30 million Windows Phone 7 devices sold by the end of 2011? Microsoft says yes (update: not exactly)
By Donald Melanson 
posted May 27th 2010 5:19PM
posted May 27th 2010 5:19PM
We've got to hand it to Microsoft -- when it sets a goal, it really sets a goal. As you can see in the slide above shown during a ReMix event in Paris yesterday, Microsoft is apparently expecting to sell 30 million Windows Phone 7 devices by the end of 2011, based on IDC projections. To state the obvious, that's pretty ambitious any way you slice it -- especially considering that the first Windows Phone 7 devices are still quite a few months away from hitting the market, giving Microsoft just over a year to reach that mark. Even more impressive is the fact that the figure apparently doesn't include other "Windows Phone" devices like the Kin, but maybe that'd just make 30 million a piece of cake.
[Thanks, Greg]
Update: Well, it looks like Microsoft may not be quite this ambitious after all. As John Paczkowski of All Things Digital reports, IDC says the numbers cited by Microsoft are actually for all Windows Mobile devices combined, not just Windows Phone 7, and even that figure is a bit off -- the actual number is 32 million. Microsoft itself has also now admitted the error, saying the slide was "inaccurate" and that it isn't providing any sales forecasts for Windows Phone.
[Thanks, Greg]
Update: Well, it looks like Microsoft may not be quite this ambitious after all. As John Paczkowski of All Things Digital reports, IDC says the numbers cited by Microsoft are actually for all Windows Mobile devices combined, not just Windows Phone 7, and even that figure is a bit off -- the actual number is 32 million. Microsoft itself has also now admitted the error, saying the slide was "inaccurate" and that it isn't providing any sales forecasts for Windows Phone.
Well, MS could just do a deal with big businesses. I mean they are the main consumer of Windows, not the lay people.
In they dreams.
@troorl
And you sir, might want to learn to spell!!
It looks like those numbers are meant to convince the MS executives to continue to invest in the gigantic failure called Windows Phones. We all know how Apple is selling, how OEMs are investing in Android, etc. There is no way they can make 30M. But if the WP7 VP doesn't show big numbers he might end up like Courier.....
Sure..... Thats gonna happen..... Right......
If it plays flash watch out it might be 60 million sold ...LOL
You'd have to be an imbecile of the first order to believe Microsoft got where they are today by accident. Apple are brilliant at what they do and I love my MacBook Pro almost as much as the PC gaming rig that I spent my kids inheritance on. I also like Android enough to be writing this on a rooted Hero running 2.1 but even I know which one of them will supply the software for the real death star when its built.
@Spatchcock not if Steve Jobs commissions Foxconn to build it first.