Somewhat ironic in the light of Nokia's imminent partnership with Microsoft to produce Windows Phone phones ("joining an ecosystem"), figures have been released showing that Nokia's Ovi Store revenues (much of which was from Symbian-based smartphones) were up 719% year on year and ahead of the Google Android Market. More stats below.

The stats are courtesy Lance at CNET, compiled from a Screen Digest report:

Apple's iOS App Store's no. 1 position is no surprise to anyone, not least because it also includes iPad app revenue, while I don't think many people would have believed BlackBerry's App World being there at no. 2, a credit to RIM for managing the growth of their own ecosystem so well. Nokia's Ovi Store may well lose third place to the Android Market in 2010, but equally, both will be close to the Blackberry Market by then, so it could be a fairly even three way fight.

Steve Ballmer and Stephen Elop were talking of Windows Phone being the "third ecosystem", but this chart shows what a mountain they have to climb together. The Windows Phone Marketplace is nowhere at the moment and there are four contenders currently ahead. If the Ovi Store (mainly borne on the shoulders of Symbian-powered smartphones in 2011) can keep revenues ticking along and be blended seamlessly into Windows Phone then there's hope for third place, but it does seem curious that the two Steves completely ignored BlackBerry in their ecosystem analysis.

The "fourth ecosystem", anyone?

Steve Litchfield, All About Symbian, 18 Feb 2011