Microsoft and Nokia: pros and cons

According to a study by Strategy Analytics, the collaboration between Microsoft and Nokia will help the Windows Phone operating system to double its share in the smartphone market in 2012. Based on data on sales of Mango devices, analysts have made a forecast that Windows Phone will belong to 12.3%.

“Cooperation with leading phone manufacturers and, first of all, with Nokia, puts Microsoft in a good position to become the third smartphone OS in Western Europe, following Android and iOS,” said Neil Mawson, a representative of Strategy Analytics.

According to optimistic forecasts, Windows Phone has every chance of becoming the fastest growing platform in 2012. Nevertheless, Strategy Analytics believes that Android and iOS will still remain the leading mobile OS: the Android platform in 2012 will own 44%, and iOS – 23% of the market.

According to IDC, another research company, by 2015 Windows Phone will surpass not only BlackBerry, but also iPhone, having won 21% of the smartphone market. Nevertheless, by the end of 2011, the company “gives” Microsoft only 5.5% of this market.

“As other operating systems gained strength, Microsoft gradually lost its share,” commented Ramon Llamas, an analyst at IDC. “The new collaboration will combine the capabilities of Nokia devices and the potential of the Microsoft platform.”

Although all analysts almost unanimously declare that cooperation is very beneficial for Microsoft, they are not so optimistic about the choice of Nokia: by the end of this year, the share of Symbian is expected to fall from 33% to 21% – exactly to the level that Windows Phone can count on.