Despite the kerfuffle around upgrade-eligible devices, Windows 10 Mobile seems to be off to a “relatively” good start. Relatively, chosen as a descriptor, underscores the reality that there are declining Windows phone users in general but regardless, Windows 10 Mobile has already jumped to the second most used OS on the Windows phone platform.
According to AdDuplex, the Windows phone platform landscape now stands at Windows Phone 8.1 with an 81.1 percent share of usage and Windows 10 Mobile beating out Windows Phone 8 to claim second at 7.7 percent. While barely beating a three-year-old operating system install may not sound impressive, AdDuplex notes that “15.2% of the devices that are capable of running Windows 10 Mobile already are.”
Judging from the chart above, developers who have stuck around with the platform, despite roughly 50 percent of devices ineligible to receive the update, could still be looking at a significant number of potential users for UWP apps on the Windows 10 Mobile platform.
Beyond the fog of confusion and frustration that has surrounded the Windows 10 Mobile upgrade, AdDuplex also notes that the Lumia 535 and Lumia 640 which make up over half of the overall devices in use on the Windows Phone platform, are on track to receive the Windows 10 Mobile update. Developers concerned about the severe drop off of listed devices may find a bit of solace in knowing the overall user base should remain relatively unchanged.
As for Microsoft’s overall strategy to spark new as well as continued developer interest during this transition will be interesting to see. Presumably, the company will attempt to present a compelling enough narrative next week at its Build 2016 conference.