Yesterday Microsoft posted that, according to IDC, Windows Phone outsold Apple’s iPhone in seven countries during the fourth quarter of 2012. This vague pronouncement led some to question what countries made up the group.
TNW was initially informed of two, Russia and India, and was working to secure the other five. The New York Times beat us to the punch however, and secured the list: “Argentina, India, Poland, Russia, South Africa and Ukraine.” That’s only six, you’ll note. The seventh isn’t a country per se, but is instead “a group of smaller countries, including Croatia.”
Right.
Three of the seven countries had sales of Windows Phone handsets below the 100,000 mark. This means that Windows Phone sold more than 100,000 devices in the four other markets during the quarter, which is encouraging in a way.
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IDC noted to the Times that Windows Phone tends to do well where Nokia has strength. This is an unsurprising fact, given that Nokia’s in-country branding and distribution networks are boons to the Windows Phone platform, in my estimation. Also, as Nokia’s Windows Phone handsets are among the best, that where Nokia is strong so too is Windows Phone isn’t a surprise.
I will state that, given the comparative nascency of Windows Phone, and its modest footprint here in the United States, to see it shipping devices in smaller markets in the numbers implied above is not depressing.
Beating the iPhone is an almost random benchmark, mostly as to compare a platform comprised of products across price points from various OEMs to a single line of phones from one firm is risky. Still, fans of Windows Phone in those countries have something to boast about.
Top Image Credit: Vernon Chan
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