Beleaguered Microsoft’s moribund Windows ‘smartphones’ face grim future
“Gartner is predicting a grim future for Microsoft’s Windows mobile OS, saying it won’t make its mark in consumer smartphones, remaining relegated to enterprise users,” Agam Shah reports for IDG News Service.
“Microsoft’s Windows 10 mobile OS is just now reaching devices, but prior versions didn’t fare so well. Windows Mobile was in just 5.87 million handsets shipped during the third quarter this year, declining from 9.03 million in the same quarter a year ago,” Shah reports. “Apple’s iOS was shipped in 46.06 million handsets, rising from 38.19 million in the year-earlier quarter.”
“Windows 10 won’t make things better for Microsoft in smartphones, and will remain an enterprise play, said Roberta Cozza, research director at Gartner,” Shah reports. “Most low-price smartphones carry Android, but Microsoft is making an attempt to put the Windows 10 mobile OS in low-cost handsets by partnering with companies like Acer, TCL and others. Microsoft has also partnered with Intel to put Windows 10 in low-cost mobile devices running on x86 chips.”
