WhartonBrooks, an OEM based in USA, recently announced their much hyped Windows Phone, the Cerulean Moment. Revealed without much fanfare, the Moment was set to be funded by an Indiegogo campaign with a goal of $1.1 million.
The phone is a mid-ranger and the price also reflects it. WhartonBrooks’ CEO, Greg Murphy, explained that as their first advent into the market, they will release more devices in the future. Powered by an almost year old Snapdragon 617 and 3GB of RAM, the Moment supports Continuum. For the $290 price-tag, the Moment is quite capable in its league. The device will be manufactured by the China based ODM, Coship and will start shipping in August.
Funded by an Indiegogo campaign, WhartonBrooks wanted to raise $1.1 million to manufacture the device. The firm was hopeful that the Windows Phone fans, no matter how small in numbers may they be, would back the campaign. It looks like they were wrong. After 8 days, the campaign has only reached 2% of its goal($23,937 out of $1.1 million) and the future doesn’t look promising.
People are quite hesitant to fund online fundraisers and with a goal of $1.1 million, WhartonBrooks has failed to gain the support of the diminishing fan base. Firstly, the fans want a flagship and the Moment is a just a mid-ranger. Secondly, and the most important part, the device has yet to receive any major promotion from Microsoft. WhartonBrooks announced that Microsoft will heavily promote the device, but alas it is not the case.
Microsoft has recently become very quiet on their plans about Windows Phones, and the rumors floating around on the internet suggests that the future is dark indeed. We are hearing that Redstone 3 will be the last update for the current Windows Phones and thus Microsoft will finally move its ailing mobile division from the deathbed to the coffin.
With many of the popular Windows Phones rumored to be not receiving the Creators Update, the fans have been seriously infuriated against Microsoft. Couple it with the announcement of the Microsoft edition Galaxy S8, from Samsung, loyal Windows Phone fans have almost given up hope from a new phone from the Redmond Giant. It is, thus natural that the fans will be skeptical to fund the Moment when the future of Windows Phone is not at all clear from Microsoft itself.
