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Microsoft and partners to heavily promote Windows Phone in 2012

Windows Phone is one of the best smartphone platforms, but not many know about it and the market share is negligible. 2012 should see millions being spent to promote the platform and devices.
Written by Matthew Miller, Contributing Writer

It has been a couple of weeks since I wrote a post here on ZDNet, mostly due to the holidays, but also to the disappointment with the tech press reporting so many rumors and inaccurate stories as facts just to make up news and gain pageviews. I love that Mary Jo set the record straight on Windows Phone homebrew efforts rather than going with the Microsoft is evil headline. I will be at CES for a few days next week and expect some Microsoft Windows Phone news and Paul Thurrott revealed some of what to expect with his post on Microsoft and Nokia's plans for marketing the platform this year.

Readers know I am a huge fan of the Windows Phone platform and keep preaching that you need to try a device before judging the platform based on Microsoft's previous efforts. After a year with the new platform, Microsoft is still only showing less than 2% market share. They need to do more to get the word out and according to Paul's sources 2012 will be the year that Microsoft and its partners do just that. We have already seen Nokia spending millions in Europe advertising Windows Phone and we can likely expect something like $200 million to be spent here in the U.S. for the platform.

One aspect of the marketing plan that I am glad to see is incentives for wireless carrier sales representatives. I like to visit stores to see what the salespeople promote and have NEVER been shown a Windows Phone, but with reported incentives in the range of $10 to $15 per handset sold that may finally change this year. I honestly think consumers, not necessarily die hard phone geeks, would like a Windows Phone experience over an Android experience if given the chance to spend time with both platforms. Windows Phone is rock solid stable, attractive, consistent, and a refreshing experience.

I am meeting with Microsoft to discuss Windows Phone next week and will update you on the news from the show floor.

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