Microsoft sees boost in phone sales

Microsoft has seen a boost in phone sales thanks to Windows Phone 8.

CEO Steve Ballmer, speaking at the company's shareholder meeting, says the company sold four times as many Windows Phones as during the same period in 2011.

As usual, Ballmer did not reveal actual figures, but there has been some positive news from manufacturers in relation to sales.

Additionally, Ballmer noted that the number of Windows 8 PCs grew to 1500, with at least 200 more becoming available in the next few weeks.

Finally, the Windows Phone Store has reached 120,000 apps.

Written by: Andre Yoskowitz @ 30 Nov 2012 17:33

SomeBozo

Quote:CEO Steve Ballmer, speaking at the company's shareholder meeting, says the company sold four times as many Windows Phones as during the same period in 2011 Hmm let me see if my math is correct 201 > 50 *4.

Seriously though, a few months back there was a post on here showing the number of phone activations in a month for andr0ids and 1phones.... They were in the high 100,000's for a given month. It seemed all and andr0ids models combined in a single month were more then all of the wind0w phone for 2 years.

30.11.2012 18:55 #1

SoTired

Hard to know what to make of these numbers. I agree with SomeBozo that any multiple of a very small number is still a very small number, and Windows Phone 7 had a very small number.

With that said, smartphone sales are challenging to evaluate because most people only get a new phone when they renew their contract, which is once every couple years. So market shift to a new phone would, you'd expect, be gradual rather than sudden.

If you extrapolate from the minimal data we have:

* As of September 2012, Windows Phone 7 had a market share of 3.5%.

* If Windows Phone 8 can continue selling at 4x the pace of Windows Phone 7, then over time we would expect their market share to approach 4 x 3.5% = 14%.

* By comparison, Android's share of the smartphone market is 75%. Even if Windows Phone 8 gets to 14%, that's 1/6 of the market share that Android has. (This is not a precise number, because Windows Phone's increased market share would come at least in part from Android's market share, so Android's market share would drop somewhat from 75%.)

* On the other hand, Apple's share of the smartphone market is only 15%. If Windows Phone 8 can get to 14% and be comparable to Apple, that's certainly respectable.

I use an Android phone, and will continue using one at least until I am eligible for an upgrade in 18 months. If I were buying a new phone today, I would probably go with a Windows 8 Phone, but I'm not buying a new phone today.

30.11.2012 19:09 #2

Azuran

Quote:Finally, the Windows Phone Store has reached 120,000 apps. And still none of the apps that anyone cares about.

30.11.2012 23:17 #3

Ravishankar (unverified)

Nokia has been being looted by dirty Microsoft and dirty Elop just to increase WP market share which has been less than 4% for past few years due to its ugly interface, features and applications.

Microsoft forced Nokia to kill its Symbian and Meego and go only with Windows Phone OS. How can a hardware company go with only one OS ? A hardware company needs to offer its phones in all available and popular OS, just like how a software company offers its OS to as many hardware manufacturers as possible. How this simple thing is not going into Finnish people and govt and how they are believing Elop that a single OS can save Nokia ? I simply don't understand this. They must be knowing but pretending as if they dont know anything and letting Nokia looted by dirty Microsoft.

Can Microsoft dare to sell its WP OS only through one hardware manufacturer, whether it is Nokia or Samsung or somebody else ? Surely not. Then, why should Nokia stick itself to only one OS that too very unproven, rejected by people by so many times. What is the fun here, Finnish Govt ? Act at-least now before it is too late, and make Nokia produce phones with all popular OS. Under Elop (and Microsoft), Nokia made more than $5 billion in loss and much more in market capitalization. Fire Elop and extract all this loss from him and from Microsoft.

Finnish Govt, you should teach a lesson to those dirty Elop and Microsoft so that other people learn and don't attempt to do so in future.

1.12.2012 12:09 #4

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