[richardat]

BLECH

"MICROSOFT CEO Steve Ballmer boasted on Monday that the firm's Windows Phone 8 mobile operating system will topple RIM's Blackberry 10 in the race to become the third most popular smartphone ecosystem, Reuters reports.

Speaking at a Windows Phone 8 launch event in Tel Aviv, Ballmer talked highly of the latest version of Microsoft's mobile operating system. He said, "With the work we have done with Nokia, HTC, Samsung and others ... there is now an opportunity to create really a strong third participant in the smartphone market."

He added that while Windows Phone is struggling in the smartphone market, sales of devices are likely to pick up quickly in the run up to Christmas.

"We are still relatively small ... I expect the volumes on Windows Phone to really ramp quickly."

He could be right too, as the Windows Phone 8 mobile operating system isn't struggling as much as it once was, as a report from IDC recently revealed that Microsoft's slice of the smartphone market is slowly increasing. The research firm's third quarter statistics show that 3.6 million Windows powered handsets were shipped in the three month period, representing a 140 percent increase compared to the third quarter of 2011.

Of course, it's still struggling to keep up with Android and IOS, which according to IDC account for 75 percent and 14.9 percent of the smartphone market, respectively.

http://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/...ber-three-spot

[mrfreetruth]

Ya...Just like they were going to do that with WP7 which BTW flopped. What else can he tell you that windows phone 8 sucks? Right off the bat it doesn't even have notification centre = FAIL

Windows Phone 8 Doesn't Have a Notification Centre Because Microsoft "Ran Out of Time" | Gizmodo UK

[mrfreetruth]

Wow...so rim with old phones consider outdated and old SMASHED windows 7 sales by more then 2-1 last Q and knocked Nokia out of the top 5? Imagine what they will do with BB10?
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Surprisingly it’s RIM that captured 3rd place, taking over from Nokia’s position and their trailing Lumai Windows Phone 8 devices. RIM hasn’t released a new smartphone in months, but managed to ship 7.7 million BlackBerry smartphones, earning 4.3% market share.


IDC: Samsung, Apple and RIM are the top 3 smartphone manufacturers in Q3, Nokia slips out of top 5 | MobileSyrup.com

[BBPandy]

not only did RIM ship 7 million phones last quarter they sold 10 million

[christenmartin]

i dont think thats going to happen, but i think that Windows is actually serious about the game now. I hope they do well, Im interested in what there doing but what Ive seen with bb10 and RIMs apparent change of attitude, there not going to threaten RIM any time soon.

Sent from my BlackBerry 9860 using Tapatalk

[skyrocket9]

Im actually on a wait list for the new Nokia 920 can't wait !

Sent from my BlackBerry 9900 using Tapatalk

[skyrocket9]

Im actually on a wait list for the new Nokia 920 can't wait ! Ill keep my trusty 9900 as well lol.
Sent from my BlackBerry 9900 using Tapatalk

Sent from my BlackBerry 9900 using Tapatalk

[BlackBerry Guy]

We'll see. They had a good shot when RIM kept delaying BB10 and MS was able to get Windows Phone 7 out the door. So far that hasn't worked out that well for them.

I am interested to see if the launch of Windows 8 and the upcoming RT version of it will have any influence on the sales of Windows Phone 8.

[skyrocket9]

I bought windows 8 for 3 laptops, works flawlessly and is a nice change.

Microsoft will easily take market share a bit from every one. Im already seeing adds on kijiji where people want to trade their s3 or iphone 5 for a nokia 920 or htc 8x so don't under estimate anyone .

Sent from my BlackBerry 9900 using Tapatalk

[qyk1010101]

Windows 8/Phone 8 are really a big deal compared to the lacklusture launch of WP7. I can really see the excitement building up on multiple tech blogs from engadget to cnet - just look at the comments section.

