Nokia Lumia 800 Sales numbers – what are they, Nokia?
It’s just a week in since launch and some places are already calling doom on Nokia’s Lumia efforts. Forbes has published a somewhat troubling article questioning who is actually going to buy the Nokia Lumia 800 Windows Phones, which is launched in just 6 countries.
An ‘analyst’ Pierre Ferragu from Bernstein Research (in quotations because I know how you guys feel about anyone labelled as such) reckons that the buzz on the 800 is the same as the N8, and feels, wait for it – it will be a dud too. (Based on google trends data).
He feels there’s no breakthrough innovation, and will unlikely gain traction in the high end. He also doesn’t think they’re priced competitively enough, nor does he think Windows can gain critical mass up against Android or iOS. They do not think that the Nokia brand can make a difference at all to Windows Phone.
This is despite all the positive reviews from the tech blogs about both hardware and software of the Nokia Lumia 800. Is Windows Phone still just too much of an unknown quantity for consumers who are just aware of Android and iOS? Is the Lumia 800 on sale in enough countries?
James Faucette, another analyst this time from Pacific Crest claims December might be disappointing. They expected Nokia to ship as much as 2million at those 6 markets during the holidays but now reckon it’s less than 1 million for the quarter. (Is this from mid November launch to the end of the year which is not 1 quarter?). They reckon sales have been disappointing for the Lumia and that sales in December might only be 500,000. Though Pierre thinks the 800 will be a ‘dud’ like the N8, wasn’t the N8 reported to have sold 3.5M by December since October launch – or was that all S^3? (Though notably in more countries with better Nokia brand recognition and a special camera…)
Nokia’s advertising has been much stronger with the Lumia 800 and there’s still more to go. It’s really important that they can at least get consumers trying it out on the shelves first as there’s too much in the way of iPhone or Android to tempt them of something that no one still really knows anything about. It’s not a perfect phone, but it does a really good job of core things most consumers care about. If only Nokia could also focus on advertising that way to those consumers.
It’s not so much of a surprise that the 8xx series would not be directly competitive with the likes of iPhone or the highest Androids. It is 8xx series, not 9xx. It would have been great for Nokia to have managed such a feat, but to have even come out with anything in 8 or so months is quite amazing for Nokia.
Let’s hear some numbers, Nokia. Reports such as this might be self-fulfilling, especially if someone hears something isn’t selling, it becomes less attractive. Conversely, we’ve heard independently of Lumia topping charts in France prior to release, sell out in Netherlands, and very high interest and sales with Orange. Consumers who have bought the Lumia are giving very positive reactions. Was that real or fabricated?
http://conversations.nokia.com/2011/11/16/nokia-hails-lumia-800-a-hit/
http://mynokiablog.com/2011/11/17/nokia-lumia-800-sells-out-at-thephonehouse-netherlands/
I can already assume the N9 will come into this conversation. Most instantly this possible faltering of Lumia as instant ammunition.
The Lumia 800 is, to call a spade a spade, a good product. (Please, let’s make something clear. Calling the Lumia 800 a good product does NOT say the N9 is bad. Based on the repeat comments of certain individuals, it seems every time Nokia WP is praised, they are physically pained and someone stamps on their N9). But will consumers give it a chance? Has there been enough advertising to sway folks back to Nokia? Is the image of old Nokia just to unattractive? Or are songs of the Android and iOS sirens just too magical?
The second blog linked below talks about certain blogs not comparing Lumia with older Nokias. Now that I have one I can do that. I’m in between an upload now comparing the N8 keyboard with the 800. I don’t have a N9 but that’s reported to have an awesome keyboard too.
Next year we desperately need that promised high end 9XX Nokia Lumia. Hardware must be better than other WP manufacturers, and have something to 1-up or more the Android manufacturers. That supposed N8 successor that has an awesome camera – while that’s good to see on Symbian, we need something for WP too because that is the platform under most scrutiny. Nokia needs to keep going long enough to get Lumia in more markets with higher end matching the very best of the competition. Low end WP will also be of utter importance.
Give consumers more reason why they shouldn’t just default to the now extremely strong iPhone or an Android. It took time for the likes of Apple, Samsung and HTC to rise to where they’re recognized for great high end phones (which for Android, trickles down to lower end products). They built that on the back of one good product after another (hate those too if you must, but they were mostly good products). The 800 is a good product. Nokia, Market it better than the great improvement in marketing you’ve already done. Make something tons better than the 800. Never, ever again rest on your laurels or make stupid compromises of the past. We need a home run.
Source: Forbes via Nokia Ecosystem
Cheers Zane for the tip!
Category: Nokia, Windows Phone
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Hey, thanks for reading my post. My name is Jay and I'm a medical student at the University of Manchester. When I can, I blog here at mynokiablog.com and tweet now and again @jaymontano. We also have a twitter and facebook accounts @mynokiablog and facebook.com/MyNokiaBlog. Contact us at tips(@)mynokiablog.com or email me directly on jay[at]mynokiablog.comSubscribe
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palidhje, ja paske futur kot se koti
God knows my n900 has seen better days, how could my next phone be a windows nokia? Don’t know when the lumia is coming to the US, don’t know if it’s the best we are going to see, if not we don’t know when the better phone is coming.
Not an apple fan, but i appreciate their predictability.
The uncertainty that nokia creates is bad for business.
Gimmie a god damn date, and stick to it.
If people think the 800 specs are low now (not that the specs really matter, but public perception does), imagine what they are going to think getting it in the US months later than the rest of the world, phones are like computers they age quickly.
