Report: OEMs expect weak Windows Phone 8 sales

Despite all of the noise related to the launch of Windows Phone 8, a report in Digitimes says that the very manufacturers who are producing the handsets believe that sales of the devices are going to be weak. According to the report, demand for Windows Phone 8 models will be hampered by the time it takes consumers to learn the Windows Phone 8 platform along with the competition from the Apple iPhone and Android devices.

Nokia, which more than any other manufacturer relies heavily on the Windows Phone OS, said that it expects lower than usual holiday sales because of product transitions and the ramping-up of new devices. HTC, which will soon be launching the HTC 8X and HTC 8S, expects revenues in the fourth quarter to fall from 70 billion NT ($2.3 billion USD) to 60 billion NT ($2.1 billion USD) despite offering the two new phones. 

The AT&T exclusive Nokia Lumia 920

Both Nokia and HTC are said to be using the initial demand for their Windows Phone 8 handsets in the U.S. to gauge how much demand there is for the OS. Nokia, HTC and Samsung will all have their new Windows Phone 8 devices available in the U.S. by next month. Curiously, the Nokia Lumia 920 and the Samsung ATIV S are launching this weekend in Europe which makes us wonder a bit about the Digitimes report. After all, how could the OEMs use U.S. reaction to the handset as a proxy for worldwide demand when the device is launching first in Europe?

Regardless, the Nokia Lumia 822 and the HTC 8X are expected to launch at Verizon by Thanksgiving for $49 and $199 respectively, with a signed two-year pact. On November 14th, T-Mobile will start to offer the HTC 8X for $149 and the Nokia Lumia 810 for $99. Some time next month, AT&T will launch the Nokia Lumia 920 on an exclusive basis, the Nokia Lumia 820 and the HTC Windows Phone 8X. Pricing is unknown. If you believe the report, the manufacturers are expecting a tepid response for the new models in the states.