[Chiranjeeb Jena]

Three Reasons:

1. MS said the reason behind the Surface Tablet is to show the OEMS how to build a true iPad Competitor. becz OEMS were not making innovative hardware. BUT in case of WP it's not an issue both Nokia & HTC managed to create some beautiful hardware. The Only problem is the OS it self. MS needs to push the envelope forward and bring some cool & never before existed functions to the platform.

2. I said it before & I will say it again. If Surface phone comes to market then it will hv the pleasure of unique Hardware nothing more becz MS can't develop/bring unique apps to Surface phone only ... that will ruin their own ecosystem. OEMs can do it becz they need to differentiate themselves from each other.

3. If MS thinks to create a NEXUS for WP with Surface Brand then they can do it. I m sure they will sell it through their own retail & online stores to push updates faster without any career hassle but these stores are not present in every country. That said like Nexus4/7, Surface also can't penetrate global market where Nokia & Samsung rules.

[spaulagain]

Cool story bro...

But if its anything like the Surface tablets, it will be an amazing device.

[TechAbstract]

More devices the better for WP.

[HNNNNNGHHH]

I see the point you're making, OP. While a Surface branded WP device would seem like a foolish decision, it doesn't mean that it's not likely to be successful.

For example, Google's own Nexus Android phone line has seen success and was created by the likes of HTC, Samsung, and LG. Perhaps Microsoft could incorporate that strategy with their Surface devices, with Nokia or HTC as the potential hardware suppliers for the line.

[phonohead]

Perhaps Microsoft could incorporate that strategy with their Surface devices, with Nokia or HTC as the potential hardware suppliers for the line.

Isn't that kinda what Nokia already represents?

[ammarmalik2011]

If Google can do it with their Nexus phones I see no reason why Microsoft can't.

[jdhooghe]

More competition is always good.

[WPhantom]

If Google can do it with their Nexus phones I see no reason why Microsoft can't.

Ideology behind nexus phones is to experience stock Android not sell phones by Google. Samsung and HTC customize Android heavily, it's totally like a new OS.

[phonohead]

Ideology behind nexus phones is to experience stock Android not sell phones by Google. Samsung and HTC customize Android heavily, it's totally like a new OS.

A surface phone would be like any WP8 version, except [exclusive] apps from Nokia/HTC/Samsung - which can easily be uninstalled making your pretty 'stock', eh?

[ilifecomputer]

Day 1 buy for me when it comes out.

[Axefield]

Ideology behind nexus phones is to experience stock Android not sell phones by Google.

No it's not. The ideology behind nexus is to be a developer device. And that is not really needed in WP ecosystem as all the devices already are pure WP(nexus) devices.

[WinFan1]

If Ms created a WP device I would get it but I do think that they would handicap Nokia and ain't nobody got time for that.

[Nikumba]

I think Google is sucessful with its Nexus phones for a few reasosn

1) Cheaper SIM free than other manufacturers.

2) The big one vanilla android, nothing messed about with and updates as Google release them. If you have an S3 you have to wait for Google to release the new OS, then Samsung to fart about with it, then release it.

I think a Surface phone from MS would be pretty good, but what they should be doing is getting more behind nokia, as they are poised to flood the market at every level with a WP device, so MS I think should be pushing their OS more, though in the past traditionally MS do not really do marketing.

[Chiranjeeb Jena]

Microsoft can do a surface phone with an OEM. HTC may be becz they are not doing well. (Nokia is fine with Lumia)
This way they will strengthen the ecosystem.
but if they do it by their own then they will break the ecosystem.

[Winning Guy]

If MS were to make a Surface Phone, it would be to fulfill a market demand that is being ignored by OEMs. Unlike with PCs, NS doesn't have to create something to "set the bar" because Nokia is already doing that.

However, no WP OEM is making a truly business-focused handset. Something like the Dell Venue Pro, but for WP8.

WP market share isn't large enough for OEMs to target niche markets. Even if it's a large niche.

[tgp]

If Google can do it with their Nexus phones I see no reason why Microsoft can't.

True, but Google's advantage is that their OS's market share is over 70%, compared to MS's 3%. Google also priced the phone much lower than the competitors, selling it at break-even or even a loss. (I don't know if anyone outside really knows for sure).

[astraith]

If Google can do it with their Nexus phones I see no reason why Microsoft can't.

You aren't understanding. MS Surface wasn't designed by someone else. It was made by MS. Nexus is designed by Google and a partner.I think MS should make a Nexus, but design with someone. Start with Samsung. Why? Because maybe you could gain more support for WP with Samsung if you take some of the risk. At some point, I would also make a Nexus with Nokia, HTC and anyone else who wants to.But out right designing their own phone could scare away partners. You don't want that.

[astraith]

If MS were to make a Surface Phone, it would be to fulfill a market demand that is being ignored by OEMs. Unlike with PCs, NS doesn't have to create something to "set the bar" because Nokia is already doing that.However, no WP OEM is making a truly business-focused handset. Something like the Dell Venue Pro, but for WP8. WP market share isn't large enough for OEMs to target niche markets. Even if it's a large niche.

Now that wouldn't be a bad idea.

[martinmc78]

Personally I dont think it will ever happen.

MS used the Surface RT and Pro as an exercise to prove to OEM's that they could do it better than any of them if they needed to and they succeeded. The sales numbers arent great but then they are kept constantly in low stock and as exclusives so not to harm other OEM's profits which would of course be a massive mistake.


