Hasta La Gadget!

Microsoft announced new data from IDC indicating that Windows Phone is the second-most-used mobile platform in Latin America. It would be simple to dismiss it as a minor victory in a secondary market, but the news is in fact a validation of Windows Phone’s strategy to grow its install base and accelerate its unit shipment growth.

Microsoft, obviously proud of the silver medal, reported the data, saying that “in one year, the operating system went from fourth to second place,” and that “there was 12 percent growth compared to the previous quarter.”

The context for this is twofold: Microsoft is gunning for volume while its low-cost handsets resonate in emerging markets, and while Windows Phone’s global aggregate market share is low, the platform is able to find traction in at least one hemisphere.

The news that Windows Phone is second place in Latin America is not a surprise, given the recent and steep sales volume of the Nokia Lumia 520 handset. The cheap device has quickly become the most popular Windows Phone handset, spanking earlier title holders, and not slowing down in its ascent.

The quick shift in Windows Phone market share in Latin America mirrors closely the rise of the Lumia 520 in the past few months, during which time — according to data from AdDuplex – its sales accelerated. Without too much mental stress, it isn’t hard to lash the trends together and deduce that Lumia 520 sales are helping to drive Latin American market share.

Microsoft implies as much: “In Latin America, there are more than 20 countries where the Windows Phone range of devices is available, from low-end smartphones, such as the Nokia Lumia 520 […].” Does this matter? Yes, and more than merely implying that Microsoft’s long, expensive, and somewhat lumpen mobile efforts are finally paying off, but also that the strategy behind its bets is sound.

Nokia, as chief OEM partner, gave Microsoft avenues to secondary markets that it could not have hoped to build or foster itself. And those secondary markets appear to be driving unit volume for Windows Phone.

So Microsoft wants to reach all markets, with devices from the Lumia 520 to the almost comically ostentatious Lumia 1020, but it appears that its cheaper phones in developing economies are for now providing it with the sort of growth it has long sought.

Top Image Credit: Vernon Chan

Microsoft’s Windows Phone mobile operating system might not have made quite the splash in the US market as much as Microsoft would have liked it to, as it remains far behind Android and iOS as the OS of choice among mobile devices. Well, things are looking rather rosy in different parts of the world, and just down south of the US, the entire are that we know of as Latin America boasts Windows Phone as the second most widely used mobile OS, at least according to the folks at IDC. in all of Latin America.

According to Microsoft’s press release, the second quarter of 2013 saw an overall 12% percent growth in Latin America when it comes to Windows Phone. It is also first runner up in Mexico, Peru, and Colombia. The percentage of Colombian Windows Phone owners happens to be 25.6% among smartphone users there, while other Latin American countries such as Argentina, Chile and Brazil, see Windows Phone sitting comfortably in third place. All of those rather impressive positions could be attributed to the affordable Nokia Lumia 520 as well as the higher end Lumia 920. Do you think that Windows Phone would see a similar explosive growth rate in other developing countries, or do you think it is a Latin America thing only? [Press Release]

Windows Phone Is Number 2 Mobile OS In Latin America, Says IDC original content from Ubergizmo.

Note: The title of this post is an exaggeration. But not by much, and that matters.

The monthly Windows Phone report from the AdDuplex group is out for August, and is essentially a repeat of July’s figures: The Lumia 520 is crushing other Windows Phone handsets, and Nokia is quickly becoming the de facto OEM of the platform as HTC slips.

Nokia moved from 85 percent market share of Windows Phone hardware in July, to 86.9 percent in August. Rounding that to 87 percent, we can say it gained two points in a month. At this pace, Nokia will quickly consume the small slice of the Windows Phone platform that it does not control.

And, as AdDuplex notes, the Lumia 1020 is outselling the also recently released Lumia 928, meaning that, most likely, Nokia’s sales are accelerating. Given that, it isn’t outside the realm of possibility that Nokia could expand the pace at which it grows its share of Windows Phone over the next few months — the Lumia 520 continues to grow in secondary markets, and the Lumia 1020 is attacking the U.S. market with fresh vigor following a $100 price cut.

Who else builds Windows Phone handsets? HTC, sorta. HTC slipped from 11.5 percent market share in July to 9.8 percent in August, which almost mirrors Nokia’s gains. At what point does HTC essentially not matter in market share? Five percent? If so, it’s three months away from that point. That’s before the holidays.

Total Windows Phone handset shipments are expanding. The platform could conceivably ship 10 million units in the fourth quarter. However, unless something dramatic changes in the Windows Phone market, and quickly, those fourth-quarter devices will likely be from the Nokia Lumia family.

Good or bad? That Windows Phone is expanding is catnip to Microsoft, but declining platform support is dangerous. Windows Phone is now more dependent on Nokia’s health than ever before. Therefore, Microsoft’s mobile efforts are fully dependent on Nokia’s action. This is disconcerting, given how expensive and important the Windows Phone effort is to Microsoft.

The argument that Microsoft might buy Nokia did not make sense when it was among a cadre of other OEMs, all bustling to build devices for Windows Phone. That’s all but over as eras go. And that makes Nokia a singular, potential fail-point for Windows Phone. Yikes.

Top Image Credit: Vernon Chan

HTC has launched a number of variants of its current flagship smartphone, the HTC One. There’s the HTC One Mini, the HTC One Google Play Edition and the much rumored HTC One Max. A couple of months back rumors were circulating that the Taiwanese manufacturer might release a Windows Phone powered variant of its popular flagship. Since then we haven’t really heard much about these plans. Given that HTC affirmed its commitment to Microsoft’s platform recently, the rumors have popped up once again.

Last week it was rumored that HTC might give up Windows Phone altogether, given that its WP market share had declined significantly and the fact that Nokia’s Lumia devices are ruling the global WP market. Jeff Gordon, HTC’s Senior Global Online Communications Manager, said that the company is “absolutely dedicated to its Windows Phone lineup.” As per reports, HTC’s Windows Phone powered One will have a 4.7 inch 1080p Super LCD3 display with 2GB RAM, 32GB of on-board storage and Windows Phone GDR3 update, which is the prerequisite for 1080p display support. It is expected that this variant might be released in fall. No additional information has surfaced right now, particularly about the pricing and availability of this device.

HTC One Windows Phone Variant Rumored Once Again original content from Ubergizmo.

Nokia is working on a 6-inch Windows Phone “phablet” internally codenamed Bandit, and with a launch expected on AT&T before the end of 2013, sources claim. The 1080p smartphone may well be the first Windows Phone to pack a Full HD display, The Verge‘s insiders say, while inside there’s a step up in processing grunt […]