New figures from eMarketer have illustrated the rising power of Microsoft's Windows Phone in the UK, with the handsets set to overtake BlackBerry devices in the popularity stakes soon.
The position BlackBerry and Windows Phone are jostling for is for third most popular platform for UK consumers, after Android and Apple, and the decline of BlackBerry looks to be Microsoft's gain.
BlackBerry has been losing its share of the market for some time, hit with the overwhelming popularity of the iPhone and Android devices for business users, which was previously its domain.
Forecasts now predict BlackBerry users will drop by 35.2 per cent by the end of 2014, and 41.7 per cent in 2015, leaving the operating system with just 1.4 million customers compared to 21.3 million for Android and 3.5 million for Windows Phone.
Bill Fisher, UK analyst at eMarketer, said: "The demise of BlackBerry has long been documented but these numbers highlight just how far it has fallen from grace.
"Android and iOS are clearly dominant, but while Microsoft is making significant effort to grow its presence buying Nokia's mobile phone unit and recently partnering with HTC to offer a Windows-based version of the flagship HTC One M8 BlackBerry appear to have been treading water."
BlackBerry recently concluded a company restructure, with an internal memo sent to employees stating that the company would be refocusing on the business market for the future, notably on mobile data security and device management.
-
Meta just revived plans to train AI models using European user dataNews Meta has confirmed plans to train AI models using European users’ public content and conversations with its Meta AI chatbot.
-
AI is helping bad bots take over the internetNews Automated bot traffic has surpassed human activity for the first time in a decade, according to Imperva
-
Blackberry revenue falls by 4% as cyber security division takes hitNews Despite this, the company’s Internet of Things (IoT) division increased its revenue by 28% as it attracted new customers from the automotive sector
-
BlackBerry revival is officially dead as OnwardMobility shuts downNews The Texas-based startup is mysteriously shutting down and taking its ultra-secure 5G BlackBerry with it
-
BlackBerry and AWS are developing a standardized vehicle data platformNews Platform will give automakers a standardized way to process data from vehicle sensors in the cloud
-
BlackBerry thwarts mobile phishing attacks with new AI toolsNews The company's Protect Mobile platform alerts users to potential malware before a link is clicked
-
BlackBerry Persona Desktop delivers zero-trust security at the endpointNews New security solution learns user behavior and can take action if there’s an abnormality
-
A 5G BlackBerry phone with physical keyboard is coming in 2021News The business phone to be resurrected with OnwardMobility and FIH Mobile planning a security-savvy enterprise handset
-
The business smartphone is deadIn-depth BlackBerry’s demise signals the end of the business-first handset
-
BlackBerry Key2 review: The best physical keyboard no one asked forReviews Despite the improvements, the flaws of BlackBerry’s Key range are still front and centre
