America and Windows Phone will never be BFF

Some thoughts on AAWP:

What is clear is that the US cellular market is not suited to the strengths of Windows Phone. Much like Symbian, Windows Phone is tightly coded and does not require cutting edge hardware to run a compelling experience. A slight step back does not diminish the OS because of a lower processor speed or RAM, as Steve found out this week when reviewing the Lumia 520…

This is where it goes wrong in America. Thanks to a reliance on large subsidies and expensive monthly plans (when compared to the rest of the world),  the commercial advantage of Windows Phone is negated. When a network has a policy that all smartphones will be priced at $99 (or $199 for the really high-end devices), and spreads the cost over 24 monthly payments from the subscriber, there is very little impetus for the subscriber to choose a handset that is ‘value for money’. Everything is the same price, and other factors are much more significant.