* people shop for new phones and usually aim for the coolest one as their new phone. *
I think you're discounting the invested value of apps. I've probably got about $400 worth of paid-for apps on my iPhone. The Windows phone might be the "coolest", but my migration cost is far greater than just the hardware cost to get back to a similarly useful handset.
Android seems to have more free apps, and less overall selection. It might be easier to switch from Android to Windows phone than iPhone to Windows phone.
You are right. Apps are the new golden handcuffs for users of a current platform and are a new challenge to overcome for both android and windows phone.
Still there's millions of new users who are just about to get a new smartphone coming from candy bar phones, and when shopping they just go mostly look up for the iphone.
I stood up at an ATT store some times watching how people shopped phones. The color squares of Windows Phone and huge screens of android phones attract people initially, but as soon as they start comparing they flock to the iPhone.
Amazingly, I just got back from a vacation in Mexico where smartphones are just becoming popular, and went to the local vendors out of curiosity. The push for IOS/android is impressive, there are ads on the street, movies, everywhere. You can get an iPhone with no downpayment and 600 pesos(45 usd) a month.
I think you're discounting the invested value of apps. I've probably got about $400 worth of paid-for apps on my iPhone. The Windows phone might be the "coolest", but my migration cost is far greater than just the hardware cost to get back to a similarly useful handset.
Android seems to have more free apps, and less overall selection. It might be easier to switch from Android to Windows phone than iPhone to Windows phone.