2:40 PM -- AT&T Inc. (NYSE: T) cut the price of Nokia Corp. (NYSE: NOK)'s flagship Lumia 900 in half over the weekend to just $49.99 on contract. Is this the type of aggressive marketing it had in mind for its first Windows Phone smartphone?

The Lumia 900 was supposedly backed up with AT&T's "biggest marketing push" ever, but it appears that wasn't enough to help the already low-priced handset. A carrier spokesman says that AT&T continues to be pleased with sales of the Lumia and that handset promotions are a routine practice. (See AT&T's Nokia Lumia Drops LTE to $100, What the Nokia Lumia Really Costs and Nokia Fires Cheap Shot at Apple.)

But, it seems to me that Nokia's first flagship handset didn't live up to expectations. AT&T has also said it will be a big proponent of the Microsoft Corp. (Nasdaq: MSFT) operating system in general, so I'm wondering now if the carrier will pull out bigger guns for Windows 8 (which the Lumia 900 will never see).

Of course, dropping the Lumia's price could to help drive sales, but my guess is, if you weren't interested before, another $50 off won't seal the deal for you. It's a great device, but it's still missing apps and brand awareness and is crippled by the fact that it will never get the latest and greatest OS Microsoft has to offer.

All of this just puts more pressure on Windows 8 and, especially, on Nokia. All of the wireless operators have said they want to support a third ecosystem -- and I believe that marketing and promotion from them will help to create it -- but both sides have to live up to their end of the bargain. (See Don't Count Nokia Out Just Yet and Nokia Counts on AT&T for a US Comeback .)

Nokia's Windows 8 devices had better impress when they launch this year, and the wireless operators should give equal -- if not preferential treatment -- to them. Otherwise, this won't be the last price cuts we see.

— Sarah Reedy, Senior Reporter, Light Reading Mobile