Microsoft: more than 1.5 million Windows Phone 7 devices sold in six weeks

By Tom Warren, on 21st Dec 10 3:05 pm with 8 Comments

Microsoft confirmed on Tuesday that it has sold over 1.5 million Windows Phone 7 phones in the first six weeks of retail availability.

Microsoft’s Achim Berg, Vice President of Business and Marketing for Windows Phone, revealed the figures in a QnA posted by Microsoft on Tuesday. The figures blow away previous estimates based on Facebook usage data. Microsoft says the figures represent sales of devices from phone manufacturers to carriers, not directly to customers.  Berg confirmed that the sales are ramping up well and meeting Microsoft’s expectations.”I think our expectations are realistic for a new platform. We started fresh with Windows Phone 7, and it’s a different kind of phone. Measuring for success is more long term than short term. We launched with many of the top mobile operators in the world, and even more in the coming year in 2011.”

Microsoft now has over 18,000 registered Windows Phone developers and has promised developer payments in January. Early estimates, based on Facebook usage, said that around 120,000+ devices had been sold, Microsoft’s admission on Tuesday blew away these early estimates and shows the platform is showing early promise. Research firm, IDC, said this week that the Windows Phone platform is off to a good start and that the level of applications in the Marketplace is impressive. Microsoft employees have famously dodged Windows Phone 7 sales questions over the past few months. Today’s sales figures will reassure developers and consumers that the platform is primed for a rosy future.

Microsoft is planning to release a Windows Phone 7 OS update in early 2011. Microsoft is officially saying that the update is due in early 2011 but WinRumors understands Microsoft officials will detail the upcoming changes at CES. Windows Phone 7 is a key part of Microsoft’s long term mobile strategy and we expect the software giant to detail a second bigger update in February at the Mobile World Congress show in Barcelona, Spain. Microsoft’s second update will introduce enhanced developer controls for applications and updated Silverlight components. Microsoft’s first update recently leaked in a video of the company’s implementation of Windows Phone 7 copy and paste.

  • http://twitter.com/mackenziepricee mackenziepricee

    Is this number to consumers or to retailers?

    • GP007

      It’s OEM sales, which in the end is a sale for MS since each OEM phone sold to a carrier OR a consumer is another license fee paid to MS. From their point of view it’s the same on the books. How many of those are in the hands of users, no one has said, but if you look at what’s going on you can sorta say that most of those have infact sold through to consumers.

      All the deals out there from the carriers shows that they expect them to sell or they wouldn’t but these sorta deals up. The solid and quick growth of the marketplace shows support is there and growing, and if devs keep making apps that means people are downloading them and money is being made. Also this OEM number, if demand wasn’t there OEMs wouldn’t be making and selling them in the first place.

      All in all it’s a very good start for a brand new, and still not well known, mobile platform.

    • Anonymous

      Yes, it is OEM sales. But other part of your statement claiming “most of those have in fact sold through to consumers” is an outright speculation by you. If it was most of it sold to customers, Microsoft would have touted that number instead of OEM sales. Don’t let the favoritism blind your eyes.

    • Viruela22

      When apple gives numbers anyone question if shipment or sale, are furious, android only grew fandroid because microsoft retired windows movile for nearly a year because at first android was a total failure, as it was the nexus one nexus s, as it

    • GP007

      And don’t let bias blind yours, look at the facts, supply was a huge issue for most of those 6 weeks if it isn’t still. So what does that tell you? If people can’t find that 1.5m in shops doesn’t that logically mean they’ve been pretty much sold? I see the events playing out as enough of a sign to make a logical guess that the majority of those 1.5m have been sold. All the strong deals going on from AT&T for example, all the supply issues and people not being able to find one anywhere, the rapid growth of the marketplace and strong developer support which shows that someones gotta be buying apps thus someones gotta be buying phones as well.

      Enough things have happened that you can put 2 and 2 together at this point.

    • Anonymous

      “If people can’t find that 1.5m in shops doesn’t that logically mean they’ve been pretty much sold?”

      You are saying that NOT Microsoft. As a shareholder I would like to hear from Microsoft NOT you or some analyst speculating. You earmark half a billion on marketing while shipping only 1.5 million (30 countries and 60 carrier xxx retailers – you do the calculation…). That’s very few devices sent to retailers.. Which is why you are seeing an artificial demand in some places? Simply because they didn’t receive enough devices. If what you “speculated” turns to be true, I will be very happy because Microsoft’ success is going to earn me some moolah!!!!

    • Anonymous

      there are 1.1 million people using the windows phone 7 facebook application.

      proof: http://www.facebook.com/apps/application.php?id=6195724695

      so its easy to see that probably ~1.2 million were sold to consumers (some people dont use facebook). I would say that is a vast majority of 1.5 million handsets.

  • Kin

    Try reading the article