There's an almost unspoken understanding within the industry that, despite something of a slow start for Windows Phone 7 in terms of estimated sales, the platform is set to have an impact on the market in 2011.

It's a feeling that's gained traction because of Microsoft's obvious commitment to it – more than two fairly major updates to the OS planned this year alone.

The quarter war

As such, it's difficult to know how to read the latest shipment figures, revealed by Microsoft senior product manager Greg Sullivan in an interview with All Things Digital.

While 2 million units in the hands of retailers in the platform's launch quarter is a figure not to be sniffed at, the inevitable response is to compare it to the performance of iPhone, with Apple's device having sold 16.2 million units across the same period.

Nonetheless, Microsoft's shipment figure is up 500,000 units from its last declaration, meaning shipments are tracking at 285,000 devices a week. By comparison, Google claims to activate 300,000 Android handsets every day.

With love from Windows

"We're still in the early stages," Sullivan said of the shipment figures.

"When people use this phone, they really, really like it. One of the key ways that we'll measure success of Windows Phone is did we ship a phone people love."

Sullivan says customer surveys suggest 93 percent of Windows Phone 7 owners are either satisfied or very satisfied with the platform so far.

Nonetheless, it's a combination of strong sales and an equally robust Windows Marketplace that will really begin to turn heads for Microsoft, with the store's roster topping 5,000 apps as of the end of December.

[source: All Things Digital]