When it comes to the Surface phone I dont think its any more than a threat. The possibility is there for MS to do it, every phone OEM knows that they could if they wanted to and it would sell. I think that if Nokia and HTC had only come out with one device each then maybe they would have forced the issue. But with the lumia range as it is now, the two HTC devices and the new one on the way bringing out a surface phone doesnt make sense. Its not going to significantly boost market share and will only detract from what nokia and HTC are already doing.

In an ideal world - If MS had come straight out at Surface launch with the philosophy of Apple then things might have been different. Launch the Surface RT and Surface phone and make them available everywhere, in huge numbers, cut out everyone and try to be dominant. Then launch the Pro around the holidays with the addition of a Surface all in one Desktop.

Unfortunately for a company that predominantly provides software, I think MS have done all they can at the moment and i dont see a surface phone coming along while Nokia and HTC are doing a fairly good job by themselves.

[Paladinleeds]

Personally I dont think it will ever happen.

MS used the Surface RT and Pro as an exercise to prove to OEM's that they could do it better than any of them if they needed to and they succeeded. The sales numbers arent great but then they are kept constantly in low stock and as exclusives so not to harm other OEM's profits which would of course be a massive mistake.


When it comes to the Surface phone I dont think its any more than a threat. The possibility is there for MS to do it, every phone OEM knows that they could if they wanted to and it would sell. I think that if Nokia and HTC had only come out with one device each then maybe they would have forced the issue. But with the lumia range as it is now, the two HTC devices and the new one on the way bringing out a surface phone doesnt make sense. Its not going to significantly boost market share and will only detract from what nokia and HTC are already doing.

In an ideal world - If MS had come straight out at Surface launch with the philosophy of Apple then things might have been different. Launch the Surface RT and Surface phone and make them available everywhere, in huge numbers, cut out everyone and try to be dominant. Then launch the Pro around the holidays with the addition of a Surface all in one Desktop.

Unfortunately for a company that predominantly provides software, I think MS have done all they can at the moment and i dont see a surface phone coming along while Nokia and HTC are doing a fairly good job by themselves.

However the S-Phone could always target a niche. That way it doesn't detract from what Nokia and HTC have done. All the phones are touch screen slabs. What about keyboards for those that want them. Xbox Phone? There are options they could take without angering Nokia or HTC.

[martinmc78]

However the S-Phone could always target a niche. That way it doesn't detract from what Nokia and HTC have done. All the phones are touch screen slabs. What about keyboards for those that want them. Xbox Phone? There are options they could take without angering Nokia or HTC.

I see what your getting at but why? You cant target a niche when your OS is technically a niche in itself. If WP had 40-50% market share then yes, target a niche, as it stands I see the R&D, production, marketting and distribution costs being too much for MS. Blackberry has the keyboard phone niche tied up with their 3% marketshare and an xbox phone doesnt make practical sense Sony have been pushing handheld gaming for years and aside from the original PSP they have all been flops. The Vita may see a resurgence with the tie in its supposed to have with the PS4 but those tie ins are mostly already available with the PS3.

[pseudoware]

Based on history, Microsoft will implement the worst possible strategy for this.

I'll be 1st in line on release day to buy it...







The kick-a$$ Nexus phone made by Nokia, this is!

[HNNNNNGHHH]

Isn't that kinda what Nokia already represents?

Even though it could represent that very thing already, the Lumia line of WP smartphones is Nokia exclusive, not Microsoft. Also, one does not simply say that the Lumia phones are the flagships for Windows Phone, knowing that there aren't much distinguishable software features besides exclusive apps, software-affiliated camera enhancements, and the usual hardware differences between devices from the same brand or from a different one.

[Phone Guy 4567]

I see what your getting at but why? You cant target a niche when your OS is technically a niche in itself. If WP had 40-50% market share then yes, target a niche, as it stands I see the R&D, production, marketting and distribution costs being too much for MS. Blackberry has the keyboard phone niche tied up with their 3% marketshare and an xbox phone doesnt make practical sense Sony have been pushing handheld gaming for years and aside from the original PSP they have all been flops. The Vita may see a resurgence with the tie in its supposed to have with the PS4 but those tie ins are mostly already available with the PS3.

This is right on the money.

For a niche product to succeed the market share has to be huge, or a small market share has to be willing to pay big bucks for the product. If Windows Phone was selling well do you think Samsung wouldn't be pumping out WP like they do Android, of course they would. I doubt there are a significant number of potential customers waiting for MS to come out with a surface phone. All a surface phone would do is eat into the already pitiful money HTC makes from WP, & to a lesser extent Nokia because they receive money from MS.

[jhoff80]

I think the biggest reason that Microsoft might do this is that they don't want "Lumia" branding to overtake "Windows Phone" branding. (Which, in my mind, is also the same reason that the HTC 8X is actually named the HTC Windows Phone 8X, and why it's the supposed WP8 'Signature' device).

People are starting to associate Windows Phone more with Nokia than Microsoft, and that's just not a good thing for Microsoft. The de-emphasis of the Windows parts of it make things more difficult for all of Microsoft's other OEMs, not just Microsoft themselves. How is someone supposed to sell a Ativ-S or whatever, when all anybody knows is Lumia?

So, I wouldn't be shocked if Microsoft moves ahead with it. On the PC side, they had a different reason; OEMs were just putting out garbage. I don't see that as being the case with phones, but they still might feel the need to enter the market anyway.