Windows 10 for all Lumia devices

How well is Microsoft doing with Windows Phone?

  • A year without a proper flagship
  • Complete focus on low & mid-range segment
  • Fierce competition from Android & iOS
  • Strong competition from local brands
  • And with Microsoft apps wholeheartedly appearing on Android & iOS

Above are just some of the points of the Windows Phone story but lets have a look at the performance of Windows Phone over the period of last year.

Data Courtesy – Kantar Worldpanel

Below is a data from Kantar Worldpanel of Smartphone OS Sales Share for 3 Month Ending from Feb 14 till Feb 15

China

China Kantar data

US

US Kantar data

GB

GB Kantar data

Spain

Spain Kantar data

Italy

Italy Kantar data

France

France Kantar data

Germany

Germany Kantar data

Japan

Japan Kantar data

Australia

Australia Kantar data

Mexico

Mexico Kantar data

Brazil

Brazil Kantar data

Argentina

Argentina Kantar data

YoY Change in Sales Share (3ME Feb 15 vs 3ME Feb 14)

  • China – 1% to 0.8%
  • US – 5.3% to 4.8%
  • GB – 10.1% to 7.8%
  • Spain – 4.7% to 2.9%
  • Italy – 16.1% to 14.4%
  • France – 8.3% to 14.2%
  • Germany – 7.5% to 8.2%
  • Japan – 0.2% to 0.3%
  • Australia – 5.0% to 9.3%
  • Mexico – 6.2% to 4.9% (till Jan 15)
  • Brazil – 5.5% to 3.8% (till Jan 15)
  • Argentina – 12.0% to 9.1% (till Jan 15)

Comparing Feb 15 vs Feb 14 sales share does give a good level of indication but there are If’s & But’s too like New launches from Competition, Schemes etc which also get accounted. Nonetheless a fight is a fight and Microsoft has a lot of hard work to do. Yes the sales share did dip at places but it also rose at other. One has to also keep in mind that the above data does not include some key asian markets like India where Windows Phone is doing quite well.

The weak link for Windows Phone in some key countries has been Apps or Quality of Apps & it’s not Microsoft fault all the way. Developers look at the market share of the OS before developing apps and the reverse way Windows Phone needs Apps to grow. So the fight all these years more so has been between Windows Phone and Apps & not just between Windows Phone and other OS’s.

And thus, Windows 10 will have a big role to play in to the success of Windows Phone. With App Store & Apps going Universal for Phone, PC & Tablet and even other MS products, Microsoft will have a great opportunity in the time to come. Microsoft has to convince developers & developers will have to believe in Microsoft.

I personally believe that 50% of Microsoft efforts should go in to making Apps & Updates available and ready with Windows 10 launch and rest 50% in making Windows 10 beautiful and both of them should be 100%.

I am optimistic. Having used Windows Phone for years, I can say it’s an excellent OS and has matured quite well. The ball is in Microsoft’s court and it has to anyhow deliver it with Windows 10.

What’s your view? Share with us in the comments section below.

About Kantar Worldpanel ComTech’s Smartphone OS Market Share Data

Kantar Worldpanel ComTech’s smartphone OS market share data provides the media and businesses with access to the most up to date sales and market share figures for the major smartphone operating systems. This information is based on research extracted from the Kantar Worldpanel ComTech global consumer panel. ComTech is the largest continuous consumer research / mobile phone tracking panel of its kind in the world, conducting over one million interviews per year in Europe alone. ComTech tracks mobile phone behavior – including phone purchases, bills/airtime, source of purchase, and usage. It also delivers additional data to promote and understanding of the drivers of share changes, and consumer insight market dynamics. All consumer data in this release excludes enterprise sales.

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