The IDC recently released figures that revealed Apple and Samsung remain the top two smartphone vendors. Nokia, despite selling 4 million Lumia devices, lags behind its competitors. However, analysts remain confident that the company and mobile operating system partner Microsoft can achieve success with the Windows Phone.

Results for Q2 2012 revealed that Apple sold 26 million units during the quarter, while Samsung sold 50.2 million units. Market share rose to 32.6 percent for Samsung, while Apple's fell to 16.6 percent from 18.9 percent.

Shipments fell for Nokia from 38.9 percent to 10.2 million units. Market share rested at 6.6 percent from 16.7 percent in Q2 2011. Samsung gained the number one spot in 2012, synonymous with Nokia since the 1990s in the mobile phone world, but its failure with the MeeGo and Symbian operating systems has seen the company's fortunes dwindle. While partly the reason for the company's dwindling fortunes, according to the IDC, the transition to Windows Phone has been an issue.

"Nokia is clearly going to be the leader [in Windows Phone] with four million units shipped," IDC analyst Ramon Lamias said to eWeek. Lamias also said Nokia "has to win at the critical point of sale [in store] and they are not winning it."

Lamias added that sales representatives are inclined to sell iOS or Android phones and, therefore, Nokia has to improve the in-store situation. The lack of mindshare could exist due to both iOS and Android being simply bigger operating systems, or Windows Phone's inability to grab user attention.

"They would rather do that [selling iOS or Android smartphones] than spend 30 minutes trying to educate the customer on a Windows Phone and not get the sale when the iPhone literally sells itself," Lamias added. The iPhone 5 rumors are building up hype, ahead of the likely fall release, and Lamias averred that lower sales during Q2 2012 - for iPhones - marks the anticipation for the next iPhone.

However, rumors of Nokia building exclusive partnerships with carriers to stock future Nokia Windows Phone 8 devices encouraged Lamias. He suggested that customer service representatives should be trained to get excited about the company's devices.

It'll be interesting to see Nokia's Windows Phone 8 devices and if it capitalizes on Lumia's popularity. Windows Phone has been criticized as well as praised as a device that functions identically; so, Nokia has to build differentiating hardware.