Microsoft’s Phone story is, in general, overwhelmed with hardships and blocking difficulties. There are no breathtaking surges and not even more crushing falling there. It is just a kind of persistent labor of the company, which used to be the market leader (at least in the PC segment) and once underestimated the role of the emerging segment of portable devices.
Multiple trials to conquer the market share have been quite unsuccessful: few devices sold, little interest paid due to obvious weaknesses of the mobile platform in general as well as a lack of available content — quality, interesting and attracting apps for the mentioned devices. Zune phones were really something unusual at the market, but, unfortunately, not that efficient to gain the public interest and demand. However, that weakness might be equally accounted for the shortcomings of both hardware and software sides.
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Move to Fill in the Gap on the App Market
Windows Mobile, which Microsoft promoted several years ago, might have been even popular at some point, but it was quickly beaten by surging Apple’s mobile platform and gradually but menacingly emerging Android mobile environment. After the total revamp of the platform and sticking to Windows Phone, Microsoft did get a little chance to position itself at the mobile market and began to gradually strengthen its partnering with some grand gadget manufacturers such as Nokia, for example. Besides, special attention to Windows Phone developers was paid, and, though, the gap in quantity of Windows Phone apps and those available at the Google Play and Apple App Store is hard to cover in a limited time span, it seems that Microsoft has come up with some idea.
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Windows Phone App Studio is meant exactly for that. Anyone can set an account for free and design an app from an array of available app templates. Those who are more technically literate can later deliver modifications using Visual Studio or Blend tools. Such approach may seem really cheap, but Microsoft once made a bet on an average consumer and the PC market was conquered. It might well turn that now the company is trying to implement a similar strategy.
In Line with Mobile Trendsetters
In general, it seems these cautious steps forward have been a success, not a breathtaking one similar to that of Apple and not such an unbiased as that of the Android platform. It seems that Windows Phone has got into the top three positions just because Blackberry is quite ramshackle these days with no signs of possible reverse.
According to Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker run by IDC research agency and meant for close watching emerging trends at the smartphone market, Windows Phone shipments surpassed those of Blackberry pushing it out from the third place. That success is mainly Nokia’s contribution as the release of its two latest gadgets boosted the sales of Microsoft Phone platform devices. Moreover, strong sales from Nokia provide a consumer with an alternative to Android devices really flooding the market at the moment. As most Android devices have quite little to differentiate from one another except for the vendors’ shells installed, a good device from Nokia or even some other respectable manufacturers on the mobile platform powered by Microsoft can turn exactly what people seek for these days.
The mobile market is really unpredictable and consumers’ interest is easy to manipulate, but hard to rule. The one thing which is definitely clear these days: now Microsoft seems to be on the right way to the top.
[Image credit: Marc Biebusch, Flickr]
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I have used window based phones but there is no alternative to the gadgets provided by the Apple. Apple phones are versatile especially iPhone.
Hi Peter !
I think , Windows Phone Operating System should have been on the 2nd spot ..it deserves to be on the second spot as it has unique features like flat UI’s , Tiles and Moreover , its hugely popular after the Android O.S .. I think blackberry lost its 3rd position because its latest O.S have copied features from Windows , IOS and Android platforms ..what do you say on this?
-Pramod
Windows Phone is in fact the second most popular in Latin America after Android. However they are third place in terms of worldwide. I guess it all depends on personal preferences. iOS users would say they should be number 1 instead of Android 🙂
I actually like the Windows Phone OS during the limited time I have messed with it. I just think that most people are used to IOS or Android at this point. It will be interesting to see if the Windows Phone can continue to grow.
Microsoft has taken over Nokia as Nokia failed to bring in comparative products to fight against Samsung and Apple’s high end smartphones. I believe that MS will take it to the next level. So the future of Windows smartphone is now seems to be bright.
Hi Peter,
Windows phone 8 Operating system is the one of the best and very fast operating systems. I have bought Nokia Lumia 820 few days ago and I think it is worth buying..
Thanks.
Nokia Lumia 820 is a nice phone. I like the yellow one it looks cool to me. Which color is yours?
It is really worthy to keep an watch on the future development of mobile market after the acquisition of Nokia by Microsoft. Had Microsoft been really proactive, perhaps Android or iOS7 would never gain such popularity. However, the newely emerged situation will perhaps prompt the famous mobile ad network companies like admob or revmob or appnext to insist the mobile apps developers to build up applications which support windows platform also
After Android and iOS< its the world of Windows Phones. The Windows Phone 8 has just reimagerized the whole UI of mobile and fluent usability.
Windows Phones are actually more popular than iOS and Android in certain countries. It’s always a good sign to have healthy competitions though.
Windows Phone has a hard moment to get well market share in the US, where the iPhone and Android captured the market. But performance in some global markets has been quite strong. Windows Phone has a nearly 10% market share in Italy, 8% in the U.K., 8% in France, and 6% in Australia.
Hey i use both android and window phone, both mobile have some specific problem like in window fone no more apps for use but window phones dose note lag and in android daily million of new apps are launch but in android phone they are lag so over all window phone is best.
Some of my friends are using Windows phone for the same reason too. However, I still prefer Androids as they are the best IMHO. Thanks for sharing your thoughts, Gaurav!