Microsoft Bribing Customers to Purchase Windows Phone 7?

Microsoft may be throwing bendiing some arms to prospective customers  by providing carriers with free Xbox 360 consoles and Zune Pass subscriptions to help sell its Windows Phone 7 handsets. As the October 21st and early November launch dates approach, carrier promotions are cropping up all over the place. Microsoft isappears to be the ultimate source of these giveaways.

Starting in the US, AT&T is offering a free month of Microsoft’s Zune Pass subscription service for all customers who buy a Windows Phone 7 handset. Microsoft now offers a 14-day public trial for all customers and is adding in two extra weeks to sweeten the deal for AT&T customers. The subscription music service offers unlimited downloads for the life of the service and is available for $15 per month or $45 for 3-months. Zune Pass subscribers are also allowed to keep 10 songs per month.

Microsoft even has its own incentives for prospective Windows Phone buyers. If you sign up for Windows Phone pre-order notifications and eventually buy a phone, you are eligible for three months of free Zune service courtesy of Microsoft.

In other countries such as  Austria and Spain, the perks are even better.Customers of Austria-based A1 will receive a free Xbox 360 if they buy a Windows Phone handset with a two-year contract. A1 is being extra generous and allowing customers to receive two new Xbox 360 consoles in exchange for signing up for two new lines of service. The carrier is also offering an Xbox 360 raffle and will give away consoles to 360 lucky customers who pre-ordered a Windows Phone.

Customers in Spain looking for a free Xbox 360 should look no further than Movistar’s Central Madrid Store. The wireless carrier is giving away an Xbox 360 console to the first 100 customers to buy a Windows Phone handset on October 21st. This promotion is limited to just one store, however.

Now why would Microsoft need such incentives to sell sucjh a reportedly great phone, made to rival iPhone which has the top sales at present and no incentives?