Windows Phone Steals Third Position in US Smartphone Market

When it comes to the smartphone market, the first two positions are taken. Apple and Google have been going at it for a couple of years now, with the Cupertino giant unlikely to cede its position for some time to come. The other companies in the market are left to scrap it out for the remainder of the market share, which isn’t much as the two leading giants take up a large piece of the pie. This is the case for Microsoft and Research in Motion (RIM), who have been battling for third position in the US market.

Microsoft Topples RIM

According to the latest reports, the BlackBerry OS has been overtaken by Windows Phone to the third position. The performance for devices running on Windows Phone has been far better than BlackBerry during the last quarter of 2012. The strong showing in the market enabled Microsoft to topple RIM and take the number three spot in the smartphone market in the US. The amazing thing is that this is the first time in nearly seven years that Microsoft has gone ahead of RIM.

BlackBerry in Trouble

BlackBerry is in trouble. There is no doubt that the smartphone has not been selling as well as it should have been. Microsoft has swooped in and taken up a significant portion of its market niche. Some reports suggest that BlackBerry sales are the lowest they have been in the past decade. This does not bode well for RIM or for BlackBerry. Its hold on the fourth position is starting to look shaky and it is quite possible it might be overtaken in the not too distant future.

However, the situation may actually improve for the smartphone once the new model hits the market. BlackBerry 10 has recently been launched around the globe and will come to the US in a couple of months. It all depends on whether the devices running on BlackBerry 10 manage to perform well in the other countries. A failure to perform well would mean the trend might continue when the devices are finally released in the US.

Microsoft on a Roll

The Windows 8 OS might not have performed to expectations but Microsoft is on a roll as far as its Windows Phone devices are concerned. A recently released report shows that working people are more inclined towards buying Microsoft tablets as compared to the iPad. Being able to topple the BlackBerry OS in the US smartphone market represents another victory for the company. It gives them a chance to answer the critics that had stated Microsoft won’t be able to compete in the handheld devices market.

Windows Phone 8 devices have been praised and continue to sell well. At present, more people are using Windows Phone 8 devices than Windows Phone 7. If this trend continues, Microsoft is likely to strengthen its hold on the third position and maybe even make a move towards second. It all depends on how well BlackBerry 10 fares after being released in the US.

[Image via wp7connect]