First, the good news: Nokia Corporation (ADR) (NYSE:NOK) isn’t just the leading manufacturer of Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT)‘s Windows 8 global smartphone market. According to a recent report from AdDuplex, it’s absolutely destroying the competition. Combined with the Q4 announcement of 4.4 million Lumias sold, that should make even Nokia bears stand up and take notice. But with so many ongoing questions regarding the impact of Windows 8 in the smartphone OS market, does Nokia’s resurgence even matter?
The envelope, please
As of April 4, the date of AdDuplex’s report, Nokia Corporation (ADR) (NYSE:NOK) was the manufacturer of choice for 80% of all Windows 8 phones in use worldwide. HTC was a distant second, holding 14% of the Windows phone market, and Samsung, with its limited Windows smartphone alternatives, accounted for 5%. A smattering of others, including Huawei, ZTE, and Acer, shared what little was left.
Nokia Corporation (ADR) (NYSE:NOK)’s dominant position isn’t entirely a surprise. As the world’s No. 2 phone manufacturer, and the first to go all in with Windows 8, Nokia was always going to be ahead of the pack. But 80% is a staggering market share.
Fools should also note the growth of Nokia’s Lumia 920, its latest, greatest, and most expensive smartphone. The Lumia 920 has taken over the top spot of all Windows 8 phones worldwide, jumping from fourth place just a month ago.
With Nokia Corporation (ADR) (NYSE:NOK)’s earnings announcement slated for April 18, let’s hope CEO Stephen Elop shares Lumia sales numbers specific to the China Mobile deal Nokia inked late last year. With 700 million subscribers, China Mobile is the world’s largest wireless carrier; a good start there would certainly help to explain the jump in Lumia’s position and position Nokia for further growth.
Internationally, Nokia Corporation (ADR) (NYSE:NOK) dominates Windows 8 smartphone sales the way Samsung and Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) do in the U.S., with more than 90% market penetration in its top 10 markets. South America in particular loves its Nokia Windows 8 smartphones; four of Nokia’s top 10 countries by market share hail from the continent, with Argentina clocking in at 99% market share for all Windows 8 phones in use. Impressive.
Now for some perspective
Windows Phone, while growing market share in the U.S., remains a distant fourth behind Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG)‘s Android, Apple iOS, and Research In Motion Ltd (NASDAQ:BBRY), according to recent data from comScore. Android OS and iOS together own slightly more than 90% of the market domestically, and the story’s about the same internationally. Nokia Corporation (ADR) (NYSE:NOK) and Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) can only point to Windows Phone 8’s movement in the right direction. Along with iOS, Windows 8 was the only operating system to increase its share of the domestic mobile OS pie the past quarter, up to 3.2% from 3% in November.
