Windows Phone Increases US Market Share Ahead Of BlackBerry

Windows Phone has strengthened its case to be the leading alternative smartphone platform to iOS and Android after it increased its share of the market during the three months leading up to March.

According to research from Kandar WorldTech Panel, Microsoft’s mobile operating system accounted for 4.1 percent of all smartphone sales in the period, enough to secure third place behind Google and Apple. Only last month, Samsung boss JK Shin claimed Windows Phone devices were not selling well.

Microsoft’s gains place it ahead of BlackBerry, which commanded just 0.7 percent of the market during the same period ahead of the launch of smartphones running BlackBerry 10, which are seen as critical to the company’s future.

Windows Phone gains

The research does not include sales figures for the new BlackBerry Z10, which was only launched in the US last month. Once considered the industry standard, BlackBerry handsets have become increasingly undesirable to consumers while competitors have eroded its advantage in security and administration features.

The BlackBerry Z10 launched in some markets earlier this year and has so far sold one million devices, whilst the Canadian manufacturer recorded a profit in the most recent quarter.

Android smartphones accounted for more than half of all sales, commanding 51.2 percent of the market and up 5.8 percent from last year. Apple iOS was second with 43.5 percent, although its share is declining.

Analysts attributed Android’s increases to strong sales of Samsung smartphones resulting from price drops at the end of 2012 that encouraged feature phone users and owners of rival handsets to upgrade. More than half went for the flagship Samsung Galaxy S III and 32 percent bought the Samsung Galaxy SII.

“Of those who changed their phone over the last year to a Samsung smartphone, 19 percent had previously owned a Samsung feature phone, 15 percent owned a HTC smartphone, 14 percent owned an LG feature phone, 10 percent owned a Samsung smartphone and 9 percent owned a BlackBerry,” said Kantar Worldpanel ComTech analyst Mary-Ann Parlato.

“It’s apparent that Samsung is successful at capturing users from across the competitor set and not just gaining from their own loyalists.”

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