5 Reasons Why Nokia’s Lumia 920 AT&T Exclusive Is Dumb

It has a breakthrough tv camera , wireless charging and a gorgeous screen . And it ’s headed to AT&T – and only AT&T. When I pick up the news show that theLumia 920 , Nokia ’s flagship Windows Phone 8 gimmick , was going to be single to one carrier , I felt compelled to tweet the followers . “ I do n’t believe that ’s beneficial for Windows Phone acceptation . ”

Of course , I do n’t know the terms of this deal — the Verge ’s Chris Ziegler tweeted back that AT&T may have refused to take the phone unless it had the undivided — but overall it ’s a speechless move . Here ’s why .

1. A Lumia 920 exclusive hurts Windows Phone.

fit in to IDC , Windows Phone devices have a banging 3.5 percent portion , barely up from 2.3 percent a class ago . By lock itself into AT&T , the premier Windows Phone machine of the year wo n’t be made useable to Verizon Wireless ’ 94 million customers . Or Sprint ’s 56 million . Or T - Mobile ’s 33.2 million ( before the MetroPCS deal ) . At a time Microsoft desperately needs a hero gadget to champion its platform , Nokia ’s flagship should be made available to as many U.S. shoppers as potential .

2. Nokia and AT&T exclusive didn’t work the first time.

Remember all the tucket for the originalLumia 900 ? Even though AT&T gave that twist lots of merchandising bread and butter and said it would be its biggest launch ever , it was n’t enough to really move the needle in the U.S. In fact , I do n’t think I ’ve ever see a Lumia being used in world . All I see areGalaxy S IIIs andiPhones .

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QNDSmfFsZng

AT&T ’s halt commercials promised you would get the young lady because of the headphone ’s curved sharpness , but neither that nor an belligerent $ 99 Leontyne Price could facilitate . What make Nokia think that things will be different this time around ?

3. Carrier exclusives almost never work.

It ’s the pretty rare phone that would cause someone to alternate carriers . look at that wireless churn charge per unit , defined as the identification number of consumers who swap carriers , are passing low withVerizon reporting just a .84 percentage turnoverfor Q2 as compare to .97 percent for AT&T , 1.69 percent for Sprint and 2.1 percentage for T - Mobile . We do n’t know how many of this tiny group of users leave their immune carrier because they wanted an undivided phone from another supplier , but I suspect issues like service and pricing were bountiful motivators .

In fact , other than the iPhone exclusive for AT&T , there have been very few exclusive devices that have been runaway smash . According to Avi Greengart , enquiry director for consumer machine at Current Analysis , “ Motorola ’s exclusive with Verizon for the original Droid made that phone a success . ”

That ’s true , but I think that phone was successful mostly because Verizon customer were clamoring for an iPhone alternative . Greengart tot up that more recently “ the exclusive with Verizon has reserve Motorola back compared to Samsung and Apple , which branch out their own distribution . ”

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4. Nokia is now outflanked by HTC.

Nokia should be more worried than ever about theHTC Windows Phone 8X and 8S , which Steve Ballmer strangely anticipate “ key signature phones ” for Windows Phone 8 . These coloured devices – which strip more than a striking resemblance to the Lumia 920 -will be available for AT&T , T - Mobile and Verizon .

Never mind the fact that the Lumia ’s features are more compelling . Anyone interested in Windows Phone and not on AT&T will likely see the 8X as good enough .

5. It slows momentum for wireless charging.

One of the coolest feature film of the Lumia 920 is that it number with Qi wireless charging capabilities . Not only is Nokia mold with third parties to make nerveless accessories for wire - free juicing , it has partnered with Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf to put charge plate on tables in some of their cafes . Virgin Atlantic is also on control panel , although for now it ’s modified to charging stations in the London Heathrow Clubhouse .

How is Nokia pass to cumulate more financial backing for this technology and make one of its principal merchandising points more compelling when the phone with Qi built in is n’t widely useable ? The lower - price Lumia 820 will support wireless charging but will need a separate case .

Bottom Line

The Lumia 920 has a lot of potential and is easily the most exciting Windows Phone 8 gadget for the vacation . But by make this deal Nokia is enter the next critical stage of the smartphone war with one hand splice behind its back .