For one thing, the more expensive hardware requirements of Windows Phone 7 will put those devices out of reach for a longer time in these countries. In addition, in India, East Asia and Europe, consumers hold on to phones twice as long or hand them down, Entner said.

Adding in the ability to make less expensive smartphones with Symbian, total shipments may eventually exceed the company's estimate of 150 million, on the strength of sales in developing countries, Entner said. Symbian's promise in these markets extends beyond handsets to apps, he added. "If you are an app developer in India or Indonesia, Symbian is a gold mine."

The IDG News Service