Telecom Lead America: It may not be a tough task for Microsoft Windows Phone 8 to capture smartphone OS market share from Android and Apple. But Nokia and HTC should sell enough smartphones next year.
Nokia and HTC are struggling in the smartphone market. In Q3 2012, Nokia moved out top 5 smartphone vendor list.
On Monday, Microsoft launched Windows Phone 8, the latest version of the company’s smartphone operating system, offering a number of good features.
Microsoft revealed new features, including Kid’s Corner and Rooms, along with details and pricing for a range of beautiful new smartphones from Nokia, Samsung and HTC.
Last week, TelecomLead.com reported that Android captured 41 percent share in mobile OS market in the third quarter of 2012 from 29 percent in last year’s quarter. Apple iOS slipped to 57 percent global market share from 65 percent.
Microsoft captured 2 percent global tablet share in Q3 2012. The imminent release of the new Windows 8 operating system will likely drive Microsoft tablet volumes higher during the Q4 2012 holiday season.
Windows Phone 8 devices will go on sale in November at AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon in the U.S., as well as at carriers and retailers around the world.
“We can’t wait for the world to meet Windows Phone 8, the most personal smartphone there is,” said Terry Myerson, corporate vice president of the Windows Phone Division at Microsoft. “Windows Phone 8 comes on a range of phones that are stunning, colorful and unique.”
Using Live Tiles, users can arrange the iconic Start screen however they want by pinning their favorite people, apps, music, games, photos and more.
In addition to Live Tiles, Windows Phone 8 offers a range of new features to make your smartphone experience even more personal.
Live Apps bring information right to the Start screen, such as the Groupon deal of the day, flight information and news headlines. With Windows Phone 8, Live Apps such as Facebook can even deliver real-time information right to your lock screen with updated wallpaper.
The Windows Phone Store has 120,000 apps to choose from, with hundreds added every day and hits coming this holiday, such as Angry Birds Star Wars, Cut the Rope Experiments, Disney’s Where’s My Water, LivingSocial, Temple Run, Urbanspoon and many more.
Microsoft also announced that Pandora, the leading Internet radio service, is coming to Windows Phone in early 2013 with one year of ad-free music.
Exclusive to Windows Phone 8, Kid’s Corner is a worry-free way to share phone with kids, so they can play Angry Birds without texting angry boss.
Rooms allow users to create private groups of people who have Windows Phone 8 and connect with them. Chat, share calendars, shopping lists or photos in an ongoing conversation where only those invited can join in.
Data sense helps conserve data allowance by compressing Web images, deferring data tasks to free Wi-Fi and adjusting usage as users get closer to their plan limits. Data Sense shows how much data is used per app. As users approach limit, Data Sense notifies. Data Sense will roll out to select mobile operators this holiday and additional partners next year. Verizon will be the first to offer Data Sense in the U.S.
