New stats show Windows Phone 8.1 now on 24 percent of devices

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Windows Phone 8.1, which launched to the public first as a Developer Preview in April, is now installed on 24.4 percent of all Windows Phone devices worldwide, according to the latest stats report from the AdDuplex app advertising service.

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The new numbers for the Windows Phone ecosystem were generated by data gathered from 4,496 Windows Phone apps running AdDuplex's SDK v.2 on August 25. Windows Phone 8.0 is still the most used version of Microsoft's mobile OS with a 56.5 percent install rate. The much older Windows Phone 7.x is still shown as claiming 19.2 percent, which is actually higher than July's numbers, but AdDuplex states, "That could be attributed to our efforts to move older apps to the newer version of our SDK, resulting in (a) small influx of users who were not accounted for in the previous versions of this report."

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It's not a shock to learn that Microsoft's Lumia smartphones, previously made and owned by Nokia, take up 95 percent of all Windows Phone use worldwide. The budget Lumia 520 smartphone model continues to be the most used device with Windows Phone in the world, with AdDuplex's numbers showing a 30.2 percent market share. All other phones are in the single digits but the recently released Lumia 630 is now number eight on the list at 3.5 percent. AdDuplex also mentions that the Lumia 530, the true successor to the 520, made it on the list in 45th place but since it just launched earlier this month in a few territories, it's way too early to judge how well it will do in the long run.

In the US, the combined numbers of the Lumia 520 and the 521 variant make up a whopping 43.9 percent of all Windows Phone use in August but the new Lumia 630 is in the number four position with 5.3 percent. The just launched HTC One (M8) for Windows is currently 40th on the US list.

Finally, AdDuplex notes some unidentified Windows Phone devices in their stats, including what may be the AT&T and T-Mobile versions of the HTC One (M8) for Windows, a "Nokia RM-1090/1091" detected in China and Taiwan with a display resolution of 960x540, and a "BLU w510l" seen in China and the US.

What do you think of these latest numbers from AdDuplex?

