News Topic: NOKIA
According to AT&T's Jeffrey Brown, AT&T plans to increase advertising investment in the Lumia 900 over the next two months. AT&T also requires sales staff to sell at least one Lumia 900 by the end of April. AT&T's current close attitude toward Nokia reflects, in another way, that Apple is not favored by carriers, who hope to find a third competitor in the market besides Apple and Google.
yankee Group analyst Katies Lewis commented: "Mobile carriers are tired of Apple, but that is not the only reason AT&T and Verizon support Windows Phone. The success of a third mobile ecosystem will help carriers regain control of the U.S. smartphone market—the support of Windows Phone is AT&T and Verizon's self-protection strategy."
Apple requires carriers to provide high subsidies for their phones, usually $400 or more, which is twice that of Android and Windows Phone phones. They also cut off carriers' ways to gain additional revenue after the phones are sold. An iPhone user costs carriers 40% more than other phone users.
Earlier this month, research analysts from BTIG predicted in a report that to control the costs brought by high subsidies, carriers will slow down phone upgrades this year. Such upgrades reduce the profits of carriers like AT&T. It is expected that carriers will work harder to promote alternatives to the iPhone. With the decline of Android's initial appeal and Blackberry, Microsoft and Nokia's products will bring new momentum to the market and become alternatives to the iPhone. Apple's pressure on carriers will force them to invest more in new products from other companies.
It is hoped that stronger marketing efforts will make Lumia more popular with consumers. Considering the current situation of the Lumia 900, the sales prospects are still quite good.
via: WMPoweruser
*Content of this post sourced from: cnBeat*
