Analysts believe Windows 10 will finally give Microsoft a chance to go beyond the low-end phone market

Feb 25, 2015 08:45 GMT  ·  By

Microsoft's efforts to expand in the mobile market continue these days, but most new devices are specifically aimed at the low-end sector and are created to compete against affordable Android phones that have already attracted most of the buyers in emerging markets.

Analysts believe that, with Windows Phone, Microsoft has first of all tried to gain market share and expand in the low-end market, but that could change when Windows 10 comes out.

As our resident mobile expert Cosmin Vasile reported to you a couple of hours ago, Microsoft indeed shipped more Windows Phone devices this year, but the its mobile platform actually lost market share in Q4 2014, as the company paves the way for the new Windows 10.

IDC analysts believe that the high-end market would get new Windows Phone devices later this year and thus help Microsoft compete against more expensive models such as the iPhone 6 and not necessarily against cheap devices.

“Having finalized its acquisition of Nokia in the spring of 2014, Microsoft relied primarily on a long list of entry-level Lumia devices to maintain its position in the market, and relied on its partners HTC and Samsung to provide cover on the high-end of the market,” IDC said.

“With the launch of Windows 10 later this year, Windows Phone stands to make a more concerted effort to return to the high end of the market.”

Windows 10 flagships expected this year

At MWC 2015 next week, Microsoft is expected to unveil at least three new devices, but all of them are specifically designed for the same low-end market.

As far as flagships are concerned, sources tell us that Microsoft is already working on new high-end models, but their official release won't take place sooner than the fall of 2015. The reason is strongly related to the unveiling of Windows 10.

Successors to the Lumia 930 and 1520 are likely to see daylight either together with Windows 10 or shortly after that, as both devices would run the new operating system. Windows 10 is scheduled to reach RTM in June and then get the go-ahead for a public launch in the fall of 2015 too.