[a5cent]

I've read a few times, in the media and in these forums, that HTC is Microsoft's "Signature Windows Phone" partner.

Allegedly, Microsoft granted this title to HTC, because HTC was willing to brand their devices as Windows Phones, as in "HTC Windows Phone 8x". Nokia wasn't willing to do that, as they prefer to promote their Lumia brand. At least that is what I remember reading. From this I concluded, that this title is purely honorary in nature. I'm unaware that this title carries any weight or has any consequences.

Now, since MWC, a lot of people have voiced disappointed with HTC. Mainly due to HTC's inability or unwillingness to bring the technology from their HTC One over to WP. In the wake of that disappointment, I've seen more than one person state that this title should be revoked.

1. Does anybody know what this title really means? Is it as inconsequential as I understand it to be, or am I missing something?
2. Understandably, Nokia will focus on their Lumia brand. Assuming this is purely a branding matter, does it not make sense for HTC, who is promoting Microsoft's brand of "Windows Phone", to retain that title?

What do you think?

[cgk]

Is it as inconsequential as I understand it to be, or am I missing something?

No you are missing nothing, it means nothing.

[aubreyq]

100% agree with CGK. That was all done to create buzz and marketing for the launch of the 8X and 8S. It probably stopped meaning anything the moment the phones shipped. Also, I believe the "signature" moniker was applicable to the actual phones and NOT HTC itself. Still, it means nothing.

[a5cent]

Also, I believe the "signature" moniker was applicable to the actual phones and NOT HTC itself. Still, it means nothing.

Okay, missed that.

In that case, I assume HTC's devices were advertised as being Signature Windows Phones, at least in a few places? I have yet to see a single advertisement for a HTC Windows Phone.

[aubreyq]

Okay, missed that.

In that case, I assume HTC's devices were advertised as being Signature Windows Phones, at least in a few places? I have yet to see a single advertisement for a HTC Windows Phone.

To clarify, I'm not 100% sure the "signature" moniker applies to the hardware, but that is my recollection. There's probably been some marketing using the "signature" line but I sure can't remember it. Perhaps it was done in a subtle way, which would make the whole point of having a "signature" line moot. It all reinforces the fact that the whole "signature" thing was a wasted effort.

Off topic: The WP8 marketing appears to be weak so far, at least in the US. I still see the Stefani and Alba commercials but I really don't know if it's selling Windows Phones in the US.

[sravanv]

I thought "Signature" was supposed to mean the cleanest Windows experience possible? They do the same thing on certain laptops, but others don't have them. Someone told me once that the non-Signature laptops come with bloatware.

Also didn't HTC 8x, for the most part, get the updates first? Signature could have something to do with that? I don't know.

[cgk]

If nobody here can remember how or even if ​it was used in marketing - well that tells you everything you need to know.

[stmav]

If nobody here can remember how or even if ​it was used in marketing - well that tells you everything you need to know.

That pretty much sums it up.

[berty6294]

I thought "Signature" was supposed to mean the cleanest Windows experience possible? They do the same thing on certain laptops, but others don't have them. Someone told me once that the non-Signature laptops come with bloatware.

Also didn't HTC 8x, for the most part, get the updates first? Signature could have something to do with that? I don't know.

idk bout everybody else, but I know for a fact Verizon 8x was last.

[aubreyq]

idk bout everybody else, but I know for a fact Verizon 8x was last.

Yep! Tells you how the carriers are still part of the update problem.

[BeaverJuicer]

HTC was "Signature"
Nokia was "Flagship"
Samsung was "Unreleased"

Nobody else had WP8 phones to release at launch.

[sravanv]

idk bout everybody else, but I know for a fact Verizon 8x was last.

Has the 822 been updated to Portico yet? Aren't there still some international Lumias that haven't been updated?

[a5cent]

Yep! Tells you how the carriers are still part of the update problem.

With WP7 we at least had the ability to force an update, if we were willing to employ a few tricks. Since WP8, consumers are completely at carriers mercy. Carrier's aren't just "still" a problem. I think the carriers are now a bigger problem than they ever were.

[a5cent]

HTC was "Signature"
Nokia was "Flagship"
Samsung was "Unreleased"

Nobody else had WP8 phones to release at launch.

I think that "flagship" designation just emerged out of WP community discussions. Had Samsung released their Ativ S in more places, surely we would also have called that a flagship phone, no? The "Signature" designation was much more official, as it was used by both HTC and Microsoft when HTC announced their WP8 line up.

[aubreyq]

With WP7 we at least had the ability to force an update, if we were willing to employ a few tricks. Since WP8, consumers are completely at carriers mercy. Carrier's aren't just "still" a problem. I think the carriers are now a bigger problem than they ever were.

