LG: WP7 falls short as carriers tire of "too much Android"
LG reports disappointment with sales of Microsoft's Windows Phone 7 while its carriers complain of "too much Android" as the third largest mobile maker seeks bolster smartphone sales even as it loses overall mobile market share.
WP7 launch disappointing, boring for users
In an interview with Pocket-lint, LG, marketing strategy and planning team director James Choi said of Microsoft's Windows Phone 7, "from an industry perspective we had a high expectation, but from a consumer point of view the visibility is less than we expected."
Choi added, "LG has been closely collaborating with Microsoft from the beginning. What we feel is that it is absolutely perfect for a huge segment out there. What we feel is that some people believe that some operating systems, mainly Google, are extremely complicated for them. But Windows Phone 7 is very intuitive and easy to use.?
"One of the problems," the report noted, "is that some believe that the OS is so easy to use that it?s a bit boring."
Choi himself said that, "for tech guys like us it might be a little bit boring after a week or two, but there are certain segments that it really appeals to. We strongly feel that it has a strong potential even though the first push wasn?t what everyone expected?.
Microsoft has been cagey in talking about the launch of Windows Phone 7, even as its own developers "suggest that you think of Windows Phone 7 development as a hobby or a learning experience."
Microsoft itself has described the Windows Phone 7 launch as "inline with our expectations," even while describing shipments that could only barely fill out global channel inventory.
LG still strong on Microsoft
LG appears to be the first licensee to openly call Windows Phone 7 a serious disappointment, but it isn't ready to abandon Microsoft yet because it has few alternatives, lacking even its own recognizable mobile platform in contrast to Samsung's Bada, RIM's BlackBerry, or HP's Palm/webOS.
The phone maker was led down a rabbit hole in 2009 with Windows Mobile 6.5, a year when LG took over the lead role in promoting Windows Mobile in what the Washington Post described at the time "an enhanced partnership" with Microsoft.
"Microsoft said it will also be working closer with LG, a company it had agreed to a partnership with in advance. LG is committing to developing 50 new Windows Mobile phones by the end of 2012 and both companies, Microsoft and LG, are committing to increasing their investment in Windows Mobile by five-fold," the report said at the time.
After Windows Mobile continued to collapse in 2009 and was replaced with Windows Phone 7 in late 2010, LG continued to support the new platform as a top licensee, even as its chief executive Nam Yong stepped down due to big losses; LG had erased 30 percent of its mobile share over the previous three years.
LG not sold on Android, expects WP7 to serve low end
LG can't give up on Microsoft because that would limit it in smartphones to solely being an Android licensee, which LG does not want to become.
?From a vendor perspective having that balance [of smartphone platforms] is critical," Choi said. "Being dependent on one OS is not beneficial for us. That?s the same with not just the manufacturers, but the operators as well.
"There is a need and demand from the operators saying there is too much ?Android? in the portfolio. In that sense LG always tries to balance our portfolio, and that?s not just in sense of hardware but OSes as well.?
Choi said that "there is a lot of skepticism at the moment, but once Windows Phone 7 handsets that are mid-tier to low tier start appearing the market share will grow. Right now it?s only exclusively present in a high tier, because of its hardware requirements, and that?s limiting growth."
LG struggles to copy Apple
In early 2007, LG was highlighting its Adobe Flash lite-based Prada phone, a model it later claimed Apple had copied in its design of the original iPhone, even as it had long aped Apple's iPod design in its popular Verizon Chocolate feature phone.
In 2009, LG released the LG-GM730, a Windows Mobile 6.5 bearing a striking resemblance to Apple's original iPhone. This year, the company is planning to release the Android-based Optimus X2, its first high end smartphone. It bears a striking resemblance to last year's iPhone 4.
WP7 launch disappointing, boring for users
In an interview with Pocket-lint, LG, marketing strategy and planning team director James Choi said of Microsoft's Windows Phone 7, "from an industry perspective we had a high expectation, but from a consumer point of view the visibility is less than we expected."
Choi added, "LG has been closely collaborating with Microsoft from the beginning. What we feel is that it is absolutely perfect for a huge segment out there. What we feel is that some people believe that some operating systems, mainly Google, are extremely complicated for them. But Windows Phone 7 is very intuitive and easy to use.?
"One of the problems," the report noted, "is that some believe that the OS is so easy to use that it?s a bit boring."
Choi himself said that, "for tech guys like us it might be a little bit boring after a week or two, but there are certain segments that it really appeals to. We strongly feel that it has a strong potential even though the first push wasn?t what everyone expected?.
Microsoft has been cagey in talking about the launch of Windows Phone 7, even as its own developers "suggest that you think of Windows Phone 7 development as a hobby or a learning experience."
Microsoft itself has described the Windows Phone 7 launch as "inline with our expectations," even while describing shipments that could only barely fill out global channel inventory.
