Windows Phone stands to grow the fastest among the leading smartphone operating systems, with continued support from Nokia as well as the addition of nine new Windows Phone partners. Most of these new vendors come from emerging markets and could help bring the Windows Phone experience to customers there.
If you ask me, the 7% market share prediction for 2018 looks really less, if we have to consider the fact that Microsoft can go much lower in price with Lumia smartphones, as there will be no “licensing fee” anymore. Other manufacturers coming on-board should also push the growth rate up.
Source: IDC