So its Windows Phone 7 launch day today and twitter is alive with chatter about the UK launch at the Orange shop on Oxford St in London.
With the likes of Johnny Vaughan and Lisa Snowdon popping in to get their WP7 fix it is well worth folllowing @WindowsPhoneUK for the latest gossip from the ground, they even have an interview with the proud owner of the first UK Windows Phone 7.
However despite the hype there are many angry murmors from customers who desperately want to get their hands on Microsofts latest offering and are unable to due to the UK operators either not offering the devices in time for launch or not knowing anything about them when people are calling to enquire.
What I would like to know is what are your thoughts on the launch?
What device are you trying to/want to get your hands on?
Send us some feedback and we will get your comments on this weeks TDL Mobile show!
As of Sunday, I had not managed to find a single phone shop (O2, Orange, Voda, T-Mobile) that had even heard of Windows Phone 7. I have a feeling that Microsoft are using the same marketing company they used for Media Center!
Engadget have some good reviews of the hardware, and I’m going for either the HD7 (16gb) or the Samsung (only 8gb, but better camera and screen.) I need to touch and hold the hardware before I drop the best part of £400 on something I’ll be using every day for the next couple of years, and the lack of presence in the shops is a worry.
The launch today was completed f’d up in Australia due to complete lack of availability of devices and complete lack of knowledge by salespeople at various stores.. I’m not sure how much of this was Microsoft’s fault – as ultimately it was up to the carriers and manufacturers to make sure handsets were available today.
I was very lucky to get hold of a htc mozart (was 15 left when I reserved mine over the phone at lunchtime) – and had to drive into the city to get one (from one of two shops with stock). i don’t know exact figures but only about 6 or 7 stores nationwide got stock (from carrier Telstra) and I believe there was only max of around 50 units per store (and thats in the big cities) – so potentially only ~250 units were on sale today in AU. The Mozart was the only device that was for sale today – and was told there will be no more stock of these until november now. (however the LG’s may appear earlier – but on expensive business plans). Those who ordered online with telstra were told they were sold out until further notice.
The other two carriers – Optus/Singtel (who had exclusive on the Samsungs) and Vodafone (who have exclusive on htc trophy) completely missed the launch – and had nothing available (and had not even updated their sites beyond the press release from oct 12). Optus twitter account has now said next week sometime for their launch (although when I rang this morning I was told december) – so I’m very dubious it will happen. I went to a number of Optus + Vodafone stores this morning in my hunt and it was clear the salepeople had been given 0 training/advice on it and they just told me a bunch of crap. Was also told by a number of non carrier resellers they were refused stock when they tried to order and had been given no dates at all for availability.
The only promising bit was that they got the guy from the old spice viral ad to the Sydney launch… so he got a bit of positive press…
Nice work Niall on getting hold of the Mozart, how are you finding it so far?
Totally agree with you @rspeed though with regards to wanting to physically hold the devices, im hoping to get some time with the HTC kit at the #HTCLON even next week.
Interesting point was raising with regards to where the blame lies with the serious lack of availability at launch, I hadnt even thought about the manufacturers role in all of this, if the stores cant get supply then how are people meant to get hold of the devices!
2 things fit together well here, NO Advertising and NO stock, M/s have most definately put a hold on the Phone 7 advertising due to the lack of stock provided by the Manufactures of the devices, there is little point in selling hard to Joe public IF you have nothing tangeable to sell them, M/s and its share holders need this to work, the low levels of stock are in the long run largely irrelant, eventually the Networks will have the devices and so will the independants BUT if the main stream media find out that on launch day there were infact only 500 ( guess ) devices worldwide available and there have been software/hardware issues, many people who do not want the devices to suceed would certainly make sure it was headline material ( iPhone anyone ) and that kind of press is not irrelevant, it is damaging and can impact heavily on the sales of the devices even IF the networks are full of stock, its a cut throat world and any mud that can be slung will be slung.
OR thats how i see it, i actually want this to be near enough true because if it is not and this is Microsofts best shot at selling the devices, then there is only one way it can go – DOWN
My advive to Microsoft for what it is worth ( zilch ) contact the genius people behind the re-launch of Tetley Tea Television advertising for starters, these people have worked a master stroke on that product, drop the current adverts showing nothing of your own product and everything of the competition. dont get sucked into the trendy way of internet style advertising, keep it mainstream and forthright
LOOK at how Apple advertise there Phones, you actually see the devices and its selling points, Grab double page spreads in the Newspapers, Bus sides, Hoardings, publicity stunts… seems obvious to me but when your as big and complex as Microsoft i am willing to bet sometimes the obvious gets overlooked
when my Mum mentions the windows phone 7 to me because she has seen some advertising then i know the advertisers are doing there work and the adverts are working, if she never mentions it to me it simply means the NON geek potential users will all buy Apple.
