Consumers not tempted by Nokia’s Windows phone

Nokia’s long-awaited Windows phone has failed to woo consumers, according to new figures.

Despite largely positive reviews, consumers have shown next to no interest in the company’s WP7 handset, which it was hoped would breathe new life into the once-dominant mobile maker.

According to a survey from investment research house Exane BNP Paribas, only 2% of Europeans looking for a new handset would pick Nokia’s first Windows model, the Lumia 800.

Analysts said there was nothing wrong with the handsets, but that consumers were just not biting. Smartphones using Microsoft software have only a 2% market share, compared with Google Android at around 50% and Apple at 15-20%.

“There isn’t much room left for a third ecosystem. The smartphone market is consolidating fast,” said Bernstein analyst Pierre Ferragu.

Nokia’s shares have fallen by more than 20% since the 26 October launch of the new phone, with investors fearing Nokia would be unable to claw back the market share it has lost over the past few years.

Phones using Nokia’s old Symbian software, which it decided to dump in favour of Microsoft, are still in circulation and outsell Windows phones ten to one.

Nokia officials defended the Lumia, and a spokesman said there was “positive momentum” while declining to give any data. One executive argued that Nokia had never counted on the first Lumia phones to lead to a quick turnaround, but instead expected it to be the first step towards recovery.