We’ve published a few reports that confirm Windows Phone has been growing, even reaching all-time highs in some parts of the world. This is great news for the Microsoft-based Smartphone company as they attempt to gain some ground on their rivals which are now completely dominating the global markets. We’ve preached many a time that it was Microsoft’s fault for not jumping on the mobile boom soon enough. Put it down to a miscalculation on where the future was heading, or what you will, but it cost them dearly.
Now in the last few months we’ve witnessed the Windows Phone take advantage on what was predicted as a good year for them. However, I’m not sure anyone predicted them to be doing this well, with new figures showing a 156% growth in Q3 of 2013 in the Global market when compared to last year’s efforts, and now own a respectable 4% of the market in the United States.
Simple figures don’t necessarily tell the entire story, though, with Blackberry now only owns 4.5% of the market after its recent tribulations.
Future trends should continue to be promising with news of Windows Phone 8.1 now being steadily worked on with Nokia and Microsoft collaboratively together behind closed doors, nearing a release.
It is the year of talking technology next year, with Siri and G-Voice taking its talents into cars. At the same time, the Windows handset will be bringing out its own voice called Cortana.
On the business side of things, the two different Windows stores have continued to merge together as one. That move was done around the same time that reports suggested a unity of developers between Windows and Windows Phone would be happening to make them more joined.
Huawei also committed to a long-term deal with WP, confirming that they will keep making mobiles in the future.
On the firmware front, the tiles for the tablets will be seeing a third row of tiles been put in instead of the usual two rows of tiles. This is for the touchscreen/home-screen. You can now also say goodbye to hardware keys that are nearing the end of their lifetime and will be replaced by more on-screen buttons, similar to what you would find in a Nexus device that seem to be thriving now.
Via WMPoweruser