Microsoft SIM card and Data plans?
I'd call some of this more than rumor. Details aren't released, but the Microsoft Data app people have seen in the Store points to a very strong indication that Microsoft is working on a SIM card. And thus also some sort of service for data and potentially phone calls.
My hopes (which are likely to be dashed) is a set of plans, some of which offer device subsidies as well as some contract free ones.
As I just mentioned in my last post, one thing that makes being a premium device manufacturer hard is that premium devices are too expensive to get into a wide number of hands... except with phones where carriers subsidize or otherwise hide the true cost of the phone.
Being able to deliver this same sort of sales strategy elsewhere is key if you don't want to have to also sell budget or at least discount products as well. In fact, I think you'll see Apple test their new financing system beyond iPhones in the near future for this exact reason. They are increasingly going back to the profit margin first Apple of old after a few years that saw the likes of the iPad Mini and iPhone 5c.
So, we know for a fact that a SIM card is forthcoming. And we effectively know that to mean Microsoft must be planning on offering some sort of mobile service(s) as well. What we don't know are the details of those plans or the why.
I don't see the value in becoming an MVNO or even an operator for just those reasons. A company as big as Microsoft isn't going to make a huge boost in their bottom line even if successful as an MVNO and it would cost all of their on hand revenue and more to become a competitor on infrastructure terms as an operator. Also, they aren't as big in mobile as many other players.
So, there is clearly some other reason. I just hope they are smart enough to spin it off into some device subsidy thing. Right now it has been really easy to jump into a 950 or 950XL because no carriers in Canada are selling them. I want to wait for the "Surface" Phone or whatever it becomes. But, if Microsoft offered a compelling service with device subsidy, you might see grab a 950 XL.
Better yet, offer me an LTE enabled SP4 and get me a subsidy on that.
But, as I said, likely won't be that comprehensive.
My hopes (which are likely to be dashed) is a set of plans, some of which offer device subsidies as well as some contract free ones.
As I just mentioned in my last post, one thing that makes being a premium device manufacturer hard is that premium devices are too expensive to get into a wide number of hands... except with phones where carriers subsidize or otherwise hide the true cost of the phone.
Being able to deliver this same sort of sales strategy elsewhere is key if you don't want to have to also sell budget or at least discount products as well. In fact, I think you'll see Apple test their new financing system beyond iPhones in the near future for this exact reason. They are increasingly going back to the profit margin first Apple of old after a few years that saw the likes of the iPad Mini and iPhone 5c.
So, we know for a fact that a SIM card is forthcoming. And we effectively know that to mean Microsoft must be planning on offering some sort of mobile service(s) as well. What we don't know are the details of those plans or the why.
I don't see the value in becoming an MVNO or even an operator for just those reasons. A company as big as Microsoft isn't going to make a huge boost in their bottom line even if successful as an MVNO and it would cost all of their on hand revenue and more to become a competitor on infrastructure terms as an operator. Also, they aren't as big in mobile as many other players.
So, there is clearly some other reason. I just hope they are smart enough to spin it off into some device subsidy thing. Right now it has been really easy to jump into a 950 or 950XL because no carriers in Canada are selling them. I want to wait for the "Surface" Phone or whatever it becomes. But, if Microsoft offered a compelling service with device subsidy, you might see grab a 950 XL.
Better yet, offer me an LTE enabled SP4 and get me a subsidy on that.
But, as I said, likely won't be that comprehensive.
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