Smartphone market is growing leaps and bounds and this is inviting tough competition between manufacturers and it now seems to go beyond the veteran Microsoft and its Windows Mobile operating system.
Smartphone market growth
According to Gartner, the total number of smartphones sales in the 3rd quarter 2009 is 41 million, this shows an increase in windows mobile sales shipments , an increase of 13 percent over the previous year. But Microsoft has not been part of this growth.
Windows Mobile sales fell 20 percent
On the contrary, the number of sold phones with Windows Mobile sales from 4.05 million in the third quarter last year to 3.2 million in the third quarter of this year. This is a decrease of over 20 percent, and means that Microsoft now has a market share of just 7.9 percent.
Symbian still dominates
Symbian is still firmly in first place with a market share of smartphone market in the third quarter of this year at 44.6 percent. RIM and Apple follows in the next two spots respectively 20.8 and 17.1 percent of the market.
Still hope for Microsoft
Microsoft’s new Windows Mobile 6.5 and the new online application shop called Windows Marketplace for Mobile came first in the street early in the fourth quarter. These actions may help Microsoft with an increase in sales during the current quarter.
