IDC, who you may remember from the Microsoft-used-the-wrong-slide media fiasco earlier this year, has gone ahead and released their forecast for smartphone adoption over the next five years in their Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker report.

Personally, we can't even imagine what a smartphone will look like in 2014, nor what the market landscape, but assuming the current state of things, lets see what IDC says:

  • For the first half of 2010, vendors shipped a total of 119.4 million units or 55.5% more than the 76.8 million units shipped during the first half of 2009
  • "Android is the wild card, deserving close observation for the rest of this year and the years to come,"
  • IDC now expects the 2010 overall mobile phone market to grow 14.1%, or 1.5% higher than its previous forecast. Last year, the market declined 2.8%, the first such occurrence in Mobile Phone Tracker history
  • Despite uncertainty about the economy, the smartphone market is expected to increase 24.5% in 2011. However, smartphone growth will decline progressively over the course of IDC's five-year forecast period. In 2014, for example, the market is expected to rise by just 13.6%
  • No one smartphone OS will dominate mobile phones in the way that Microsoft has with Windows on the personal computer. "IDC believes the market will comfortably support up to five OS players over the next five years,"

Finally, the big news for Microsoft it they are expected to regain market share bumping from a low of 6.8% to 9.8% by 2014. While that's only a 3% change in overall market share, due to the increasingly huge numbers of smartphones we are talking about, it translates into a 43% change in volume, which is pretty significant (assuming its accuracy). At that point, Microsoft would only trail Android as far as speed of growth.

While no one predicts Microsoft to dominate the mobile OS field anytime soon, it's not too hard to imagine them being a major player by 2014, if they play their cards right.

Use GroupMe? You're finally going to get this long-overdue feature
About time

Use GroupMe? You're finally going to get this long-overdue feature

Beta versions of GroupMe on iOS, Android, and Windows 10 are finally gaining a past-due feature: the ability to delete messages. The feature is now live for Windows Insiders and those enrolled in the beta programs. Such a feature would be necessary if GroupMe is to become a more extensive public social network.

Call of Duty: Warzone gets a new look in Season 3
a whole new world!

Call of Duty: Warzone gets a new look in Season 3

The third season of Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War is here, and with it comes the biggest change to Call of Duty: Warzone yet. A new map, new locations, and more are here for players to experience.