While the Apple App Store and Google Play Store, the Windows Phone Store is coming up behind the pair, just like the Android Market did to the App Store in the good old days. Microsoft says that during the holiday season downloads and app purchases increase by 50% and it sees nothing that will keep that from happening again this year.
Microsoft also noted that the Windows Phone Store now rings up 9 million transactions a day. According to Kantar, in Britain, France, Germany, and Mexico Windows Phone has a 10% or higher market share of smartphone purchases. And with 42% of Windows Phone buyers coming from feature phones, Microsoft’s mobile OS is beginning to gain some traction.
The smart and hilarious marketing coming out of Redmond includes some new ads directed at the Apple iPhone 5c and Apple iPhone 5s. And with a focus on both the low end and the camera-centric high-end of the smartphone market, there could be some reason to expect the big two to become the big three.
