramp up. As a former iPhone owner and current Android user, WP8 is the first MS effort I have any interest in. I can only assume I'm not alone in feeling that way.

    2. Stoneshop

      Re: He's probably right though

      translate into sales I grant you, but recurring ads for "Office chair, used once, scuff marks" doesn't sound healthy to me (in the sales sense as well as the more direct meaning)

  11. Tezfair
    Thumb Down

    jumping ship

    I have had enough of windows mobile / metro. When my contracts up im moving over to android as its has so much more support. I spent most of today looking for a decent satnav app for my lumia, even navigon no longer sells WM SW.

    I have been on the WM platform for yonks and would often promote it over iphones etc, but the stark reality is its become a crap phone with crap apps and has a limited future.

  12. IGnatius T Foobar
    Linux

    Same OS on your phone and your desktop?

    Well, yes ... but it's going to be Android, not LoseDoze 8.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Same OS on your phone and your desktop?

      "LoseDoze"? Really? Oh dear ...

  13. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    WHY ARE EL REG USING UNNECESSARY CAPITALS IN THEIR HEADLINES?

    TEDIOUS

  14. squilookle
    Stop

    I thought about getting the Lumia 920, but then I saw it was exclusive to EE and that put me off. Then I saw the Nexus 4 and have decided to go with that instead.

    They need to make these things readily and cheaply available to get them into people hands, and they need to realize that the competition is established and very strong.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      "They need to make these things readily and cheaply available to get them into people hands"

      That isn't the main issue here. Tell us, oh wise one, what must they do to get them into MONKEY HANDS?

  15. k9gardner

    Right thing, right price

    With all due respect to my brothers and sisters across the pond, what Microsoft does with phone pricing in the UK isn't really going to indicate or determine anything. It's a small market.

    In the US, on the other hand, they are also offering a staged release, first through AT&T, then Verizon, and others. Pricing is insanely aggressive - $99.99 for the 920, and only $49.99 for the 820. Both prices are with the usual 2-year commitment.

    I am no Microsoft lover, but I believe Ballmer is spot-on here. The phones are gorgeous, they're different, they're powerful (I assume), and they're cheap. With Microsoft's advertising and marketing muscle (and dollars) behind it, I totally believe it will establish itself as a real third-player in the field, which will be good for the overall market.

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