It looks like even Windows 10 can’t save Microsoft’s mobile business

Microsoft’s share of the smartphone market has fallen to 2.2 percent and will make little ground over the coming four years, according to analyst firm IDC. The gloomy outlook for Microsoft’s mobile platform comes in IDC’s 2015 worldwide quarterly mobile phone tracker, where the analyst forecasts that Windows Phone shipments will have declined by 10.2 percent over the year to 31.3 million units, leaving Microsoft with 2.2 percent share of 1.4 billion units shipped. IDC predicts Windows Phone will remain on the margins for the next four years, despite growth accelerating in 2019 when Windows Phone is expected to have a 2.3 percent share. Windows Phone’s decline over the past year will come despite Microsoft’s devices having a lower average selling price (ASP) than their Android equivalents. The lower ASP helped keep sales afloat last year but has done little for the company in 2015. IDC estimates that the Windows Phone ASP of $148 was $71 lower than the $219 ASP for Android devices. So, what’s to blame for Windows Phone low market share?