LG still strong on Microsoft
LG appears to be the first licensee to openly call Windows Phone 7 a serious disappointment, but it isn't ready to abandon Microsoft yet because it has few alternatives, lacking even its own recognizable mobile platform in contrast to Samsung's Bada, RIM's BlackBerry, or HP's Palm/webOS.
The phone maker was led down a rabbit hole in 2009 with Windows Mobile 6.5, a year when LG took over the lead role in promoting Windows Mobile in what the Washington Post described at the time "an enhanced partnership" with Microsoft.
"Microsoft said it will also be working closer with LG, a company it had agreed to a partnership with in advance. LG is committing to developing 50 new Windows Mobile phones by the end of 2012 and both companies, Microsoft and LG, are committing to increasing their investment in Windows Mobile by five-fold," the report said at the time.
After Windows Mobile continued to collapse in 2009 and was replaced with Windows Phone 7 in late 2010, LG continued to support the new platform as a top licensee, even as its chief executive Nam Yong stepped down due to big losses; LG had erased 30 percent of its mobile share over the previous three years.
LG not sold on Android, expects WP7 to serve low end
LG can't give up on Microsoft because that would limit it in smartphones to solely being an Android licensee, which LG does not want to become.
?From a vendor perspective having that balance [of smartphone platforms] is critical," Choi said. "Being dependent on one OS is not beneficial for us. That?s the same with not just the manufacturers, but the operators as well.
"There is a need and demand from the operators saying there is too much ?Android? in the portfolio. In that sense LG always tries to balance our portfolio, and that?s not just in sense of hardware but OSes as well.?
Choi said that "there is a lot of skepticism at the moment, but once Windows Phone 7 handsets that are mid-tier to low tier start appearing the market share will grow. Right now it?s only exclusively present in a high tier, because of its hardware requirements, and that?s limiting growth."
LG struggles to copy Apple
In early 2007, LG was highlighting its Adobe Flash lite-based Prada phone, a model it later claimed Apple had copied in its design of the original iPhone, even as it had long aped Apple's iPod design in its popular Verizon Chocolate feature phone.
In 2009, LG released the LG-GM730, a Windows Mobile 6.5 bearing a striking resemblance to Apple's original iPhone. This year, the company is planning to release the Android-based Optimus X2, its first high end smartphone. It bears a striking resemblance to last year's iPhone 4.
Comments
Fix the graphic at the end of the post.
The android system is a perfect example of what happens where there are too many players in a given team. Everyone wants a shot, but no one gets any serious time on the field. The market is literally dumping so many Android phones out there that it is in essence confusing Joe-consumer with an onslaught of choice, different configurations, and all of it is a mess. Factor in the cheap-plastic, flimsy construction and it's back to the same self-destructive cycle.
And then there's the iPhone. One phone, looking really nice by itself. Clean, simple, built like a tank, and just waiting for you.
No contest. Let the rest of the folks battle for the bottom of the barrel. It's very sad actually.
They define consumer confusion.
The Android market is indeed a mess because there are two many similar phones to chose from. And, LG planned to contribute to the same mess by producing some 50 new, and presumably distinct, Windows 7 phone models between from 2009/10 thru 2012.
They define consumer confusion.
The interesting thing that came from the article is that according to LG the carriers have taken note of how similar many of the android devices are and are not keen on it. This is understandable, they want to offer their customers genuine choice. This has the potential to limit one of the biggest advantages android has ... marketing ... it has lots of manufacturers pushing it, whereas apple only has one.
No surprises here really. Windows7 literally was "doomed" to begin with. Ballmer is trying to start the race literally years after Apple kickstarted it back in 2007. Their marketing ads are a disappointment to say the least.
The android system is a perfect example of what happens where there are too many players in a given team. Everyone wants a shot, but no one gets any serious time on the field. The market is literally dumping so many Android phones out there that it is in essence confusing Joe-consumer with an onslaught of choice, different configurations, and all of it is a mess. Factor in the cheap-plastic, flimsy construction and it's back to the same self-destructive cycle.
And then there's the iPhone. One phone, looking really nice by itself. Clean, simple, built like a tank, and just waiting for you.
No contest. Let the rest of the folks battle for the bottom of the barrel. It's very sad actually.
I think this article and the source are being too harsh on WP7. Remember that WM6 held onto about 10% of the smartphone market in 2010 and even though it did drop they never had that much to begin with and WP7 was definitely known. I think WP7 is pretty damn good for MS software and I?d choose it over Android if I couldn?t use an iPhone. I think we need to wait and see how the next couple quarters are before we see what will happen to WP7 in the market. They are certainly better off than RiM right now with an antiquated BB OS and their PlayBook OS which doesn?t seem to be viable for a smartphone for some time to come.
The interesting thing that came from the article is that according to LG the carriers have taken note of how similar many of the android devices are and are not keen on it. This is understandable, they want to offer their customers genuine choice. This has the potential to limit one of the biggest advantages android has ... marketing ... it has lots of manufacturers pushing it, whereas apple only has one.
Exactly. Producing 50 models in 2-3 years exacerbates the problem.
