Adverts for the new Nokia Lumia 800 might be plastered in every conceivable place known to man right now, but analysts are warning that sales may end up falling well short of Nokia's expectations.
And while the switch to Windows Phone might be the start of a new era for the Finns, the criticisms will be all too familiar - high prices and a lack of innovation.
Pierre Ferragu, a research analyst for Bernstein, reckons the "buzz level" for the Lumia 800 is on a par with Nokia's previous flagship, the Symbian-powered N8. And let's not forget it was the underwhelming performance of the likes of the N8 that convinced Nokia to drop Symbian and switch to Windows Phone in the first place.
Ferragu argues that the Lumia 800 is priced too high, that Microsoft's Windows Phone just can't match Android or iOS in popularity, and that the handset really isn't that innovative.
To be fair, the Lumia 800 was never meant to be more than a solid banker for Nokia, and it certainly can't be held accountable for Windows Phone's shortcomings. But that's not going to make much difference when the numbers are added up.
Another analyst, James Faucette of Pacific Crest, is equally sceptical and reckons Nokia's not in line for a very merry Christmas. Despite the geeky euphoria at finally seeing the Lumia 800 and its lower-end sibling the Lumia 710 hit the market, he says the current forecast of two million phones sold by year end is way off the mark, and predicted the actual figure will be more like half a million.
Via Slashgear
