Nokia and Microsoft’s smartphone partnership is already bearing fruit, with the Finnish vendor leading the charge in growing shipments of Windows Phone handsets during 4Q11, Strategy Analytics claims.
The research firm states Windows Phone shipments grew 36% quarter-on-quarter to 2.7 million units, and that Nokia was the top vendor on the US software giant’s books for the first time during the period, accounting for a third of sales.
Neil Mawston, executive director at Strategy Analytics, says Nokia’s shipments of 900,000 Windows Phone devices is a small step in the right direction for the vendor, but cautions the firm is still far from out of the woods. “An expanded portfolio of Windows Phone 7 models, such as the Lumia 800, an increased retail presence, and highly visible marketing campaigns across several European and Asian countries drove Nokia’s growth,” Mawston states.
Nokia’s first smartphone running Microsoft’s operating system – the Lumia 800 – launched in October.
The Finnish vendor’s 4Q gain was HTC’s loss, which Strategy Analytics director Tom Kang says casts doubt on the Taiwanese manufacturer’s future, given it is losing ground in the Android market to Samsung. “HTC is now at risk of being caught in a pincer movement between two giants,” Kang cautions.
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