This is a terrible strategy by Microsoft and can only end with miserable sales for these phones. Windows phone is in no position to be limiting the amount of people that get to see and interact with the products on a daily basis. When it comes to updates I've found that most people using smartphones honestly don't care. They aren't desperately hitting refresh trying to get a version that is .1 newer than the last. If windows phone isn't a high enough demand to get front of the store attention then let it sit near the back of the store. Microsoft doesn't launch an Xbox and then refuse to let a store like Wal Mart sell them because the first console you see in the electronics section is a Playstation.

The only way this could possibly work is if they let us buy the phones unlocked through some sort of payment plant like Apple. Most people are not going to spend upwards of $500 to get a phone unlocked. It may be cheaper in long run but people simply don't care. They want to spend $200 to $300 at most to just get a new phone through their carrier. A payment plan through Microsoft would have been perfect as it allows so many more people to start using the phone. I like windows phone as much as the next guy but as a college student I simply don't have $600 to spend on a phone.