Microsoft Windows phone operating system to capture 4% share in U.S

Telecom Lead America: Strategy Analytics forecasts that
the Microsoft Windows Phone operating system will capture 4 percent share of
123 million smartphones sold in the United States market during 2012, rising
steadily from 3 percent share in 2011.

Nokia, HTC and Samsung will be among the main hardware
vendors driving growth.

Despite ongoing economic volatility, 123 million
smartphones will be sold in the United States in 2012, growing 21 percent from
102 million units in 2011.

Microsoft captured 3 percent share of all smartphones
sold in the United States during 2011, rising steadily to a forecast 4 percent
share in 2012.

Nokia, HTC and Samsung have some of the biggest Microsoft
smartphone portfolios at present and they will be three main hardware vendors
driving growth this year.

Microsoft is making a determined push to crack the
United States because it is the most valuable and influential smartphone market
in the world. However, Microsoft’s US smartphone market share remains
relatively niche at present and breaking the stranglehold of leaders Android
and Apple will not be easy,” said Neil Mawston, executive director at Strategy
Analytics.

To grow further, we believe future versions of
Microsoft’s Windows Phone 8 platform will need to dramatically improve support
for advanced technologies like multi-core chipsets, enhance the Marketplace app
store, expand the number of phone models available from major partners like
Nokia or Samsung, and consider reducing the license fees it charges per unit to
smartphone makers,” Mawston added.