The Microsoft/Nokia deal is going to benefit the market share of Windows Phone tremendously, a new report from Gartner says. So much so that in 2015, the research firm predicts that Windows Phone will be second only to Android, with the iPhone in third place, and RIM’s BlackBerry smartphones in fourth. This is thanks in part to Nokia’s ability to globally distribute the Windows Phones, and to drive down prices, making Windows Phone devices accessible to many more people. More specifically, Gartner predicts Android to have 48% of the market in 2015, with Windows Phone taking 20%, iPhone at 17.2%, and BlackBerry at a small 11%.

While the Nokia partnership will indeed accelerate Microsoft’s ability to gain market share in the smartphone industry, the success of the platform will very much be determined by Microsoft’s ability to keep up with the frequent release cycles of the other smartphone operating systems. Microsoft is failing its first test by being late in rolling out the NoDo update for Windows Phone 7, leaving us a bit worried about how long it will take for the much more substancial update, Mango, to arrive.

Do you think Windows Phone could be number two in four years?

Source: PCWorld