Editorials
Will the Lumia 900 Help Microsoft Like the Dell Axim X5 Did 10 Years Ago?
Back in 2002, Microsoft was buzzing in the IT world with Pocket PC handheld devices. The problem with them was the price. I was very envious of a friend of mine that dropped almost $700 on one, which I believe was a Toshiba. The cheapest I could find was an iPAQ in the $500 range. I never could pull the trigger at those prices. Along came Dell. In the Fall of 2012, Dell launched the Dell Axim X5 and destroyed the price point for Pocket PC devices. The low-end Dell Axim X5 launched at $279 and the higher end model $349 with double the memory and slightly faster processor. They both sported both a CF and SD card slot which was well received.
Dell’s entry into the PDA market with the Dell Axim X5 Pocket PC was quite welcome. It blasted the price point and allowed average consumers to be able to afford to own one, myself included.
I don’t have any numbers or data on what the Dell Axim did for the Pocket PC community, but I ran the main community for Dell Axim owners, Aximsite, and I can tell you 1st hand that there were 1000’s of 1st time Pocket PC owners that popped up as a result of Dell’s 1st Pocket PC offering. Aximsite went from 1 registered user to 20,000 in one month. From December 2002, Aximsite’s forums grew from 20,000 members to 100,000. My site popped up at the right time and it was a site that new Pocket PC owners picking up the Dell Axim needed. Dell’s support forums were horrible and we filled the gap.
Watching Nokia, AT&T, and Microsoft throw millions in marketing dollars at this Lumia 900 launch isn’t the reason I am comparing the 900 to the Dell Axim X5, it’s the price. With the Nokia Lumia 900 being offered at $99 on contract, it’s opening the doors for feature phone owners to jump into the smart phone game for a ridiculously small investment. Microsoft and carriers have been pretty aggressive with pricing over the last year, but this launch provides a Windows Phone with the latest hardware and LTE for $99.99.
What do you think?
Do you feel like the Lumia 900 will sell well?
AT&T and Nokia have the Lumia 900 set up success with an awesome price, a good mobile OS that is getting better with each release, a trusted OEM in Nokia, and plenty if marketing.
It’s now or never for Microsoft, don’t you think?
gorkon
04/08/2012 at 7:20 am
Microsoft doesn’t need the help near as much as Nokia needs Microsoft’s help. The Lumia 900 is nice and they are doing a little better than they did with Symbian and Maemo at targeting the North American Market. At leas you can get a Lumia 900 subsidised from a carrier which you could not with the N85 and the N900.
Microsoft had to make changes to Windows Mobile as the latest version really looked bad compared to Android and iOS. They made a good effort, but it’s not better than iOS or Android. While I would like to see Microsoft do well, I just don’t think good enough is going to do it. They have to be better and right now I don’t think they are.
Timot Makela
04/08/2012 at 7:43 am
Yes, it is now or never for Microsoft in mobile market. It looks like it is now with power of Nokia, best logistics and hardware and beautiful design of Lumia 900.
vtchuck
04/08/2012 at 9:01 am
I am going to let my wallet do the talking. Just ordered a cyan one from Amazon.
Eric M
04/10/2012 at 12:34 am
I’m getting a Lumia 900 because I don’t want a phone that’s the same as everyone else’s.