Source: AdDuplex blog

John Callaham
John Callaham
141 Comments
  • Is this good?
  • 24% out of the 2% of smartphone users with a windows phone. Wow, that must be like 2,400 people in the world with 8.1.
  • so you're suggesting only 500k people in this world have smartphone? what year is this? 2000?
  • I guess I should have left the 2% part out knowing someone would actually go and do the math for my joke. Oh well, I'm just grumpy because 8.1 on my 935 is an absolute buggy mess. Hopefully cyan or something will help out once it's released for my model.
  • ... Lumia 935??? Maybe it'd be good to stop typing on the internet today
  • Wow, maybe you're right. How did 928 become 935. Maybe I'm day dreaming for a new phone, even if it doesn't exist.
  • What's a 935?
  • yeah, cyan will make it smooth again because I downgraded from 8.1.1 dev preview to cyan on my Lumia 920. the battery life also improved a lot. yes, the purpose of this comment is to make you jealous.
  • Damn you! :P I've thought about rolling back myself. I upgraded to 8.1 mostly just for the 3rd column of lives tiles and the folders are also a nice edition. I would greatly miss those. On the other hand my phone completely freezes every other day, takes several swipes to get my unlock wallpaper to slide up, music app always needs to be restarted, at least once a day I have to wait a good 60 seconds for my phone to start functioning after an unlock. Also, IE can't use Bing in internet explorer because it jumps straight to Cortana instead which I don't like especially for image searches, have to use google in mobile view because their image search no longer works properly in desktop view and many sites automatically display their pages in mobile view even though I set IE to desktop version (I generally dislike mobile viewing). There are more problems but I'm to tired to remember. Plus I don't want to lose some of my stuff if I were to roll back. But yes I'm partly jealous.
  • You didn't need to. I used Nokia software recovery for retail to cyan on my 620 CV, though it's still waiting for approval. Then I just updated to 8.1.1.
    It was cool and easy
  • To update*
    (sorry for typo)
  • "24% out of the 2% of smartphone users with a windows phone. Wow, that must be like 2,400 people in the world with 8.1." Please remember that your country is only 5% of the world's population.  I know you didn't mean it, but your comment inadvertedly came across as if the world revolves around the USA because you took the US market share and then used the words 'in the world' :P Market share may be 2% over that side of the ocean but in many other countries it is gaining market share faster than the competition.
  • I know, it was terrible joke that has been done a million times. Although just because I'm from the USA doesn't mean I think we are the only people on the planet. We all make mistakes about what happens in the rest of the world at times. It may be hard to find for it but isn't global sales of windows phone between 2% - 3%? It maybe high in some countries but in general the sales are still pitiful after all this time. Even if Microsoft is making any money from windows phone I'm sure it still isn't a number they are even close to happy with. I'd love to see them gain some ground but the battle isn't going to well at the moment. Things can change quickly though. Although I don't see it happening anytime soon. They need more phone variations, better marketing and to be honest possibly an OS refresh(I like it but many people seem to dislike tiles with out giving them a chance).
  • You are correct sir with that terrible math, Nokia alone sold over 100 million WP 8 phones...2,400 people is absolutely correct. You are so smart!
  • Nice catch bro!!! I actually thought my math was spot on.
  • Seriously, though... how many phones does the entire pie represent? 100 million... or more? I'm just trying to figure out what these percentages really mean.
  • Well, Gary up here who just bashed me said Nokia sold over 100 million wp8 phones. Assuming he's right, then it'd have to be a little bit higher to account for other manufactures. I could be wrong but I think Nokia has somewhere around 80% or higher of wp8 sales. So I guess upwards of 125 - 150 million. I'm sure someone will correct me. Also not sure if windows phone 7.x is included.
  • So I go to an att store, and not one windows phone out on display. Why??
  • Was it an AT&T Atlantic store? If so, that explains it. Go to a corporate store and you should see the 1520 (2- green & black), 1020 and 635.
  • Let's see; Release numbers before Labor Day that show Windows Phone takes 5 to 6 months to update after RTM. What a joke! Microsoft killing me slowly.
  • Verizon still hasn't released 8.1 for icon.
  • or for the 928
  • I have the developers preview for 8.1 on my 928 and it's been super buggy. Could just be my phone but hopefully the official release will work properly.
  • Using Icon right now. Do you hear sleigh bells?
