Windows Phone shows signs of life

Microsoft’s mobile platform has not been the blockbuster success the Redmond, Washington-based technology giant was hoping for thus far. Google’s Android OS and Apple’s iPhone are still dominating the smartphone space by a huge margin in the United States and abroad, while Microsoft’s share of the global smartphone market has continued to decline. According to a new report from market research firm Kantar WorldPanel, however, Windows Phone is finally showing signs of life in several key markets.

Kantar WorldPanel on Tuesday issued its report on smartphone market share in the U.S. and a number of large markets around the world, Reuters reported. According to the firm’s research, Android showed solid gains during the three month period ending in mid-April in nearly every major market Kantar covers, more than doubling its share to 62% in Germany and nearly doubling its share in both Spain and Italy.

Apple’s iPhone gained market share in the U.S. and United Kingdom thanks to strong iPhone 4S shipments according to Kantar, though Apple’s position did slip in Europe.

As Apple and Google continue to battle atop the smartphone charts, however, some good news has emerged for Microsoft. According to Kantar, Nokia’s Lumia phone launches have doubled Windows Phone’s market share to 6% in Germany, and boosted the platform’s share in the U.S., U.K., France and Italy to between 3% and 4%.

Nokia’s Symbian OS and Research In Motion’s BlackBerry platform were the biggest losers in Kantar’s report, with RIM’s share of the U.S. market plummeting to 3% from 9% in the same period a year ago.

Windows Phone market share 2012: Microsoft's OS finally on the rise