UK Sales Of Windows Phone 7 Hindered By Shortages

Stocks of Windows Phone 7 devices in the UK are apparently low, according to several media outlets. As a goodwill gesture Orange has offered customers who pre-ordered the phones a £20 HMV voucher.

“We will be launching with limited amounts of both our Windows Phone 7 devices, the HTC 7 Mozart and the Samsung Omnia 7,” a representative from Orange wrote in an email to Mobile Today. “We are, however, anticipating that our competitors could be in a similar situation.”

The Website also quoted an unnamed Orange manager as saying: “I was shocked when I heard the news. We are the lead partner for Windows Phone 7. But I believe this is a manufacturer issue on a worldwide scale.”

Still Awaiting The US Verdict

Despite this, Windows Phone 7 sales seem to be off to a solid start in international markets, according to reports.

DigiTimes reported that sales of HTC-built Windows Phone 7 smartphones are “better than expected” in Europe and Australasia. The shortages saw stocks of the HTC HD7 and HTC 7 Mozart selling out in both Germany and Australia.

“Early supporters of the new operating system such as South Korea’s Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics are also experiencing rising demand from carriers,” the article suggested, stating that sales information came from unspecified “Taiwan-based handset makers”.

More pressure on supplies will be felt when Windows Phone 7 makes its debut in the US market next week, with the HTC Surround and Samsung Focus becoming available from AT&T.

At the Microsoft Professional Developers Conference (PDC) 2010, CEO Steve Ballmer suggested that the smartphone platform had a chance in what he termed a “still-nascent mobile market”, despite fierce competition from the likes of Apple iPhone and Google Android.

“We’re early; there’s no question we’re early,” he told the audience, according to CNNMoney.com. “I think we kind of nailed it. When you see it, you just go ‘Oooh’.”

Windows Phone 7 differs from its competitors with a user interface that aggregates Web content and applications into six subject-specific “Hubs”, such as “People” and “Games”. Microsoft hopes that this format will attract users away from competing platforms that rely on grid-like screens of individual apps.

During the PDC, Ballmer also reiterated that Microsoft intends to reverse its fortunes in smartphones, where its marketshare has fallen steadily over several quarters. The company is reportedly pouring hundreds of millions of dollars into marketing efforts.

“Make no mistake about it, we’re all in,” Ballmer reportedly told the audience. “I get all kinds of questions about ‘What if you don’t do this or that’, or blah, blah, blah. Boom, baby, that’s what we’re going to do.”