If you are a Windows Phone fan just waiting for Sprint to roll out their next big Windows Phone device and the huge marketing campaign, you might be waiting a long time. In an interview that PCMag’s Sascha Segan procured with David Owens, Sprint’s VP of product realization, there doesn’t seem to be too much belief that Windows Phone will be a major player on their network.

Segan notes that Sprint will be giving Windows Phone another oppurtunity in the August to September time frame. Curiously enough when we might expect some news about Windows Phone’s next major update, “Apollo”. However, for now, Windows Phone hasn’t done too well on their network.

“We have a Windows device in our lineup, but honestly, it hasn’t done well enough for us to jump back into the fire. We told Microsoft: You guys have to go build the enthusiasm for the product. We’ll train our reps on why it’s great…[but] the number-one reason the product was returned was the user experience,” he said.

That’s an interesting quote and opinion when you consider that Sprint launched just one device (HTC’s Arrive) on their network a few months late and gave it zero marketing support on the carrier level. Another interesting tidbit in this quote is the bit about the HTC Arrive’s being returned because of user experience. Oddly enough, Sprints own website gives the HTC Arrive an 89% satisfaction rate based on 262 user reviews. Hmmm?

It appears that Sprints real problem is not the user experience, but sales, which is evidenced in the second major quote in Seagan’s post:

“We want to participate in the market, but we can’t build that brand by ourself,” Sprint director of product development Lois Fagan pitched in. “We’re cautiously optimistic, but [Windows Phone] just hasn’t taken off.”

Sprint apparently wants Microsoft and the manufacturer to do all of the work while it sits back and collects new smartphone contracts. Is this good business or a lazy stance on Windows Phone on behalf of Sprint? I’ll let you guys decide, but I think you know how I lean.

Source: PCMag