While Google and Apple are both training their guns on one another, Microsoft has been slowly climbing the ladder with its Windows Phone platform at the expense of RIM and its BlackBerry platform. During the last 12 weeks, Windows Phone managed to overtake BlackBerry and take the number 3 position.

Windows Phone taking the number 3 position comes as no surprise as the platform is more in the spotlight these days when compared to BlackBerry. RIM at the moment is struggling to get its BlackBerry 10 platform off the ground, while Microsoft has Nokia to give Windows Phone the push it needs to become the third biggest ecosystem.

The news regarding Windows Phone's new found success came from Kantar Worldpanel Comtech, which also reported that Apple achieved its highest smartphone share in the U.S with 53 percent share of the market, while Android follows closely behind with 41.9 percent. Windows Phone market share is now 2.7 percent, not huge by any means, but at least Microsoft and Nokia achieved the first step of becoming the third biggest ecosystem in the U.S. The next push for Windows Phone is to become the third ecosystem worldwide, and from there on, anything is possible.

Taking a look across Europe, the Windows Phone platform appears to be gaining on RIM and could become number 3, if BlackBerry sales fail to take off in 2013. According to Kantar, Android holds pole position in Europe with 61 percent of all sales, while Apple sits far behind with 25 percent. The majority of Android's success came from Samsung, which accounts for 44 percent of all Android smartphones sold.

Kantar didn't mention Windows Phone and BlackBerry market share in Europe. It's more than likely they are below 1 percent.

"Nokia is managing to claw back some of its share in Great Britain through keenly priced Lumia 800 and 610 prepay deals. The next period will prove crucial in revealing initial consumer reactions to the Nokia 920 and HTC Windows 8X devices," the report said.

As it stands right now, Nokia is the reason behind Windows Phone growth. If this momentum continues with the recent launch of the Lumia 920, there is a good chance Nokia recover its past glory.