Building on its traditional strength in the region, new research numbers suggest Nokia is leading the Windows Phone charge across the UK.

According to market analysts Kantar Worldpanel ComTech, the 12 weeks leading up to 20 February saw Microsoft's platform grow its smartphone share to 2.5 percent.

While that's not likely to worry either Google or Apple – Android and iOS boasting shares of 48.5 percent and 28.7 percent respectively – it's a significant statistic for the Finnish firm, given it means Windows Phone now holds a larger share than Nokia's former favourite Symbian.

Surpassing Symbian

Indeed, Symbian's share has fallen by exactly 10 percent across the course of the last 12 months, with the OS currently holding 2.4 percent of the market.

Kantar Worldpanel ComTech global consumer insight director Dominic Sunnebo, however, believes Nokia's position within the Windows Phone ecosystem still isn't secure.

"There are strong signs that WP7 Nokia handsets are starting to make an impact on the European smartphone market though US sales, where the Nokia brand is weaker, remain underwhelming," said Sunnebo.

"The fact that WP7 sales have overtaken Symbian based on one handset is encouraging; however, Nokia will need to expand the range quickly in order to keep up with the slew of next-generation competitor products being launched in quarter two."

The firm cites the Lumia 800 as the main reason behind the Windows Phone rise, accounting for 87 percent of all the platform's sales.

Elsewhere, Kantar Worldpanel ComTech concludes more than half of all UK consumers now own a smartphone, accounting for 73.2 percent of all handsets sold over the course of the 12 week period.

[source: ZDNet]