Windows Phone Usage Stats for July

In this month’s peek at Windows phone usage, AdDuplex examines the uptake for Windows 10 Mobile and provides an interesting look at the handsets that Windows phone enthusiasts use.

As you may know, AdDuplex bills itself as the largest cross-promotion network for Windows phone and Windows apps. AdDuplex empowers developers and publishers to promote their apps for free by helping each other. And each month it provides a glimpse at which Windows phone devices people are actually using. And as noted, this month, the date includes other device types too.

Here are the highlights from this month’s report.

Little movement in the usage charts. With no major phone releases to disrupt things, the usage chart hasn’t changed much: The Lumia 535 is still the most-often-used Windows phone with 12.5 percent usage share, the Lumia 640 has jumped into the third position, and Lumia 920 clings on as only flagship in the top 10.

Microsoft/Nokia still accounts for 97 percent of all Windows phones in use. And you can complain about Microsoft’s lack of success selling hardware, but the failure of its partners is all the worse.

Windows 10 Mobile usages eeks up by 1 percentage point. With 11.9 percent of all Windows phones in use, Windows 10 Mobile is the second-most-often-used OS on this platform. Windows Phone 8.1 is first, with 79.1 percent. Interestingly, Windows 10 Mobile penetration is highest in Germany, the UK and Italy.

No changes to the top devices running Windows 10 Mobile. Here, too, the Lumia 535 is number one with 12.5 usage share. And a few flagships make the list: the Lumia 950 is in fifth place, the 930 is in 6th, and the 950 XL is in 9th.

Windows phone enthusiasts use better phones than normal people. Not surprisingly, Windows phone enthusiasts—e.g. people who actually use the AppRaisin app—use better/higher-end phones than the general public, with the Lumia 640, 640 XL, 950 XL, 950 and 535 occupying the top five usage spots.

I wonder when or if the upcoming HP Elite x3 will make a meaningful dent in the usage lists. Late last year I was positive the Lumia 950 and 950 would do so, but that never actually happened.