Windows Phone is still the third most popular operating system worldwide, but there are some markets where it has overtaken iOS to become the second most popular operating system. One such market is Pakistan where the operating system has climbed on to the second spot by volume sales, as revealed by Patrick Mercanton, head of marketing for Near-East, North Africa, Levant and Emerging Asia for Microsoft Mobile Devices, during an interview with The News.
The mobile phone market in Pakistan is strongly dominated by Android devices from local manufacturers as well as the likes of Samsung, Huawei and HTC, along with Apple iPhone as well. However, iPhone comes under the expensive segment of the market. However, by volume sales, Windows Phone is the second most popular ecosystem in the region after Android. Mercanton said,
Windows Phone is now officially the second smartphone ecosystem by volumes sales. The activations in Pakistan were more than 200 percent. We created the affordable smartphones space with the Nokia ASHA brand that was immensely successful in the country. Pakistan is on top in the world for Lumia535 market share in the hotly fought after $100-150 price band.
It’s not just Windows Phone, Nokia, whose devices and services division is now a part of Microsoft, is still one of the most popular in the feature phones segment.
Our Nokia entry phones, such as the Nokia 105, continue to occupy the top selling phone spots in Pakistan. Our feature phone market share is even growing; and the new Nokia 215 is ramping up successfully.
When asked if any Lumia device has reached a landmark in the region, the answer was quite simple: yes. Microsoft Lumia 535 is the most popular Lumia ever in the region, thanks to its budget-friendly price tag and the decent set of specifications it has to offer.
Our most successful Lumia smartphone ever is the Lumia 535, which was also the first to carry the Microsoft branding. It looks to be the highest selling smartphone in Lumia’s history in our region. And its development was driven by emerging market demands. Its wide-angle 5 megapixel front facing camera, and a spacious 5 inch display at an affordable price of under PKR 15K were the biggest selling points for its success.
During the interview, Mercanton also shared his views about the market in Pakistan, as well as the segment which the company is targeting in the region. Head over to the link above to read the full interview.
