Microsoft to pay AT&T reps $200 million in the U.S. to recommend Windows Phone models

If you can't beat 'em, pay someone off to beat 'em. That seems to be what Microsoft has in mind in order to raise Windows Phone sales in the U.S. The plan is to pay AT&T staff $10 to $15 for each Windows Phone handset sold as a direct result of a recommendation to a customer. Obviously, Microsoft believes that its mobile OS cannot compete on its merits alone at this stage in the game.

Looking at a chart of global OS marketshare, you can see that Android has been in a major uptrend through the third quarter of last year. Symbian's trend resembles RIM's stock price and iOS has been steady. The graph, based on data from Gartner, shows that Windows Phone had only 2.7% of the market by the end of last September.

Microsoft says it will spend up to $200 million on the plan. Will it be enough for Windows Phone to pick up marketshare? That answer will need some more time to see how things play out. But next time you head into an AT&T store to buy a new phone, don't be surprised if you are shown Windows Phone models first, even if you tell the rep that you want something else.

Some might look at this plan by Microsoft as cheating somehow, while others would just call it another form of promoting the software. What do you think? Let us know by commenting in the box below.

Windows Phone Tango devices might follow the Nokia Lumia 900 closely, be announced at MWC

We know the next minor Windows Phone update is to be called Tango, bringing in different screen resolutions and chassis support. In fact, the launch is supposed to usher Windows Phone into the era of entry-level handsets for teens or emerging markets.

In fact, rumor has it that the Tango update is going to follow hot on the heels of the Nokia Lumia 900, after it has had the pleasure to be graced with a $200 million joint marketing campaign by Nokia, Microsoft and carriers.

The alleged release is scheduled for Q2, meaning that we will probably see the announcement of a few Tango-laden handsets at the MWC 2012 expo in Barcelona February. The only thing missing from the picture will be a true high-end with 1080p video recording and HD screen, for which we will probably have to wait the Apollo update in the second half of the year.

ODMs like Compal, to which Nokia outsourced the production of the first two Lumia handsets, are a bit worried that the influx of cheaper Tango handsets will lessen their current healthy ASPs, but we doubt Nokia and Microsoft are too worried about that. Both are apparently stressing on the Nokia Lumia 900 timely appearance, as Nokia took its production in-house, leaving nothing to chance.