  • Sleigh bells? Not sure what you mean but the whole time i had Nokia drive running yesterday morning it did keep making a jingling noise about every two minutes for some strange reason. Only time that happened though.
  • SAD...
  • That good? Really ios had more share than this in 3-4 months when IOS 7 came.
  • Ios has 1 phone to update, with all the carriers on their sack, of course they can update more of their phones
  • Sometimes I wish Microsoft would use their muscle and handle the updates all on their own and not let carriers muck it up.
  • You can't compare iOS to anything else really. Android versions would be more relevant.
  • Don't forget that 8.1 was only officially released 4 weeks ago.  And a lot of devices still can't get the upgrade (without using the Developer's Preview).  So to measure in '3-4 months' you'll have to wait until Late October to Early December for the same comparison.  
  • Dude, if you're trolling WP and you use a fair comparison, then you're doing it wrong!
  • That's amazing, compared to back when I was on Android when you'd wait 6 months before even hearing that your phone wasn't getting an update. I thought they'd have 10% at the most, 8.1 has only been out a month.
  • I don't understand how even some of the top of the line phones don't get updates. Android phones aren't even future proof a day.
  • 960x540.. Are the other devices with that resolution or something new?
  • The only Nokia device with such a resolution I can think of would be the 730...
  • My 1020 is so damn exclusive it doesn't even show up. #stealthy
  • +1520
  • The problem with the 1020... is that big black hump on the back. It looks like a Cyclops phone.
  • It's not a problem, it's a statement.
  • Same
  • This makes me sad, because we probably won't get a 1030.
  • I'm personally waiting for the 1525. If they drop a 30MP Zeiss camera in it or Lytra with a 2k screen and 3GB memory on an 801 or 805, I'll be happy.
  • Your dreams can come true. Spam Elop on twitter.
  • Me too.
  • Hardly any of the more expensive phones ever do. 1520 is like 1% of 5% (or whatever the worldwide WP share is) the total cellphone market... Feels good to be exclusive doesn't it :)
  • And Nokia wonders why they don't sell as much as they want. Because since the Lumia 900, they've made every Lumia in the US exclusive to one or two carriers.
  • We are the exclusive club Others! Our membership makes up 26% of all Windows Phone owners. Collectivity we rival the 520 club and out number all 920,625,710 and 620 owners combined. Fear us!
  • Or not.
  • Lol, I love you, NIST.
  • The feeling is mutual. ♡.♡
  • spot on, Kem.  This exclusivity nonsense needs to come to an end.
  • Dayum! 520 lol
  • Nothing to be proud of after 2+ months since it was first released.....
  • Cyan rollout was very limited 2 months ago. Considering worldwide rollout began only a matter of weeks ago, this is something to be proud of. Especially considering how Android adoption rates are.
  • Still rocking 4th most poular lumia even after 2 years.. Lumia 710...just due for a upgrade...
  • I remember wanting to have one even though it was never released in my country Posted via Windows Phone Central App
  • You rock man! :) I have a Lumia 620, also waiting to upgrade :)
  • Its fking embarassing to MS, that the damn 8.1 software is nearly done since May, and 3 months later its still on 25% of the userbase (if we know ALL 8.0 phones are subject to receive it, even if that turned out to be a complete lie, right JB?). Thats what I think John Callaham, regarding your obviously clickbait stupid article.
  • Most people don't know how to update the phone and don't even care to do so Posted via Windows Phone Central App
  • The phone search for updates AUTOMATICALLY (yes, it does not need your brain to function actually) approx. every 24 hours, and pushes a notification into your face. You dont have to be nuclear scientist to press on the "OK, update" button. Hello, its a smartphone anyway.
  • Yeah. They need to add an indicator to the Setup tile (or maybe to the Store tile) when an Update is available. Or maybe a daily notification in the notification center (although I guess that wouldn't matter until they updated to 8.1). You know, a hint to the user that it's there. Not everyone spends their time trolling WPCentral like we do! ;)  
  • Ricsip, how is writing an article with the current OS numbers clickbait? if reading this is causing you discomfort, don't be ignorant and blame the author.
  • @ahmedjan87 I completely agree. Also 8.1 hasn't been available since May. It has been available for a month at most. Yes it has been available for longer on DP but that is completely different. They should rename it to BETA preview for developers so that General users will be less confused about release dates and state of the OS and won't come to places like here to troll and whine so much
  • You have a good idea there.