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As of Sunday, I had not managed to find a single phone shop (O2, Orange, Voda, T-Mobile) that had even heard of Windows Phone 7. I have a feeling that Microsoft are using the same marketing company they used for Media Center!
Engadget have some good reviews of the hardware, and I’m going for either the HD7 (16gb) or the Samsung (only 8gb, but better camera and screen.) I need to touch and hold the hardware before I drop the best part of £400 on something I’ll be using every day for the next couple of years, and the lack of presence in the shops is a worry.
The launch today was completed f’d up in Australia due to complete lack of availability of devices and complete lack of knowledge by salespeople at various stores.. I’m not sure how much of this was Microsoft’s fault – as ultimately it was up to the carriers and manufacturers to make sure handsets were available today.
I was very lucky to get hold of a htc mozart (was 15 left when I reserved mine over the phone at lunchtime) – and had to drive into the city to get one (from one of two shops with stock). i don’t know exact figures but only about 6 or 7 stores nationwide got stock (from carrier Telstra) and I believe there was only max of around 50 units per store (and thats in the big cities) – so potentially only ~250 units were on sale today in AU. The Mozart was the only device that was for sale today – and was told there will be no more stock of these until november now. (however the LG’s may appear earlier – but on expensive business plans). Those who ordered online with telstra were told they were sold out until further notice.
The other two carriers – Optus/Singtel (who had exclusive on the Samsungs) and Vodafone (who have exclusive on htc trophy) completely missed the launch – and had nothing available (and had not even updated their sites beyond the press release from oct 12). Optus twitter account has now said next week sometime for their launch (although when I rang this morning I was told december) – so I’m very dubious it will happen. I went to a number of Optus + Vodafone stores this morning in my hunt and it was clear the salepeople had been given 0 training/advice on it and they just told me a bunch of crap. Was also told by a number of non carrier resellers they were refused stock when they tried to order and had been given no dates at all for availability.
The only promising bit was that they got the guy from the old spice viral ad to the Sydney launch… so he got a bit of positive press…
Nice work Niall on getting hold of the Mozart, how are you finding it so far?
Totally agree with you @rspeed though with regards to wanting to physically hold the devices, im hoping to get some time with the HTC kit at the #HTCLON even next week.
Interesting point was raising with regards to where the blame lies with the serious lack of availability at launch, I hadnt even thought about the manufacturers role in all of this, if the stores cant get supply then how are people meant to get hold of the devices!
2 things fit together well here, NO Advertising and NO stock, M/s have most definately put a hold on the Phone 7 advertising due to the lack of stock provided by the Manufactures of the devices, there is little point in selling hard to Joe public IF you have nothing tangeable to sell them, M/s and its share holders need this to work, the low levels of stock are in the long run largely irrelant, eventually the Networks will have the devices and so will the independants BUT if the main stream media find out that on launch day there were infact only 500 ( guess ) devices worldwide available and there have been software/hardware issues, many people who do not want the devices to suceed would certainly make sure it was headline material ( iPhone anyone ) and that kind of press is not irrelevant, it is damaging and can impact heavily on the sales of the devices even IF the networks are full of stock, its a cut throat world and any mud that can be slung will be slung.
OR thats how i see it, i actually want this to be near enough true because if it is not and this is Microsofts best shot at selling the devices, then there is only one way it can go – DOWN
My advive to Microsoft for what it is worth ( zilch ) contact the genius people behind the re-launch of Tetley Tea Television advertising for starters, these people have worked a master stroke on that product, drop the current adverts showing nothing of your own product and everything of the competition. dont get sucked into the trendy way of internet style advertising, keep it mainstream and forthright
LOOK at how Apple advertise there Phones, you actually see the devices and its selling points, Grab double page spreads in the Newspapers, Bus sides, Hoardings, publicity stunts… seems obvious to me but when your as big and complex as Microsoft i am willing to bet sometimes the obvious gets overlooked
when my Mum mentions the windows phone 7 to me because she has seen some advertising then i know the advertisers are doing there work and the adverts are working, if she never mentions it to me it simply means the NON geek potential users will all buy Apple.