New figures released by research firm IDC predict Windows Mobile software will be second only to Android in tthe smartphone market by 2015 thanks to the recent agreement with Nokia, which has abandoned the Symbian platform.
In a statement, IDC says the overall smartphone market will grow by 49.2% in 2011.
“Up until the launch of Windows Phone 7 last year, Microsoft has steadily lost market share while other operating systems have brought forth new and appealing experiences,” IDC senior research analyst Kevin Restivo said in a statement.
“The new alliance brings together Nokia’s hardware capabilities and Windows Phone’s differentiated platform. We expect the first devices to launch in 2012. By 2015, IDC expects Windows Phone to be number two operating system worldwide behind Android.”
By 2015, Android will have 45% of the market, with BlackBerry and the iOS platforms holding onto 13.7% and 15.3% respectively.
Patrick Stafford is a freelance journalist and a former deputy editor of SmartCompany.