True, true. It was sweet being able to do the Zune cable trick *sniff-sniff*

[BeaverJuicer]

I think that "flagship" designation just emerged out of WP community discussions. Had Samsung released their Ativ S in more places, surely we would also have called that a flagship phone, no? The "Signature" designation was much more official, as it was used by both HTC and Microsoft when HTC announced their WP8 line up.

That may be... I just did a search of the Windows Phone 8X by HTC page on windowsphone.com, and the word Signature does not appear anywhere on the page.

[omniusovermind]

Of course I knew Nokia would get everyone's vote but there's one issue that really concerns me about this trend. It's already playing out over on Android. Samsung have managed to brand themselves so much now that Google has publicly admitted they're concerned about people now equating Android AS Samsung. They're right to dislike this situation because other than us, the geeks who populate these websites, there are actually quite a few consumers who don't even pay attention to the OS, they pay attention to what Brand logo is sitting on the device. "I bought a Samsung phone" or "what kind of smartphone is that? Is that a Samsung phone?" are phrases I've heard from not one, but every single person I've run across who wasn't into tech. Google's concern is that Samsung can use this influence to demand concessions from them that no other Android OEM has the power to do, or asking for a bigger cut of Google's Ad profits with the implied threat of branching off with their own Tizen OS and taking all the "Samsung phone" customers with them.

Should history repeat itself with Nokia being seen as the defacto WP8 phone (which is already happening), it's not at all far fetched to see an eventual situation where your average Joe/Jane walks into the store to buy a "Nokia Phone" regardless of what OS's UI is sitting on it. If MS wasn't at least keeping this in mind, I doubt very much they would've bothered with Surface and just let Nokia and others manufacture them like they've done with PC's. Microsoft isn't threatened about their branding on PC's because that's already so deeply entrenched for decades now that no single OEM could ever hope to emerge to the point where people don't know very well that their OS is Windows. That's not true in the mobile space.

Personally I think all WP8 manufacturers should be forced to not only slap the existing windows logo as the capacitive button already there, but have a big fat "Microsoft WP8" splashscreen at boot up instead of Nokia/HTC/Samsung

[a5cent]

That may be... I just did a search of the Windows Phone 8X by HTC page on windowsphone.com, and the word Signature does not appear anywhere on the page.

Yeah, you're right. I found the term on HTC's official press release. The term can also be found sprinkled across the web (youtube, blogs, etc).

[berty6294]

Yeah, you're right. I found the term on HTC's official press release. The term can also be found sprinkled across the web (youtube, blogs, etc).

I remember reading numerous tweets and Facebook status's from both HTC and Microsoft saying that the 8x and 8s are signature Windows Phones. I remember for sure that Microsoft said it first.

[aubreyq]

Yeah, you're right. I found the term on HTC's official press release. The term can also be found sprinkled across the web (youtube, blogs, etc).

Thanks. So essentially the 8S and 8X are the "first of many" signature Windows Phones to come from HTC. Still, if the customer can't tell what he's getting when he buys a "signature" phone (especially if the term is not marketed heavily), then the whole thing is a waste of time.

[Huime]

I think that "flagship" designation just emerged out of WP community discussions. Had Samsung released their Ativ S in more places, surely we would also have called that a flagship phone, no? The "Signature" designation was much more official, as it was used by both HTC and Microsoft when HTC announced their WP8 line up.

you can always force an update with Nokia phone with care suite tool, but if you have some other brands you are pretty much ****ed.

[a5cent]

you can always force an update with Nokia phone with care suite tool, but if you have some other brands you are pretty much ****ed.

Yeah. I decided not to mention that, because from everything I've heard and seen, Nokia is about to shut that option down as well, if they haven't already done so (haven't used it in a while).

[a5cent]

Of course I knew Nokia would get everyone's vote but there's one issue that really concerns me about this trend. <snipped>

It currently stands at 9:4, so there are yet far too few votes. Still, that is 30% in favour of retaining, which is more than HTC's slice of the WP pie.

I haven't yet voted.

If the moniker serves the purpose of promoting "Windows Phone" as opposed to Lumia, then I absolutely see the case for retaining the title, for all the reasons you mentioned. However, I don't understand how the title "Signature Phone" relates to the term "Windows Phone". I expected that U.S. media market participants could explain it to me, but apparently not.

Based on the comments, it appears that only us geeks attribute any meaning to that title. I say that because the term does pop up every so often in the forums. Recently I've seen quite a few references to it. The thing is, even if that title truly is without meaning and consequence, it still triggers an emotional reaction in many people. It appears to imply that HTC is the only one making "real" windows phones. If that is all it achieves, then I think Microsoft and HTC should get rid of the moniker just as formally as it was introduced. This is what I'm leaning towards.

I'd be interested in the opinion of those who think HTC should retain that title.