Windows Phone to Grow 150% in 2013, Study Shows

A new study by DigiTimes Research found that shipments of the Windows Phone platform -- both WP7 and WP8 -- will increase by 150 percent next year. Microsoft MSFT partners are expected to ship 52.5 million units in 2013. This will enable the Windows maker to gain 6.1 percent of the market. Research In Motion RIMM, however, could end up with a share of just 3.7 percent. This is a surprising estimate considering that BlackBerry 10, RIM's long-awaited mobile operating system, has yet to be released. Apple AAPL, which manufacture's the world's single-most successful smartphone, will own just 20 percent of the overall market in 2013. This is heavily due to the onslaught of devices that will use Google's GOOG Android platform. From devices made by Samsung and HTC to Nokia NOK and LG, Android is expected to appear on 600 million new smartphones next year. Investors do not seem to be reacting to DigiTimes' findings, though there is some movement within the market today. Apple and RIM are both down more than one percent. Google and Microsoft are up slightly as well, gaining less than one percent each. Nokia -- which stands to benefit from the growth of Windows Phone -- is down more than three percent. The company soared yesterday morning after the Finnish manufacturer announced that it will earn 170 million euros for the sale of its headquarters. While Samsung (the world's largest cellular device producer) is one of the stronger supporters of the Windows Phone 8 platform, Nokia continues to dominate. In August new research showed that Nokia commanded 59 percent of the Windows Phone market. Assuming that domination continues, Nokia could ship as many as 31 million Windows Phone devices (59 percent of 52.5 million equals 30.9 million units) in 2013. Follow me @LouisBedigianBZ