IDC still believes Windows Phone will become the No. 2 platform

[Master Devwi]

IDC is still singing the same tune, if at a slightly different pitch. When the research firm first announced that Windows Phone would become the second most popular platform by 2015, people scoffed. And with Windows Phone’s market share still relatively small, the possibility seemed less likely. IDC, however, still believes that Windows Phone can do it, albeit with a smaller lead on iOS.

The firm’s initial report pegged Android’s 2015 market share at 45.4%, followed by Windows Phone at 20.9%, iOS at 15.3%, and BlackBerry at 13.7%. In the twelve months since then, IDC has revised its estimates to 52.9%, 19.2%, and 19.0%, respectively, with BlackBerry sitting at 5.9%--right around Windows Phone’s current market share.

Windows Phone will have to quadruple its market share in order to meet these expectations, but it’s certainly plausible. And with nearly all of Microsoft’s products and services coming together under a unified Meto-style user interface this fall, a renewed interest in Windows Phone is quite possible as well. Do you think Windows Phone will be able to meet--or even exceed--IDC's prediction?

[IDC]