  • Everything on this site is about the painfully slow progress of 8.1. If any article can have the slightest chance to write about it, they will write it and publish it. In the middle of the BIG WAITING, people cannot do anything more (remember, its beyond our power to make it happen faster), than reading about it. And these journalist take every chance to publish a small but in the grand view useless article about the topic, so the daily article quota is reached with minimal effort.
  • This site covers ALL Windows Phone news. If reading articles like this is somehow causing you pain, which it shouldn't be, then I'd suggest you skip these articles. These are just cell phones we're talking about here, stop getting upset.
  • A lot of us are GLAD that they cover these things. WPCentral is my "go to" website for Windows Phone (and, increasingly, Windows) news. I love this place! lol
  • It's actually ~35% of wp8 upgraded to 8.1, since wp7 should not be counted.
  • Dont fade that poor 20% cheated WP7 owners into the oblivion. On the contrary! Lets still count them in the statistics for some time, that shameful event wasnt 5 years ago!
  • LOL!
  • This is good. Most People don't know how to get 8.1
  • Because update you phone is so freakin buried in the settings menu. It needs to be a SMS message or an alert or something.
  • People who buy the phone for what they are capable of know how to update them. Those who have gone to a phone shop and bought it because of the features that were shown to them by the sales person won't care for updates. My mother had a Samsung s3 and she complains every time I update it four her that something is different and when she purses a certain thing blah blah blah. So I have given up doing it for her because she obviously likes the way it was when she bought it
  • This is obviously about those who aren't smart enough or interested enough on how to update and improve their phone. For them there needs to be an easier way than the current Discovery method.
  • What do you mean "easier way?" The automatic download update option is on by default. A user would have to know where to go to turn it off. There for the current "discovery method" works fine. The phone also alerts users about updates.
  • There is an alert that pops up when you have an update.
  • Ate you sure that works all the time? I have had my 1020 since amber and now am on the latest DP and I have never had a pop up even though I have the box (used to be two boxes) checked
  • I don't think I've ever gotten such an alert. But... either way, there needs to be an alert... that repeats until you update. They can add it to the Notification Center after 8.1... and/or add a notification to the Store or Setup tiles.
  • The reminder needs to be on the lock screen until the phone is updated.
  • well if Verizon ever decides to install 8.1 on their devices that stat will change!
  • Did T-Mobile release 8.1 for the 925 and the 521 yet?
  • Idk about that Verizon is the worst +928
  • Lol... It is fixed...
  • Love to add a couple more devices but can't get DP 8.1 on 2 of my 3 WP devices...blocked!
  • I think a lots of people doesn't even know there's an update feature in the settings
  • They don't need to. They will be notified when an update is available.
  • If they haven't pinned the settings tile or don't see the toast notification, they will never get the update.
  • Exactly. If they kept the "update automatically" setting by default I think they do get it though, but if not they're pretty much going to have to find out themselves how to update.
  • You can lead a horse to water... I think they do as much as they can between default settings, notifications, and prompts.
  • It comes up as a full screen notification. You have to actively choose to dismiss the update...
  • Oh yeah, I remember that now! Except, wouldn't most people dismiss it if they just happen to see it and don't know what it is? WIll they be reminded later? And you do need to keep the default setting, right? Or maybe that is only to download automatically... maybe everyone gets notified.
  • What do you mean people "don't know what it is" because it's very clear in what it says: you have an update. Even mentally challenged people understand what an update is, and all you're asked to do is accept it or not! People are not as dumb as you think they are!
  • Not saying they are dumb, just that if they see that message and are busy doing something (which a lot of people are when they are looking at their phone) they might not read it and click "Later" or whatever it is. I assume there's a reminder later then.
  • My Lumia 920 With Windows Phone 8.1 
    i can't wait update Cyan from Tunisia !! 
  • I think it's released but you should check the Nokia global support website Posted via Windows Phone Central App
  • WP 7 still holding out. MS should concentrate on making sure those people on WP 7 upgrade to a 8.0/8.1 phone. Thats a huge chunk there just begging to leave WP and plunge the market share.
  • Definitely. Good potential for 63x/730 market. But also for Android :/
  • I hear you dude. At this point Microsoft should offer all Windows Phone 7 users the option to trade in their phones for a free Lumia 520.
  • A 635 would be better :p.
     
