Nokia’s Windows Phone Market Share Overtakes Symbian In UK

Symbian’s slide into irrelevance is one step closer as research conducted by Kantar Worldpanel ComTech revealed that the operating system has been overtaken by Windows Phone in terms of UK market share.

The mobile OS now features on only 2.4 percent of all smartphones sold, down from 2.8 percent last month and 12.4 percent at this time last year.

Windows Phone on the rise

Nokia CEO Stephen Elop promised a greater emphasis on Windows Phone products at this year’s Mobile World Congress  (MWC) in Barcelona and Kantar’s findings will serve as some proof that the operating system is gaining traction in Britain.

Last year Windows Phone represented only 0.5 percent of the smartphone market, but has since grown to 2.5 percent. Strong sales of the Nokia Lumia 800 have helped drive adoption, with the handset accounting for 87 percent of Windows Phone sales in Europe.

“There are strong signs that WP7 Nokia handsets are starting to make an impact on the European smartphone market though US sales, where the Nokia brand is weaker, remain underwhelming,” said Dominic Sunnebo, global consumer insight director at Kantar. “The fact that WP7 sales have overtaken Symbian based on one handset is encouraging; however, Nokia will need to expand the range quickly in order to keep up with the slew of next generation competitor products being launched in quarter two.”

Nokia has already revealed its next step to increase Windows Phones with the Lumia 610, a budget handset which is part of the broader Windows Phone strategy to cover the higher and lower ends of the market.

Meanwhile, the 808 PureView, with its 41-megapixel camera, will likely be Nokia’s last Symbian device before the operating system is buried.

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