Nokia now Number 1 Manufacturer of Windows Phone?

Lets see, lectures finished and I have a few minutes before Squash I guess…

CNet reports that Nokia is now the World’s largest Windows Phone manufacturer.

http://news.cnet.com/8301-13506_3-57384348-17/that-was-quick-nokia-is-worlds-largest-windows-phone-7-vendor/

The basis of this comes from Direct Strategy Analysts.

“Global smartphone shipments using the Microsoft operating system grew 36 percent sequentially to reach 2.7 million units in Q4 2011. Microsoft smartphone shipments remain tiny, but they are showing tentative signs of growth. Nokia overtook HTC and others to become the world’s largest Microsoft smartphone vendor with 33 percent market share. Nokia’s global Microsoft smartphone shipments hit 0.9 million units, as distribution of its Lumia family expanded across numerous countries and operator”

http://www.strategyanalytics.com/default.aspx?mod=pressreleaseviewer&a0=5179

This correlates with previous news of Nokia taking the ‘lionshare’ of WP shipments.

http://mynokiablog.com/2012/02/21/windows-phone-sales-about-to-overtake-symbian-this-month-in-uk-lumia-the-lionshare-of-wp/

Now, this is all quite relative. Let’s look around fo some context. It’s small by Nokia standards but it still shows Nokia on a good path. By their estimates, 900,000 Nokia Lumia 800s were shipped in Q4, over the 600,000 some pronounced but shy under 1 million. 900k for 6 weeks, is that good enough? Looking at the upside, 6 weeks in limited markets to become the ‘top dog’ in Windows Phones. One one side, it’s quite an achievement. On the flip side, the sales are relatively small and shows just how tiny the Windows Phone market is. As we have mentioned before, these are milestones that Nokia has to make on their new strategy and it’s good that Nokia is achieving them as it shows at least things are beginning to work out and they are at least seem to be in the right direction. 2.7M total Q4 for all Windows Phones is a blip compared to what Nokia can ship on their own in Symbian. 2011 was Nokia’s starting point – to first get Nokia WP out. 2012 as Nokia has insisted is the year where they will drive it in volume.

Also, here’s coverage from The Verge:

http://www.theverge.com/2012/2/24/2821296/nokia-largest-seller-windows-phone

Cheers all or the tip

(Sorry for the rush with the recent posts – schedule rather hectic)

Category: Lumia, Nokia, Windows Phone