WP7 Predicted to be in Top 3 Smartphone OS’s By 2016

While it is expected that smartphones are the phones of the future, research firm Ovum expects “significant growth of smartphones over the next five years”. By 2016, Android is expected to be the leader in smartphone os’s with Apple taking second and Windows Phone 7 just behind Apple.

Ovum principal analyst Adam Leach said “For Microsoft the deal provides a committed handset partner that has the potential to make Windows Phone a mainstream smartphone platform. The risk to Microsoft is that other handset makers may choose not to compete with Nokia and may turn their backs on Windows Phone”.

While Mr. Leach’s feelings about the Microsoft/Nokia deal are valid I wonder if the other phone manufacturers would really scare away that easily. Android didn’t always have all the support it does now. As it gradually grew, companies wanted to jump on board. I can only hope that the Nokia deal has the exact opposite effect, that instead Nokia handsets drive sales making the other OEM’s want to compete.

Source: Businessworldonline