Windows Phone has soared up the rankings to become the second most popular mobile OS in Latin America, jumping from fourth to second place in one year. IDC's Mobile Phone Tracker report claims that for the second quarter of 2013, Microsoft's platform showed 12% growth over the previous quarter, thanks to strong sales of low-end devices.
In Colombia, Windows Phone has the highest percentage of users out of all countries in the region, with 25.6%, while in Mexico Windows Phone maintained the number two spot for two quarters in a row. In other countries such as Chile, Argentina and Brazil, Windows Phone finished in third spot, but showed significant growth.
Microsoft attributes this growth to the wide range of Windows Phone devices available in 20 countries across Latin America, and stated "the market availability of new devices will be a factor in ensuring this trend endures over the next three months". With Windows Phone now occupying second spot in the region, Microsoft reached their goal, set at Mobile World Conference earlier in the year, to become the number two mobile platform in Latin America.
One low-end device that's been particularly successful in emerging markets, such as Latin America, is the Nokia Lumia 520. The phone has been praised for being affordable and reasonably well featured, making it a good choice over competing entry-level Android devices. According to AdDuplex, the Lumia 520 is currently the most popular Windows Phone worldwide, ahead of flagship offerings such as the Nokia Lumia 925.