Kantar Worldpanel ComTech has released figures for the three months leading up to October, comparing sales against 2012 data. Apple has experienced share boosts thanks to the iPhone 5c, but Windows Phone continues to grow and takes 10 percent of EU5 (top five European markets).
Microsoft's platform is also just shy of 5 percent in the US, a rather notable achievement considering just how far behind Microsoft and partner OEMs were prior to the marketing push from Nokia. It was only last month when we covered Windows Phone surpassing 9 percent across Europe. Dominic Sunnebo, strategic insight director at Kantar Worldpanel ComTech, commented the following on the growth:
"Momentum for Windows Phone is continuing, although its growth remains reliant on low-end handsets. In Britain, almost three quarters of Nokia Lumia sales in the latest period were low-end devices such as the Lumia 520 and 620 – a pattern that is similar across other EU markets."
The Lumia 520 from Nokia remains an important power horse, driving growth in numerous markets. That said, Microsoft is still having trouble penetrating into China, where its market share dwindles at just 3.5 percent. Local manufacturers in China are selling high specification Android hardware at lower prices, making it seemingly more difficult for major international brands to break through.
Check out data below to see how mobile platforms are performing, compared to the previous year. Note that EU5 includes Britain, Germany, France, Italy and Spain.
Looking at the figures above, we can see Windows Phone smashing 16 percent in Italy, while France and GB follow suit with 12.5 percent and 11.9 percent respectively. Comparing sales between 2012 and this year shows promise for Microsoft's mobile platform. Both France and GB's growth percentage point change (YoY) are just shy of double digits.
Again, China is the only market where the platform experienced a slight fall in share over the 12 month period. With new Nokia hardware launching (two new phablets) and the Lumia 525 to succeed the ever popular Lumia 520, not to mention the looming Microsoft acquisition, it'll be interesting to revisit these figures in 12 month's time to see if the trend continues.
Source: Kantar

Xbox FY21 Q2 revenue surges 51% with Xbox Series X, Series S launch
Microsoft enters the next console generation strong with Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S, pushing steady growth across its hardware, software, and subscriptions in Q2 financials.

Microsoft brings in a record-breaking $43.1 billion in rev for FY21 Q2
Microsoft had another massive quarter pulling in $43.1 billion in revenue. Driven by strong growth in commercial, cloud, the company sees a resurgence due to "the dawn of a second wave of digital transformation sweeping every company and every industry." Xbox, Surface, and Windows all did well, too, due to strong holiday sales. Full details ...

Microsoft Surface FY21 Q2 revenue hits over $2 billion for the first time
Microsoft's FYQ2 2021 revenue saw a more considerable uptick, with Surface devices up slightly year over year. For the first time, Microsoft's growing Surface lineup peaked over two billion due to an aggressive push for sales during the holiday season.

Going all-in on crypto mining? These are the best GPUs for you.
If you're looking for the right graphics card to get into mining for cryptocurrencies, you need one of these. We've rounded up the absolute best graphics cards to mine cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum.