Microsoft: We're number three and growing faster than anyone else

With the battle for the top two smartphone platforms being fought out by the duopoly players named Android and iOS, many were looking forward to 2013 to see the more interesting battle for third place between BlackBerry and Windows Phone. Now that the Canadian OEM launched BlackBerry 10 this year, and released new phones to go along with the new OS, did the company recapture its former days of glory? Not according to Windows Phone executives.

Unsurprisingly, senior Windows Phone product manager Larry Lieberman said, "We think we're solidly the third ecosystem right now. That's a huge announcement in some respects." Lieberman notes that BlackBerry doesn't have the coverage of all price points that Nokia has been covering. The success of entry level models like the Nokia Lumia 521 have taken business away from BlackBerry whose own entry level model has just launched in Dubai. The BlackBerry Q5 certainly wasn't priced like a low-end model when an unlocked variant was priced for pre-orders in the U.K. earlier this month at Unlocked Mobiles for 349.98 GBP ($545 USD) SIM free and including VAT. Based on comments made by CEO Thorsten Heins, BlackBerry 10 should have an all-touch low-end model still left to be launched this year. A picture of a phone called the BlackBerry Z5 was leaked earlier this month, and is expected to be the last low-end 'Berry scheduled for release in 2013.

Meanwhile, Lieberman wouldn't discuss that Nokia Lumia 920 purchased earlier this month on eBay running an early version of Windows Phone 8.1. The device had an enhanced calendar with weekly views, a notifications shade and the ability to close apps from a multitasking menu. Microsoft bought the phone back from the buyer for what he paid for it, and gave him a shiny new Nokia Lumia 920 to boot.


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source: TheVerge