RIM has no one to blame but themselves. BB10 was supposed to be out early 2012 to set the standard whilst preparing for the fight against ip5, s3 and w8. Actually they did manage to build up some hype when it was first shown, but the multiple delays destroyed whatever hype they managed to garner.

[citystars41]

Ya...Just like they were going to do that with WP7 which BTW flopped. What else can he tell you that windows phone 8 sucks? Right off the bat it doesn't even have notification centre = FAIL

Windows Phone 8 Doesn't Have a Notification Centre Because Microsoft "Ran Out of Time" | Gizmodo UK

Even being a windows guy that commercial cracks me up but it fits the scenario perfectly

[TRlPPlN]

hhmm...are they sure steve ballmer said topple?? or is that the journalists putting words in ballmer's mouth? Windows 8 will have a slice in the market no doubt but topple RIM?? only time will tell. I like windows 8. Windows will always have a big niche in the consumer and enterprise market. As for the phone, we just dont know if it will topple bb10.

[richardat]

hhmm...are they sure steve ballmer said topple?? or is that the journalists putting words in ballmer's mouth? Windows 8 will have a slice in the market no doubt but topple RIM?? only time will tell. I like windows 8. Windows will always have a big niche in the consumer and enterprise market. As for the phone, we just dont know if it will topple bb10.

Nope. She's paraphrasing for drama. First thing I did was read the source article...actually, I linked to that first, but then, since I used the headline from the 2nd article, I edited it to put the link to that in. Nonetheless, the sentiment is the same: Ballmer is saying they are going to knock/push/replace RIM at #3.

Unfortunately, yes, i do think they have a good chance....which is horrific. I will say that wp8 is the best of the new crop of MS products. It is certainly in my opinion better than the poorly designed interface of win 8, and the worst of all, the Frankenstein Surface. In truth, wp8 is a solid entry. If it gets traction, RIM will have a problem.

[Superfly_FR]

Journalists love smashing titles ...

"With the work we have done with Nokia, HTC, Samsung and others ... there is now an opportunity to create really a strong third participant in the smartphone market." Becomes "Steve Ballmer says Windows[...] will topple RIM [...]"

MS and RIM are in a non-aggressive situation concurrence race. As of date, I've NEVER read Ballmer (team) nor Heins (team) name each other's company as a target (please source if they did).

Reality distortion: a sad virus you find in some fruit.

[Masahiro]

What a ridiculously titled article just to grab page hits. Ballmer would never say something so rash. The market will decide the "winner" (for 3rd place) anyways.

[richardat]

What a ridiculously titled article just to grab page hits. Ballmer would never say something so rash. The market will decide the "winner" (for 3rd place) anyways.

LOL! It's not Ballmer's decision??

Journalists love smashing titles ...

"With the work we have done with Nokia, HTC, Samsung and others ... there is now an opportunity to create really a strong third participant in the smartphone market." Becomes "Steve Ballmer says Windows[...] will topple RIM [...]"

MS and RIM are in a non-aggressive situation concurrence race. As of date, I've NEVER read Ballmer (team) nor Heins (team) name each other's company as a target (please source if they did).

Reality distortion: a sad virus you find in some fruit.

ROFL!!! Yes....all the "work" they did to create a strong third participant was meant to keep RIM installed at third ;-) I actually have no idea what the bolded part of the sentence above means, but if memory serves, it was theory you made-up in a previous thread that there was a secret agreement between Heins and Ballmer to not "attack" each other....whatever that means. Honestly I just find that humorous indeed. Perhaps indeed they have a secret conspiracy to be co-CEO's of third place.....

But hey, if you want to believe that Ballmer declaring an intention to become a strong third has nothing at all to do with RIM, and that there is a secret deal between them to both be 3rd, so be it. You are entitled, though I think it's a wonderful irony that you'd be taking shots at Steve Jobs, when that is that is the reality you espouse!

