We knew that it would be 2011 before we saw any CDMA Windows Phone 7 devices and now we're told that the first one on Sprint may come as soon as next month. It's very likely that the device will be the HTC 7 Pro, considering it has already been announced. With Android domination on Sprint how will Windows Phone 7 fare?
Sprint has gone through an overhaul over the past year and their smartphone lineup is stacked with two of the most popular Android devices of the year, the EVO 4G and the Epic 4G. Seeing that the 7 Pro, just a 3.6-inch device, would have a much larger, Android touting counterpart, slide-out keyboard and all, WP7 has quite the task ahead of it. I'm not implying that the size of the display is everything, but EVO and Epic are not going away anytime soon, and I'm sure they're going to be a large road block in the middle of Microsoft's path.
Sprint's sales over the last year have been dominated by Android. Without any true competition on Sprint, Android has had free reign, making Windows Phone 7 an underdog by a rather large margin. However, if the Venue Pro gets pushed back again, which by all means is a possibility, the 7 Pro would be the second widely available WP7 device to have a physical keyboard. If the 7 Pro's launch goes well, it could also make up for some of the device launch nightmares Microsoft and the device manufacturers have had to endure, and benefit the operating system's reputation as a whole.
Windows Mobile has always been the recipient of much love from Sprint users. Some of the best Windows Mobile devices have launched on Sprint and as a result of that, Windows Phone 7 may get some unadulterated love from curious buyers and former Windows Mobile users. But success doesn't come without a little extra effort, not in this world.
Even though Windows Phone 7's launch was considered a success, Microsoft isn't in the clear yet. Microsoft, HTC, and Sprint need to collaborate and get the ball rolling with some marketing. People don't like buying something they've never heard of, and truth be known, not many know of the HTC 7 Pro. These companies need to get the name of the device and the knowledge of Windows Phone's upcoming Sprint debut out there, and let it be known. Otherwise, Sprint may turn into a lost cause, for now.
