HTC slips to number three Windows Phone handset maker as platform shows incredible growth

The latest IDC numbers show Microsoft’s Windows phone platform has gaining some momentum. In Q2 of 2013, Windows Phone market share increased to 3.7%, up from 3.1% in Q2 of last year. The market share increase may seem small, but the platform adoption rate actually increased by 77% due to overall 51% smartphone shipment increase over the same period.

Unfortunately, HTC’s piece of the Windows phone pie has shrunk since 2012. In Q2 of this year, HTC sold 400,000 Windows Phone 8 handsets. While the number is identical to the 400,00 units HTC sold in 2012, the increase in the platform’s adoption rate mean’s HTC market share plummeted to 4.6% in Q2 of 2013 from 8.2% in Q2 of 2012. This allowed Samsung to push its way up in the rankings as its sales of Windows phone devices reached 1 million units in the quarter. Nokia dominates the Windows phone with 81.6% market share, Samsung is now ranked second with 11.5% global market share and HTC trails in third place at 4.6 percent market share.

Windows Phone has not been a huge focus for HTC since it launched the HTC 8X and 8S last fall. Hopefully the company has plans to release new Windows Phone 8 devices later this fall which will put the HTC 8XT to shame and give consumers an appealing option which will pry them away from Nokia and Samsung’s offerings.

Source: CNET, Focus Taiwan