While the Microsoft smartphone operating system based smartphone has dominated Korea because of backing by the leading mobile carrier, SK Telecom, mobile experts expect that Windows Phone (formerly Windows Mobile) will disappear in the local market in three years.

According to a survey conducted by social networking site, LinkNow, of 411 mobile experts from November 27 to December 14, thirty-eight percent of respondents said Apple’s iPhone will be tops in the local smartphone market in three years, followed by Android-based smartphones at thirty-two percent. Windows Phone received support from only seven percent. Interestingly, eighteen percent of respondents expect Samsung’s new open platform, “Bada” to be at the top in Korea.

Regarding the strong points of the iPhone, respondents indicated abundant applications and easy-to-develop applications due to tightly integrated hardware and operating system. In contrast, Android and Windows Phone based smartphones are difficult for application developers because of different hardware specifications from various manufacturers.

Supporters of Android said that the merit of open source is helping Android expand faster than expected, not only with smartphones, but also with other electronic devices such as MP3 players, digital TV and automobiles.

In the worldwide smartphone market in 2012, Symbian is expected to control thirty-nine percent, followed by Android at fourteen-point-five percent, iPhone with fourteen percent and the Windows Phone at twelve percent, respectively, according to Gartner, a market research firm.

Meanwhile, unit sales of smartphones at offline stores during the first week of this month show that the iPhone sold 43,000 units, while Samsung “T Omnia 2,” which is a Windows Phone-based smartphone recorded 29,100 units sold, according to local research firm Atlas Research Booming. These excellent smartphone sales are due to the iPhone, as Samsung is also enjoying sales increases for its smartphone, especially with increasing subsidies from SK Telecom.

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