Microsoft has revealed several low-end Lumia devices at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona but has yet to unveil models for the high-end spectrum of the market. We’ve always wondered why this is, but no longer as the company made it clear that there are no plans until Windows 10 is complete.
“We remain completely committed and focused on new flagship products,” according to Neil Broadley, director of phone marketing at Microsoft. “That said, certainly we believe the best time to bring those flagship devices to market is when we have our very latest flagship software experience available. “We’re focusing our flagship development for slightly later when Windows 10 is available.”
This is a huge gamble by the software giant as Windows Phone continues to lose precious market share it had gained before Nokia sold its devices unit. For the moment, Microsoft is hoping to keep things steady by launching several low-end and mid-ranged devices, but that is not good enough for fans who prefer bleeding edge hardware technology.
The completion of Windows 10 will take some time, so we expect the first batch of mobile devices running Windows 10 for phones to come in the fourth quarter, around the same time Apple tends to release new handsets. If this is the case, then chances are the first Windows 10 for phones flagship could be overshadowed by whatever Apple choose to launch.
If Microsoft wants to make a statement with its next flagship handset, then it needs to bring it to market before Apple makes its move. It ultimately means putting the nail to metal and have Windows 10 ready earlier than planned, because Windows 10 for phones could be Microsoft’s final shot at obtaining a solid footing in the smartphone market.
We only hope the next high-end model comes packed with a ton of hardware improvements, especially a 41-megapixel PureView camera. It has been quite a long time since we’ve seen a phone that can match the Nokia Lumia 1020 in camera performance.
Source: The Verge.
