LG admits Windows Phone 7 sales didn’t meet expectations

By Molly McHugh January 14, 2011

Getting Microsoft to reveal anything about the Windows Phone 7 market performance has been like pulling teeth. But in an interview with PocketLint, LG admits the phone’s consumer impact has been disappointing. “From an industry perspective we had a high expectation, but from a consumer point of view the visibility is less than we expected,” said marketing strategy and planning team director at LG James Choi.

Choi praises the phone for being more “intuitive” than Android devices, but also admits that “for tech guys,” the simple OS might be boring. He was quick to remind us that with the introduction of lower-end Windows Phone 7 models, sales should pick up. “We strongly feel that it has a strong potential even though the first push wasn’t what everyone expected.” LG believes that less expensive devices with fewer features will drive the smartphone’s appeal. While this might increase Windows Phone 7 sales numbers, it’s not exactly a ringing endorsement for the brand’s future as an iOS and Android competitor. Choi would not reveal a timeline for the next generation of an LG Windows Phone.

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One analyst believes Windows Phone 7 could find success under another manufacturer. Canaccord Genuity analyst T. Michael Walkley told Forbes this morning he’d like to see Nokia take the fledgling phone under its own wing and phase out its Symbian and MeeGo operating systems. In addition to thinking a Nokia-Microsoft partnership would be a good “cultural fit,” Walkley believes “these two companies need each other to succeed in the mobile market longer term.” It could give Windows Phone 7 a stronger chance competing with Android, and maybe even give it that coveted title of “third viable OS” option.

Microsoft has yet to explicitly state how many Windows Phone 7 units have made it into consumers’ hands, choosing only to reveal that 1.5 million phones have been sold to retailers.

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