The Future of Windows Phone
At the end of 2013, Windows Phone was a distant 3rd in US Smartphone market share at around 5% depending on the market source with Apple and Google taking 43% and 51% respectively. While that 5% number shows over 150% growth from 2012's 2.2% share, two very concerning trends came out. First, was the primary driver for that growth was the availability of the cheap Windows phone from Nokia - the 520/521 series. Second was that Nokia accounted for well over 90% of all Windows Phones sales. So why are these two trends dangerous and what does that mean for Windows Phone going forward ? Dependence on Cheap Phone for Market Share growth While there is certainly a market for an entry level smartphone and Nokia certainly proved they can produce a good quality entry level device with the 520/521, the reality is MS makes very little money selling these devices. They also have been discounted quickly. The "retail" price for the 521 for example was $149. I