Windows Phone has been in third place for mobile operating systems for quite some time. The latest developments around BlackBerry only widen the lead for Windows Phone, while cementing its spot in third. However, to catch up to the likes of Android and iOS it has a lot of work left to do. The latest numbers in market share and global shipments show Windows Phone making solid progress in the third quarter of 2013.

Windows Phone in the third quarter of 2013

The big takeaway in a report from Strategy Analytics? Windows Phone has managed to double its market share and now is the world’s fastest growing smartphone operating system. How’d Microsoft and its partners do that? Pretty easy. By shipping 10.2 million smartphones in Q3 2013. It was the first time that Windows Phone has had numbers like that for one quarter. For perspective, in Q3 2012 Windows Phone only moved 3.7 million units compared to 10.2 million one year later.

That’s pretty impressive for Windows Phone, 10.2 million units in one quarter is nothing for us to scoff off considering the past few years of growth. What’s also interesting is how many of those are from Nokia. We’ve seen data from AdDuplex that suggests Nokia accounts for nearly 90% of all Windows Phone in use right now. Remember that Nokia sold 8.8 million units this past quarter, which puts it close to that 90% mark of Windows Phone market share.

Additionally, the report points out that Windows Phone has gone from 2% to 4% in market share over the past year. Those numbers are interesting, because we’ve seen other reports that list Windows Phone at 4% marketshare earlier this year.

Everyone else

What’s the rest of the mobile landscape look like around the globe? Bleak for BlackBerry, that’s for sure. Global market share of BlackBerry handsets went from 4% to 1% when looking at the past year. Android is still king of the hill with 81.3% of smartphones shipped in Q3 2013 running the little green robot. Apple was at 13.4% for the same quarter and is the smartphone maker that Windows Phone will have to pass next to get to the number 2 position. Overall, the future of mobile is strong with global smartphone shipments growing 45% in one year. In Q3 2013 we saw 251.4 million units moved, compared to 172.8 million the same period one year prior. The future is bright, the future is mobile.

How long until we pass iOS in quarterly shipments with Windows Phone? Make your predictions below.

Source: Strategy Analytics

Thanks for the tips everyone!