Verizon Wireless to Throw Its Support Behind Next Generation of Windows Phone Discussion

[Grant Hatchimonji]

Microsoft may not be seeing much success with its Windows Phone platform, but Verizon Wireless is prepared to back Windows Phone 8 upon its release later this year, just in time for the 2012 holiday shopping season.

Read the full content of this Article: Verizon Wireless to Throw Its Support Behind Next Generation of Windows Phone

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[Ed Hardy]

Let me back-up something mentioned in the article: before Verizon put its marketing muscle behind the first Motorola Droid way back in 2009, Android was kind of struggling. I know it seems hard to believe now, but the first crop of Android-based smartphones didn't do all that well. The "Droid Does" campaign from Verizon created a huge amount of buzz, and the rest, as they say, is history.

The same thing could potentially happen again with Windows Phone.
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[Hook]

I agree, that's exactly what happened with Android. This is what had to happen for Windows Phone. Whether it results in the same success will depend on a number of things, but if Verizon really throws its advertizing might behind it, at least in the US, Windows Phone will really have a shot.

[Mi An]

I know it seems hard to believe now, but the first crop of Android-based smartphones didn't do all that well.

Not for bh posters. I've always pointed this out when discussing the first crop of Android-based tablets -- also not particularly successful.

One significant difference between then and now is that now Verizon has the iPhone. Then, they clung to nearly matured Android to stem a tide of discontent, they needed it as much as it needed them. Now, Microsoft is really going to have to make it worth their while to get the same kind of commitment. I imagine, given how deeply MS invested in Nokia, they are going to be willing to put their money where their mouth is.

[Adama D. Brown]

Let me back-up something mentioned in the article: before Verizon put its marketing muscle behind the first Motorola Droid way back in 2009, Android was kind of struggling. I know it seems hard to believe now, but the first crop of Android-based smartphones didn't do all that well. The "Droid Does" campaign from Verizon created a huge amount of buzz, and the rest, as they say, is history.

You can still see this in the extent to which "Droid" and "Android" are still synonymous in the public mind, at least when it comes to smartphones. I've more than once been asked "Is that a Droid?" even when it's not a Motorola or Verizon phone.

[Mitlov]

Not for bh posters. I've always pointed this out when discussing the first crop of Android-based tablets -- also not particularly successful.

One significant difference between then and now is that now Verizon has the iPhone. Then, they clung to nearly matured Android to stem a tide of discontent, they needed it as much as it needed them. Now, Microsoft is really going to have to make it worth their while to get the same kind of commitment. I imagine, given how deeply MS invested in Nokia, they are going to be willing to put their money where their mouth is.

AT&T is deeply invested in the iPhone too, but they also have made the Lumia 900 a priority. I think Verizon was caught off guard by how well the Lumia 900 has done for AT&T so far and now wants a piece of that pie.

[Varjak]

The reason, as best as I can recall, why Android got off to somewhat of a faltering start is that it was restricted to T-Mobile and the G1. The G1 was definitely innovative and had its merits; but it was a peashooter compared to the iPhone (for some real reasons, and some ephemeral ones). Nothing against T-Mobile, they also have been quite innovative; but they have a tiny footprint and minuscule resources compared to ATT and Verizon, and even Sprint; so starting Android there had its drawbacks. Of course, a modest start avoided direct competition with iPhone when Android was in its infancy, and also it avoided the possibility of a debacle if the first product was seriously flawed (which it turned out NOT to be).

[rkevwill]

they have a few bucks from the ATT fiasco though

[Mi An]

AT&T is deeply invested in the iPhone too, but they also have made the Lumia 900 a priority. I think Verizon was caught off guard by how well the Lumia 900 has done for AT&T so far and now wants a piece of that pie.

They haven't made it the type of priority that Verizon made Droid when it was their flagship branding to combat the ATT exclusive iphone. Lumia 900 sales aren't THAT good. It's going to take a sweetheart deal to get the same marketing muscle, that's all I'm saying.

I do think Verizon might be pondering how successful a windows 8 arm tablet might be, and I would imagine that's part of the negotiations. An Asus Transformer with windows, even ARM windows, might be a very compelling option to enterprise.

[Mitlov]

I do think Verizon might be pondering how successful a windows 8 arm tablet might be, and I would imagine that's part of the negotiations. An Asus Transformer with windows, even ARM windows, might be a very compelling option to enterprise.

Yeah, I've also thought about how amazing a Transformer with Windows 8 would be. And Nokia and Asus have both announced they're working on Windows 8 tablets, if I recall correctly.