Instead, producing 8-10 new models over the same period of time allows a manufacturer to produce new models that are clearly differentiated. Seems to me they complain about the problem yet continue to repeat the same steps that led to the problem.
Defined as insanity.
I have switched to wp7 but when I did I didn't get the feeling that it was so much better, more that it was the same experiance. However after using it for over a month and then using an iPhone again the difference was huge. The small screen of the iPhone just looked cramped, made even worse by space being taken up by back buttons, the icons just look a mess where nothing gets categorised in any way. Even when you make a folder for games you can't fit them all in there. If you want to find anything out like your next meetings you have to open the app rather than just looking at the lock screen or tile.
In many ways I've found MS have made there os better with lots of subtle features, but you can't stick them on an advert. So its probably going to be a while before its a success. However just remember people hated vista but love windows 7, but there's not that much difference between them. So the next version could do a lot better.
I'm puzzled why MS don't put WP7 on their tablets - surely its smarter than trying to bolt on Windows?
Answering myself: I suppose it might be because MS want their tablets to have a large portfolio of software available at launch, and that means the only OS choice for them is Windows. If that's right then we can expect WP7 tablets once WP7 apps are developed.
Answering myself: I suppose it might be because MS want their tablets to have a large portfolio of software available at launch, and that means the only OS choice for them is Windows. If that's right then we can expect WP7 tablets once WP7 apps are developed.
Hopefully MS is following Apple, RiM and Google by not releasing a mobile OS for tablets that aren't designed for the device's main I/O.
It's interesting looking at the last 3 years of evolution in the mobile space. Outside of RIM (and to an extent, HP), everyone has shifted to Android for the their flagship products. No doubt this has been in response to Apple's success with the iPhone. And in their desperation, Motorola, HTC, Samsung, et al, turned to Google, which held Android as a free and competitive alternative to Apple.
As these companies become more and more dependent on Google, they run the risk of having nothing left to differentiate themselves from each other other than through custom skins (blegh!) or hardware features. And from what I hear, Google is looking to Android 3.0 to begin reigning in all those custom skins in order to promote a more uniform, orderly, stock Android UI. Slowly but surely, Android is looking more and more like the Windows of the mobile world, and I'm not entirely convinced that that is a good thing for the mobile space, and certainly not a good thing for the manufacturers. Apple's ownership of the entire iEcosystem from software to hardware means they are can innovate when they want/need to and are never tied to another company's software release schedule (looking at you Galaxy Tab). Opening up to additional wireless carriers also means they are less and less tied to the physical network as well. Eliminating outside dependencies is a good thing.
I feel like so many manufacturers are throwing themselves into the fire without even realizing it.
No surprises here really. Windows7 literally was "doomed" to begin with. Ballmer is trying to start the race literally years after Apple kickstarted it back in 2007. Their marketing ads are a disappointment to say the least.
The android system is a perfect example of what happens where there are too many players in a given team. Everyone wants a shot, but no one gets any serious time on the field. The market is literally dumping so many Android phones out there that it is in essence confusing Joe-consumer with an onslaught of choice, different configurations, and all of it is a mess. Factor in the cheap-plastic, flimsy construction and it's back to the same self-destructive cycle.
And then there's the iPhone. One phone, looking really nice by itself. Clean, simple, built like a tank, and just waiting for you.
No contest. Let the rest of the folks battle for the bottom of the barrel. It's very sad actually.
WOW.....POETIC
No contest. Let the rest of the folks battle for the bottom of the barrel. It's very sad actually.
Truest, and most telling comment of the day.
The interesting thing that came from the article is that according to LG the carriers have taken note of how similar many of the android devices are and are not keen on it. This is understandable, they want to offer their customers genuine choice. This has the potential to limit one of the biggest advantages android has ... marketing ... it has lots of manufacturers pushing it, whereas apple only has one.
Who is 'they'? And how do you conclude 'they' want offer 'genuine choice' rather than being clueless, randomly throwing things at the wall and seeing what sticks?
I think it's the latter.
Could DED be banned from writing for AppleInsider? Please. He's a disgrace to this website with his immature fanboy-ness. Apple may make great products, but they are not the center of the universe no matter how much the author wants us to believe. Get over it.
DED is the only reason I visit AI
In 2009, LG released the LG-GM730, a Windows Mobile 6.5 bearing a striking resemblance to Apple's original iPhone. This year, the company is planning to release the Android-based Optimus X2, its first high end smartphone. It bears a striking resemblance to last year's iPhone 4.
This is the type of crap that Daniel likes to write, if you are making a candy bar touch screen phone there is a very limited number of ways they can look
Could DED be banned from writing for AppleInsider? Please. He's a disgrace to this website with his immature fanboy-ness. Apple may make great products, but they are not the center of the universe no matter how much the author wants us to believe. Get over it.
I could not agree more. He is trashing this site with his super biased garbage. I come to this site less and less, and I know exactly when he writes something just from the title.