Windows Phone Snapping At iOS’s Heels In Russia

Windows Phone market share in Russia has nearly caught up with iOS after the nations largest operator AOA Mobile dropped the iPhone from its shelves due to high subsidy costs.

In the first quarter of 2013 Windows Phone market share rose to 8.2% up from 5.2% in the same quarter of 2012, while iPhone market share dropped to 8.3%, down from 9% in Q1 2012.

In real figures, 315,000 Windows Phone devices were sold in Russia in the months of January to March 2013 against 319,000 iPhones. Worldwide in Q1 2013 Apple sold 37.8million iPhones compared to about 7 million Windows Phone.

AOA Mobile has agreed to promote Windows Phone in Russia, of which Nokia hold roughly 80% of sales. Telefonica, one of the largest mobile network providers in the world have been linked with a similar plan to promote the platform in Europe.

Source Bloomburg and WMPoweruser