14 DAY TRIAL // They say Windows Phone is collapsing and that people are already moving to Android and iOS because of the long wait for Windows 10 Mobile, and while some users indeed jump ship, usage of Microsoft’s smartphone OS isn’t really declining.
Europe has always been one of the most successful markets for Windows Phone, and a study carried out by security company Avast confirms that, on the Old Continent, Microsoft’s platform continues to experience better adoption figures than in the United States.
Research (Google Translate version) conducted at the MWC 2016 in Barcelona, Spain, shows that 6 percent of those who attended the event were using Windows Phone while iOS was leading with 50 percent. Android was said to be the runner-up with 42 percent.
The procedure that Avast came down to in order to determine mobile platform usage involved setting up hotspots in Barcelona that allowed everyone to connect. Approximately 2,000 users connected to these unencrypted wireless networks in just 4 hours, the firm says.
Not accurate, but confirmation of the “European love” for Windows Phone
Certainly, there are many reasons these figures might not be accurate and they shouldn’t be taken for granted, but it’s just another proof that Windows Phone usage remains at high levels in Europe.
While Windows Phone’s market share has never jumped over 3 percent in the United States, the platform actually reached 15 percent in some specific European markets in 2015, mostly thanks to the wide array of Lumia phones that were available for purchase.
These days, all hopes are in Windows 10 Mobile, the revamped operating system that’s expected to go live for all Windows Phone users by the end of the month. Windows 10 Mobile could boost adoption of Windows phones should it meet expectations, but for the moment, Microsoft still remains completely tight-lipped on any of its plans for the platform or for the upgrade version aimed at Windows Phone devices.