14 DAY TRIAL // Last month, Microsoft was happy to inform its fans that Windows Phone Store was host to around 270,000 apps. This was a decent achievement considering that the platform had more than 255,000 apps one month before the announcement.
Well, it looks like Windows Phone continues to gain momentum when it comes to apps, as Microsoft has just confirmed that there are now 300,000 applications in the Windows Phone Store.
This milestone is much more important given the fact that it was achieved during summer, when usually developers should be away on holiday. It’s also important to note that Windows Phone Store gained more than 30,000 apps in just three weeks, which means that by the end of the year, there’s a high chance it will reach 4-500,000 apps.
Windows Phone is the world’s third largest mobile operating system, after Android and iOS, but its market share is way behind its rivals. For those who don’t know the numbers, according to the latest statistics, Android sits at 52.1%, iOS is at 41.3%, while Windows Phone only has a market share of 3.4%.
The good news is the only direction Windows Phone can go is up. The mobile platform has a solid presence in Europe, where more and more people decide to switch from other operating systems, like Android, iOS and BlackBerry.
Microsoft may also improve Windows Phone handsets sales in emerging markets, where a lot of people still don’t own a smartphone. The Lumia 520 was the perfect weapon for conquering emerging markets in Asia and Africa, which is why the handset is now the best-selling Windows Phone device to date.
The number of applications in the store also shows how healthy an ecosystem is and how high the chances are that it will be successful. The recent announcement shows that Windows Phone’s growth is accelerating, and if the ecosystem keeps the trend, it might become a worthy rival for Android and iOS.
The only thing Windows Phone needs now is more new devices that would cover all segments of the market. Even though there have been rumors that Microsoft plans to launch at least two mid-range smartphones in the coming months, this won’t be enough for Windows Phone to keep up the pace with Android and iOS.
Here is hoping that Windows Phone ecosystem will interest more and more people every day, and that they will remain interested in Microsoft’s mobile operating system for as long as possible.