Windows Mobile Outsold the iPhone on Q32008

By Dieter Bohn
last updated

Everyone is raving about the sales the iPhone is making and it deserves its props, but its still not putting up Windows Mobile numbers. In fact, during the third quarter of 08 apple only shipped about 4.4 mill iPhones while Windwos Mobile put out a healthy 5 mil.  Now, part of the the drop in the iPhone sales is that they may have finally reached all the markets they hadn't yet with the iPhone 3G, so they may be coming close to some kind of geographic saturation. 

It's still a close race, but then again close only counts in horse shoes and hand gernades -- not bragging rights. Will Windows Mobile be able to maintain its lead? We'll have to see if WM 6.5 can stir up some excitement -- but frankly even though we know it's software that makes a phone good, we're guessing the average consumer still looks to hot new hardware -- so both Microsoft and its manufacturers will have to do their part. 

via mobiletopsoft

Dieter Bohn
Dieter Bohn
6 Comments
  • If this is what comforts you... fine. But reality is Apple sold ONE device. How many WinMo devices did it take to reach that number?
  • Brandon, you certainly make a good point. I am a true WiMo fan, and I appreciate the control that it provides. The unfortunate thing is that for new users Windows Mobile is not as intuitive and is, I believe, the hurdle that Windows Mobile has to overcome to maintain its "lead". With numbers like that, Apple has the motivation to continue to refine their phone OS.
  • I used to love WinMo for all the same reasons. You could customize and control it like no other. The problem is much like you stated, that it has a fairly high entrance level. In other words its not something someone can just pick up and understand. Unfortunately, the real problem I've run into on my last attempt with WinMo on a Treo Pro was that all the power it gives the user also applies to the developer. More than once I ran into an application that prevent core functions (like a phone call) from taking place because the application refused to release control. Or better yet, an application would change a system setting that I couldn't change without installing a third party app to tweak things back to normal. Without the level of comfort I have with WinMo I'd have been totally lost and likely would have had to restore the device - which just isn't good.
  • also, iphone is available only from At&t, while Winmo is from every carrier. so 600,000 more is not much at all.
  • Lost in translation. Unless I am reading something wrong the orginal announcement from Softpedia is referring to Q4 2008, not Q3 2008.
  • windows mobile needs new innovations like multitouch to get a greater share in smartphone market. besides, better multimedia is also a point to be noted. And the most important- Windows Mobile needs to be implemented on Nokia devices. This will greatly enhance market shares, because in many emerging markets smartphone sales are in rise with majority being symbian.