Windows Phone 7 will overtake Apple’s iOS in terms of smartphone market share by the year 2015.
That’s the latest prediction from IHS iSuppli, which reckons that Nokia’s backing of Microsoft’s OS is going to produce the winning formula the Redmond company is hoping for. While Windows Phone has just 1.9% of the market currently, growth is expected to take off this year with iSuppli estimating that share will have been boosted to 9% by the close of 2012.
The analyst firm points to the Nokia Lumia 900 being one of the hits of CES, and Nokia and WP7 being poised to take some serious smartphone turf in the US. Wayne Lam, senior analyst for wireless communications at IHS, commented: “One of the hottest new products unveiled at the Consumer Electronics Show was the Lumia 900, a Windows Phone-based smartphone sporting a flashy set of features that makes it competitive with the best alternatives offered by the Android camp. This hot product represents Nokia’s first step to reclaim its market share.”
iSuppli’s projections show Windows Phone 7 becoming the third biggest OS by next year, rising to a market share of 15%, not far behind Apple’s 17%. Slow but steady growth through the next two years will see the Microsoft OS sneak past iOS by 2015. Android will remain the clear leader, however, increasing from its current 47% dominance even further to a 58% share in 2015.
That we can agree with, but whether the Lumia 900′s introduction to the US will spark a global sales acceleration to the tune of a 15% share for WP7 next year seems more like a fairy tale than a piece of market research to us. iSuppli isn’t the only analyst firm to be predicting big things for both Microsoft and Nokia, though, so perhaps we’ll have to eat those words. We don’t think so, somehow.
Don’t get us wrong, Windows Phone 7 is certainly a quality offering, particularly since the Mango update added numerous juicy features. However, it has remained resolutely outside the mobile-buying public’s consciousness since its launch over a year ago now – despite some considerable marketing spends.
Still, we shall find out next year whether or not the Fairy Godmother Lumia 900 ensures Windows Phone 7 will go to the ball…
