Sprint commits to Windows Phone despite discontinuing online sales

Sprint (NYSE: S) is still committed to supporting Microsoft's (NASDAQ: MSFT) Windows Phone platform despite the fact that its website does not show any Windows Phones for sale.

The aging HTC 8XT and Samsung ATIV S Neo had been the only Windows Phones Sprint had been selling. According to PhoneScoop, Sprint said the phones are still available at a limited number of retail stores, but are no longer listed online.

htc 8xt sprint
Sprint not longer sells the HTC 8XT online.

"We do expect to bring new Windows Phone devices to our customers in the near future, and Sprint is committed to offering a variety of operating systems to our customers," Sprint told PhoneScoop. The carrier did not indicate which Windows Phone OEMs it will partner with or when it might release devices.

Sprint has never been Windows Phone's strongest supporter, but the platform needs all the help it can get. According to research firm IDC, in the third quarter, Windows Phone garnered just 2.9 percent global market share, down from 3.6 percent a year ago.

AT&T Mobility (NYSE: T) and T-Mobile US (NYSE:TMUS) have been the strongest U.S. supporters for Windows Phone. Verizon Wireless (NYSE: VZ) has also recently come on as a stronger supporter.

Representatives from AT&T and Verizon carriers not immediately have a comment on their Windows Phone plans for 2015. "We like to give our customers options when purchasing hardware, as seen through our Windows devices (with the recent launch of the HTC One M8 for Windows and earlier launch of the Lumia 635)," T-Mobile said in a statement. "We'll share more information on future product launches in the new year."

T-Mobile currently supports three Windows Phones: the HTC One M8 for Windows, and the Nokia Lumia 635 and 521. AT&T sells four: the HTC One as well as the Nokia Lumia 1520, 830 and 635. Verizon sells four Windows Phones online: the HTC One, HTC 8X, Nokia Lumia 928 and Samsung Ativ SE.

Microsoft said in September that it has attracted 50 new hardware partners that are making Windows-based smartphones and tablets. However, Huawei--one of the world's top smartphone markets--recently reiterated that it doesn't plan to make Windows Phone devices, noting that it doesn't make money from such phones.

For more:
- see this PhoneScoop article

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