Currently, maximum mobile platforms rivalry occurs between iOS and Android, and although the second dominates in market share, the first dominates in revenue, so the competition continues without a clear winner, everything will depend on their strategies. But while the battle being waged up in your revenue and market share, slightly below the pyramid comes Windows Phone to safe passage and with strong growth. What seems ridiculous for some months ago, is now something that Google and Apple should take seriously, because this way it does not lack too much for Windows Phone is at the height of iOS and Android.
If we compare the figures of Microsoft, Windows Phone had only between 1 and 2% of market share in some markets last year, but have now reached up to 10, 15 or 20% in some part of the world, and in the United States its share accounts for 5%. This means a resurgence almost from the ashes for Windows Phone.
Last year would have been difficult to believe that Windows Phone could represent a risk for iOS and Android, but the numbers do not lie: the growth of Windows Phone is imminent in emerging markets. And it is precisely in developing markets where there is more possibility of growth, as developed markets are already near saturation.
Given this, it is in fact Google who should be more worried than Apple accelerated growth of Windows Phone. Yes, iOS has less market share than Android, but is partly that the Cupertino just move into the high-end segment of smartphones. The great bulk of the smart mobile is of middle and low range, and is where Android rules so far. But there is a possibility that this will change if Windows Phone grows more.
Why can Windows Phone succeed in the low range?
Unfortunately for Google, Android has been built so that its resource consumption requires large amount of hardware to run properly. It is not for nothing that the Samsung Galaxy to use up to 8 cores and the rest of the high range currently have at least 4 cores of processing, 2 GB of RAM, and large batteries. This is a measure to make the Android experience enjoyable for the user, but also makes significantly more expensive devices.
On the other hand, the Microsoft Mobile operating system can run smoothly with more modest hardware requirements. The 520 Lumia, for example, has a dual core processor at 1 Ghz and 512 MB of RAM, and with it Windows Phone 8 and many good quality graphics games run perfectly, without delays in the touch gestures or reboots or frozen screens. This is the weak point of Android.
Android so far had maintained the dominance of the low range, because competition was virtually among manufacturers that they only used Android, but we have seen great thrust of Nokia devices of low ranges and media even tend to medium and high for a comparable price or lower than other Android that do not have such a good performance.
Apple may lose some market share, but the scope of the high range is limited, and hence each who can have their slice of the pie without lawsuits. Android, iOS and Windows Phone, in a way everyone will have fans who buy high-end equipment and its market does not necessarily decrease significantly.
While the growth of Windows Phone has been great, there is a great constraint for the next step: the suit of Google applications. And it is that they have become an important tool for productive life and leisure of people, which are an essential part of the decision to purchase of a smartphone.
It is not for nothing that Google so far has not offered its Windows Phone applications. The Mountain View company is aware that Windows Phone could represent a strong competition for its low-end equipment and has so far refused to provide Windows Phone applications such as Chrome, YouTube, Google Maps, Google Drive, Gmail and others, that only would improve the image of Windows Phone to consumers.
In fact the company gave that they would create Google applications for Windows Phone and BlackBerry 10 if the number of users of them grows, but it will be for these difficult to take the next step without the Google suite. However, we have seen that Microsoft and Nokia have no fear of attack directly to iOS and Android in their latest commercial.
The cost of Android and Windows Phone for manufacturers
Although Google provides Android freely to manufacturers, their set of core applications is not treated in the same way. In addition, manufacturers have to pay for the use of certain patents to Microsoft. In counterpart, Google also shares with gains of Google Play manufacturers, which helps ensure that its terminals are cheaper and at the same time avoids that they believe their own app stores.
By the side of Windows Phone, the problem is that Microsoft charges for each license by device between 20 and 30 dollars, something that slows down the possibility of growth or better prices. Nokia, for its part, gets certain reimbursements to the end because of its exclusivity with the platform, but is not case for HTC or Samsung, however, equipped with a poor supply and lack of commitment to Windows Phone.
It is here where Microsoft could leverage to promote the growth of Windows Phone again. Through the reduction or elimination of the cost of their licenses, could put pressure on manufacturers to seek a new strategy that combines perhaps Android and Windows Phone in different devices. With extra support, Microsoft platform could become a third position while the largest and eating part of the iOS and Android market share.
Windows Phone growth comes from several sources, and if Microsoft knows to properly move your chips, could soon be irreversible leap toward greatness.
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