Microsoft's New Zealand general manager Paul Muckleston has boasted at this week's Tech Ed 2013 conference in Auckland that the company has leaped in smartphone marketshare in the region, from just 2 percent two years ago to 15 percent reported in July of this year. We've previously looked at how Microsoft has been gaining grounds in Europe and Latin America.
Muckleston notes that consumers in the region can expect to see more localised apps on the store.
Nokia's head of sales in New Zealand, Scott McFarlane said Apple "had woken up to colour" some time after Nokia had already done so. "When the Lumia 800 came out, half the sales were in blue - not just in the consumer space. A lot of sales are going through corporate channels." We'll be the first to say we love a spice of colour on our Windows Phones.
Neither Muckleston nor McFarlane could comment on whether the next generation of Nokia Windows Phones would continue to carry the Finnish name or be labelled Microsoft. Already sporting well over 100,000 apps on the Windows Phone store, just shy of 1,000 are localised solutions, from Kiwi banks to Trade Me.
It's not just Microsoft who's excited about the growth of Windows Phone. Enlighten Designs builds apps and content for all platforms, and now views Windows Phone as a viable option. Damon Kelly, CEO at Enlighten Designs had the following to say:
"You can see by the amazing Windows Phone growth numbers Paul Muckleston has reported in the New Zealand market that Microsoft is dedicated to growing share so that developers will ensure their apps are also built for the Microsoft platform."
As well as marketing its mobile platform, the company will also push its other product and services hard. Microsoft director for the Europe, Middle East and Africa time zone of enterprise strategy and architecture Martin Sykes explains that "You are going to see more and more of the Microsoft environment in stores. What we have realised is you need a little bit more help when making the choice. It's the new face of Microsoft being a bit more customer aware."
It'll be interesting to see how Microsoft progresses down under and in New Zealand, as well as worldwide. 2014 will be an eventful year for Microsoft.
Source: Stuff.co.nz; thanks to everyone who tipped us!
