The Windows Phone’s Canary in the Coal Mine
Speaking of Windows Phone 8, former Windows Phone general manager Charlie Kindel had an interesting piece in GeekWire this week.
Bringing up the importance of co-marketing (that is, insuring the carriers push certain products in stores), Kindel writes:
But I do know the way you can tell if it is working or not is to go to the carriers’ stores once WP8 phones are actually available and ask the RSPs what phone you should buy. Heck, even handicap them by saying “I hear Windows Phone is great. Help me pick one out.”
If they steer you to a WP8 device then the air is clear. The canary is happily chirping. Coal mining can continue. Sales will skyrocket.
If they steer you to an iPhone or Android device then I’m sorry, but that’s the equivalent of the canary lying feet up in the bottom of the cage.
This may be different if Microsoft had a significant presence with their own retail stores, like Apple. But they don’t. Not yet, anyway. So they really do have to rely on the carriers to push their products. That didn’t happen with Windows Phone 7…