I really want to try an 800, but the question is, will i still want to try it in march? Probably not, by that time i will want to try the 900, which before that releases there will be rumors of the 1000.
Vicious cycle, hence i still have an n900.
Maybe the people that like monopolies have chosen iOS already, i.e. no idiots left for the alternative monopoly WP?
Comparisons with the Lumia 800 and S3 phones or the N9 miss the point. The point is: Nokia has screwed smartphone owners so badly over the past year that very few smartphone buyers will trust Nokia any more. I am one. My next phone will not be a Nokia. I’ve commented on several Nokia blogs to this effect, particularly on the pathetic “daily” Nokia blog that hasn’t been updated since August (the final posts were from some twat on a plane to London saying how he was too busy to answer… better that, if you can). I sincerely hope that I have cost Nokia many times the $500 I blew on their N8 7-8 months ago.
To explain in simple terms: smartphones need support. They need PC and Mac suites to sync phone numbers, download applications, music, and so on. They need support (not official daily blogs that are updated once in 4 months). They need frequent updates, patches, security fixes, and these must be made available as painlessly as possible (no forced OTA updates, sync the fixes via the laptop). And the phones and their applications must be tested. Yes, tested. Neither Nokia (nor Microsoft) have ever got this part. There is no evidence that they ever will. Smartphone owners do not want to be beta testers. This was never about just a burnt platform. Nokia is toast. And they did it themselves.
Also microsoft don’t seem to understand they must have certain “killer” apps on the phone fir people to switch; Skype, audible and sky being some obvious contanders.
Really? No Apple numbers of which phone or pad sold. Yellow screen, echo calls, bad malware problems in Apple store and ignoring customers complains, the same boring os thats on my 8 year old ipod, windows security tests better than Apple, windows new OS that leaves Apple in the dust, Apples siri that is a data hog and drives data costs up for everyone, carriers saying the 4 and 3 sold better than 4S,Apples huge number of apps that according to polls is not needed,Apples new book policy for writers with Apple stealing content,Apple high costs for customers to use the ecosystem you love, and what can we say about Googles new privacy policy that seems still to miss being reported here. Thats huge news to all phone users and kills off the android os. Where is the news? Are you guys not allowed to mention what really goes on with Apple and Android?
@Frank
You make an excellent point, but not quite in the way you intended. I jumped on the Android bandwagon with the G1. Now I have a G2/Desire Z. Since starting with Android I’ve never needed to sync my phone to my desktop or laptop, since all the important stuff syncs OTA to either my work’s exchange server or to google.
Hooking your phone up with a cable and syncing stuff to a specialised bit of PC software is the past. Obviously if I want to transfer files between my phone and PC I just pop in the USB cable and drag and drop on any desktop OS. If I want a backup of my contacts I download them from Gmail in csv. Etc.
WP does look nice and there are some nice ideas in there, but I think Microsoft have taken a wrong turn here by going after Apple with their own locked down offering. They should be competing with android by offering a more open and customisable OS that has a higher level of polish than what is currently offered by Android (although that boat may already have sailed with the release of ICS).
I will watch with interest, especially when they try to align the WP UI with Windows 8, then it might get interesting…
people speculated a lot about android also… despite being less polished than ios… android did very good…. i was not sure abt wp7 until i used a about nokia and wp7 in phone shop… wow…. it’s a great looking phone with a beautiful ui….it has free navigation software, offline maps… a simplified ms office support… and the system feels so fluid
currently, i have a iphone 4… and i am pretty sure i am going to buy a windows phone very soon… preferentially a nokia… i was never been a fan of microsoft’s functional aesthetic skills… but..wow .. i am impressed
That’s a bit harsh. It is obvious why Nokia won’t release sales figures – they are that bad!
That is not Nokia’s fault – no other OEM has been able to sell Windows Phone 7, why should you expect Nokia to be different?
OK firstly I own a Nokia Lumia 800 . Secondly suprise suprise I like the phone . It does everything i want it to and it does it well . The OS is lite and fast . Social hub interaction allows me to manipulate key features without having to go into specific apps . e.g facebook messenger within the messages option of the os . Add to this the MS office integration and you have an excellent social and business phone .
Will it have a conversation with me . No ( and to be honest unless it turns into a very attractive woman I don’t want to ) . Does it have a maze of opensource apps . No . (Having owned an Android phone I don’t really want to go there again .)
Do I miss any of these things . Not in the slightest .
The Nokia Lumia 800 is a very well designed smart phone that is quick and reliable . I am not an apple or android hater but Windows 7 is more than a viable alternative it is a competitor and a very good one at that .
Some of the features i tested against the iphone4s and Samsung galaxy S2
Web browser
loading the bbc.co.uk website . windows phone 7 came in first place . Second was the iphone 4s followed by the Samsung Galaxy S2
Face book checkin .
Same line up . However the windows 7 phone used the checkin function on the OS .
Email via google mail on the phone network :
Iphone 4s came in 1st . Windows phone 7 2nd . Samsung 3rd ( ironic I know )
Email via wi-fi all ising the same hub
Windows phone 7 , Iphone , Samsung .
That was just a couple of tests I’m sure the order would change depending on what you do with the phone .
The point i am trying to make is don’t bash Microsoft and Nokia when they have made a good product . If the phones not for you then fine get a phone that fits you . I have the Nokia Lumia 800 and that fits me perfectly
If you throw shit on a wall over and over, in time it sticks. The same is true for propaganda and Forbes (Murdock media). The Nokia Windows is for those who can think for themselves. For the test, do not drink water, it does not quench your thirst according to.