Pender's Blog

Blog archive

Windows Phone 7 Not a Total Disaster

Huh. We could have sworn that Windows Phone 7 was going to be another Microsoft laughing stock following in the rich tradition of Vista and the Kin phone. We might have even mentioned something to that effect in this space once or twice.

Well, as it turns out, we were wrong. No, really! Microsoft doesn't exactly have an iPhone rival yet, but it did ship 2 million units last quarter. Hey, that's not bad at all, even though units shipped doesn't necessarily mean units sold.

Still, people like Windows Phone 7. Customer satisfaction is way up, and the mobile operating system looks like a legitimate alternative to the iPhone and Android--even though Windows Phone 7 is still way behind them in sales and probably in functionality as well.

Everything considered, this is a bright spot for Microsoft, a giant that has let categories such as mobile phone and tablet computers slip away to competitors in recent years. Yeah, OK, the bar was low here to begin with. But given that the Kin might have had a sales number in the single digits without the word "million" (or even "thousand"...or "hundred?") attached to it, Windows 7 is an unexpected and welcome success.

Have you used a Windows Phone 7 device? What do you think of it? Sound off at [email protected].

Posted by Lee Pender on January 27, 2011


Featured

  • Report: Cost, Sustainability Drive DaaS Adoption Beyond Remote Work

    Gartner's 2025 Magic Quadrant for Desktop as a Service reveals that while secure remote access remains a key driver of DaaS adoption, a growing number of deployments now focus on broader efficiency goals.

  • Windows 365 Reserve, Microsoft's Cloud PC Rental Service, Hits Preview

    Microsoft has launched a limited public preview of its new "Windows 365 Reserve" service, which lets organizations rent cloud PC instances in the event their Windows devices are stolen, lost or damaged.

  • Hands-On AI Skills Now Outshine Certs in Salary Stakes

    For AI-related roles, employers are prioritizing verifiable, hands-on abilities over framed certificates -- and they're paying a premium for it.

  • Roadblocks in Enterprise AI: Data and Skills Shortfalls Could Cost Millions

    Businesses risk losing up to $87 million a year if they fail to catch up with AI innovation, according to the Couchbase FY 2026 CIO AI Survey released this month.