The Windows Phone 7 devices were released in the US on November 8, and it seems that sales estimates are already sparking controversy for Microsoft and their new operating system. One particular analyst told The Street that just 40,000 handsets have been sold on the launch day, and although Microsoft has declined to comment on the numbers, if they are true then Microsoft will have a lot of catching up to do with the big-shots Google and Apple (with Android and iOS respectively). To compare the sales to it’s main two competitors; Google was selling approximately 200,000 handsets a day last month and Apple was selling around 270,000 iPhones a day.
Multiple attributes have been pinned onto the reason why handset sales may be so low. Analyst Michael Cote said that “in the phone world, our surveys show that there should be a choice between A or B” suggesting that Microsoft’s tactic of having such a huge range of phones on the release has overwhelmed the market, causing confusion amongst consumers. Microsoft had a total of nine debut devices for their operating system, but only four of these released in the US were on any sort of network.
Cote has also said that their decision to release the Windows Phone 7 devices on a Monday was a bad idea, with releases on a Friday or Saturday usually being the most successful. There has also been word on shortages of devices with the HTC HD7 selling out incredibly quickly, the Dell Venue Pro being very limited in numbers, and rumoured shortages of the Samsung Focus.
It could just be an unfortunate start for Microsoft, with potential of an explosion of sales over the shopping season, but if this kind of figure remains consistent, Microsoft could find themselves trampled on by their competition in the coming months.
Via: Slash Gear, Geeky Gadgets