Others may believe that WP8 is intended as a direct competitor to RIM, and that the success of WP8 will directly impact RIM's position, and so it's something they may wish to discuss and think about in coming months. I am glad that's not the case for you. :-)

[r0v3rT3N]

All I have to say is: Good luck Microsoft, you will need it.

[skyrocket9]

All I have to say is: Good luck Microsoft, you will need it.

Mmmm no they won't lol W8 is a great product and nokia 920 is the one of the top smart phones on the market atm. It will bring in big bucks for the time until something else comes along which as we know will be soon.

The rogers waitlist for the 920 lumia is packed, and there are many others asking how they can get it because its a rogers exclusive. I think you should go research it before you write none sense like this.

Im on waitlist my self and yes im a bb customer. But what im saying, they may not need luck because they finally have a successful product and their partners managed to make decent hardware.

I see everyone's shares, including apples slipping soon; even if by a small percent.

Sent from my BlackBerry 9900 using Tapatalk

[bitek]

i dont think thats going to happen, but i think that Windows is actually serious about the game now. I hope they do well, Im interested in what there doing but what Ive seen with bb10 and RIMs apparent change of attitude, there not going to threaten RIM any time soon.

Sent from my BlackBerry 9860 using Tapatalk

that is why we will not see skype. time for rim to do deal with facebook and screw microsoft.

Sent from Blackberry Playbook using TapaTalk 2

[Jonesy1966]

To be honest with you, from what I've seen of WP8 so far I don't see anything special about it. It's comparable to iOS6 in some ways and Android in others but in many ways it's pretty uninspiring. Perhaps I need a hands on experience but there's nothing that's exciting me about it at all. I do wish them luck, though. We need Microsoft even if just simply to provide competition, dominance by one or two operating systems just isn't healthy, but at least Apple is starting to show cracks.

[Seijuro]

Mmmm no they won't lol W8 is a great product and nokia 920 is the one of the top smart phones on the market atm. It will bring in big bucks for the time until something else comes along which as we know will be soon.

The rogers waitlist for the 920 lumia is packed, and there are many others asking how they can get it because its a rogers exclusive. I think you should go research it before you write none sense like this.

Im on waitlist my self and yes im a bb customer. But what im saying, they may not need luck because they finally have a successful product and their partners managed to make decent hardware.

I see everyone's shares, including apples slipping soon; even if by a small percent.

Sent from my BlackBerry 9900 using Tapatalk

so you think a "great" product is enough ?
there are SO many things which have to be taken into consideration and right now RIM is #3 and BB10 is right around the corner

so yes, Microsoft does need luck
I'm cheering for RIM and hope/think they'll manage to make a great comeback

[kbz1960]

My thoughts after using the metro or whatever they are calling it side on my computer metro apps need a heck of a lot more options and settings than they have now. It's pathetic. You can latterly do nothing in the metro mail app other than read, delete, reply, forward or move an email. If you want to add a folder you have to log in on the browser and create it there. What would someone do if all they have is a phone or surface tablet. There are less options and settings in the metro browser.

[randall2580]

MS made the same mistake with WP7 as RIM did with BB7 - telling the world the replacement would be available in about 1 year and the apps/software would not be compatible with the WP7 hardware. Both stood no chance of uptake owing to their EOL status basically on their release date.

WP8 will increasingly become familiar to folks if the new touch based laptops and tablets are well received. MS is betting that they can get folks into their Ecosystem offering everything from xBox gaming to computing all from one source, the way Apple has with theirs. Its a bold bet and in that sense they offer more than BB10 can, the question is can they convince folks that's enough? I believe they have a strong value proposition, the execution of which we will see played out over the next few months.

[gravymonster]

Yawn... RIM's been "going out of business next year" in the entire 5 years I've had a BlackBerry.

[RubberChicken76]

hhmm...are they sure steve ballmer said topple?? or is that the journalists putting words in ballmer's mouth?

He didn't even mention RIM. That's a journalist looking for an angle.