Just a year after its initial release, the Windows Phone revolution is still gathering pace, and not only is still on track to catch up to Apple’s iPhone and Google’s Android operating systems, but it is on a direct course to overtake both of them.
Playing catch-up
While Microsoft’s mobile operating system and their handsets entered the market late, they have been performing well. With the release of the first major update, which was called Mango, Windows Phone is now a viable choice for anyone who is in the market for a new smartphone.
With Mango, Windows Phone devices received more than 500 updates. There is no doubt that these updates have catapulted Windows Phone to near the top of the pack. Not only are Windows Phone devices now comparable to the iPhone and Android handsets, they actually do most things better than their rivals. It is no surprise that Both Apple and Google have copied some of the new features from Mango into their operating systems so that they can keep up.
Growing platform
It is not only Mango that is making Windows Phone more desirable. There are now new handsets on the market that are very high in quality. While Windows Phone devices cannot boast dual-core processors like the iPhone and Android handsets, dual-core processors are simply not needed, in fact first generation processors in WP devices can out perform some Android phones that have dual-cores.
Nokia’s new Lumia series of handsets have been received very well, in fact it is near impossible to find any in stock in most of Europe, and HTC’s new offerings are really quite brilliant. The HTC Titan is the largest Windows Phone available, with a massive 4.7 inch screen, and the HTC Radar offers a very affordable way for new adopters to jump aboard the speeding Windows Phone train.
Taking the lead
Microsoft has also recently announced that the marketplace (which is the normal way to measure a platforms success) has grown to more than 40,000 applications in just over a year. This rate of growth is faster than both the Android and iPhone marketplaces.
With more handsets due out later this year and early next year, it seems that Microsoft’s efforts to push Windows Phone finally seem to be paying off. Nokia and HTC have also agreed to spend a huge chunk of money on advertising the new phones.
2012 will be a very interesting year for Microsoft. There is another massive update to look forward to, which is code named Apollo, and then there is the promised integration with Kinect and the unreleased Windows 8. It certainly looks as if 2012 could be Microsoft’s year.
Sources:
Engadget – Windows Phone Hits 40,000 Apps, By Matt Smith