  • The mighty 520!
  • I love my 520, but it sucks that the most popular Windows Phone models are the budget phones. Numbers like this indicate to developers that WP users don't want to spend money.
  • Not sure how to feel about being a 57%'er.
  • I sure wish AT&T would release 8.1 and Cyan for L920.
  • You and I both my friend. Oh and the rest of the 6.3%.
  • That proves that nerds & devs make up 25% of Windows Phone base.
  • For sure on my Lumia 625
  • I just got a 625. Only bad thing is its terrible display. Amazing battery life.
  • My wife won't upgrade due to the de-integration of Facebook and other services that work so quickly in 8.0. Myself? I like the notification center too much to care about a drop in Facebook response time!
  • De-integration? Just install the Facebook app and link it to the People hub and you're good to go.
  • As a feed I think you're right. But to comment and like things, the fb app must open to the post's page and from there you can make an update. Though you can't even like comments with the old way or even see who likes a post beyond "LatestName and X others like this". I don't know what she's hanging on to!
  • Yeah if you link it you'll still get the news feed on "what's new" in the people hub, but I think the best feature 8.0 had was the message hub integration. FB Messenger is now working fine for me thou, don't really miss the msg hub,
  • Take her phone and update it. Then tell her you have no idea what happened. Record her flipping out so you can play it back for her later. The two of you will laugh about it. Oh the joy of marriage.
  • Haha, I honestly did do this to an extent with the preview for developers update, but she hated it then. That might be because it was pretty slow and buggy, though!
  • Looks like us men think alike. Maybe the official update, sans lag and bugs, will be nice enough for her to be happy and stay with it. Wait, I take that back. They're never really happy are they?
  • I think now is time to developers update their apps to take advantage of the Windows Phone 8.1...
  • Sitting here, twiddling me thumbs waiting on MS to fix the 0x80188308 error. At this rate, will probably get cyan and debian red at the same time :P. Reflashed back to black and can't install cyan.... Oh well guess ill jump back onto the preview, can't live without action centre lol.
  • I am also stuck at WP 8.1. on DP. This damn error is not being fixed. Yesterday I tweeted Joe for update but no reply. Seems like MS just doesn't care about this error.
  • You can't relate no reply with not caring. Would you rather he sit at a computer all day replying personally to everyone like you, or ignoring the messages and actually doing some work to fix the issue for you? Because you can't have both.
  • @MrA2Z, just like KMF79 said it is not feasible to expect Joe belfiore to sit and reply to every single tweet. It would be more productive for him to work on what he needs to do on daily basis.
    They just rolled out GDR1, we will get debian red in a couple of months. There are rumors that we will get a preview of threshold for Arm devices early Q1, 2015 (jan-feb) and tech preview for threshold for x86/x64 end of Sept. So given all that, do you think MS still doesn't care?..:P.
  • Part of the elite 1520 owners. Lol
  • Make it 100
  • My 1020 DP got WP 8.1 this morning and now downloading a new update after Cyan.
  • I guess no one cares about the forgotten 928 again +928
  • Where's our RAW support?
  • Amazing the M8 is 40th when it's been out for about a day...
  • Did 8.1 and cyan come out for the 1520 on att?
  • Yeah, just rub in the fact that we can't get 8.1 right in our faces... Classy.
  • We're in good company though... we're the MAJORITY!
  • I wish that god dammed pie chart would break down the "other" category with all specific phone models. "Other", I mean come on. That's just annoying. /s. No really though, I wish it would show all phones.
  • Yeah I don't really understand the point of a unified "Other" category either.
  • What happened about the fix for error xxx308 for updating from WP8.1 DP to Update 1?
  • I agree, how can this be taking so long to resolve, its been nearly a month now and nothing from MS about a fix, getting very frustraiting
  • I still don't understand why there is so many versions of Lumia phones. Have 5: Low end, mid-range, mid-range with badass camera, high end, and high end phablet.
  •     Now imagine how much higher this statistic would be if we didn’t have to wait for companies like Verizon and T-Mobile to stop b.s-ing…, uh finish carrier testing.
  • I thought the headline suggested that WP8.1 was on 24% of all devices (including other OSes), not just 24% of WP devices
  • Still waiting for update for 620.Announced 2 weeks ago in Thailand.
  • My Samsung Ativ S is not even on the list so special!
  • The Icon is in limbo.
  • I have a question.... When is the 8.1 os update coming out for htc 8x..?
  • not on verizon, moving on