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Some of the researchers behind last year's high expectations for Microsoft 's Windows Phone mobile operating system are beginning to dial backtheir predictions, citing the bring-your-own-device (BYOD) trend asa roadblock in some markets. Both as a Windows operating system and a late-comer to a marketdominated by consumer-focused offerings, Windows Phone 7 is bestpositioned for the enterprise market, according to analysts fromIDC and IHS iSuppli. However, the features that are so appealing toIT administrators may go overlooked by end users making purchasingdecisions in the new BYOD world, says IHS senior analyst in wireless communications Wayne Lam. "We can definitely say that it's no longer a top-down decision.We've gone to a new era in mobility, and especially enterprisemobility, where the end user is definitely having a voice," Lamsays. If they see that they can accomplish more because ofusability on iOS and Android, they're going to grumble about notbeing able to use the device they want. RELATED: 4 reasons Windows Phone 7 will beat iPhone and Android Shortly after Microsoft announced its partnership with Nokia lastyear, the general consensus was that the deal would launch WindowsPhone into the No.2 spot in the smartphone market by 2015,surpassing all competitors but Google in the process. By teaming with Nokia, Microsoft gained the manufacturing resources Apple has used to integrate iOS so seamlessly onto its hardware. At thesame time, Windows Phone 7's presence on Samsung and HTC devices,among others, gave it the openness and diverse price range that hasmade Google's Android so successful on a global level. Many agreedthe result would be a quick rise to the top. RELATED: 3 questions for Microsoft's Windows Phone chief In January, Lam penned a blog post for IHS iSuppli that called the introduction of the Lumia 900 atthe Consumer Electronics Show the start of a "renaissance" forMicrosoft and Nokia, projecting Windows Phone to reach 16.7% marketshare by 2015 and to edge out the 16.6% share forecasted for iOS.IDC made similarly lofty predictions in March 2011, projecting a 67.1% compound annual growth rate forWindows Phone through 2015 that would culminate in a 20.9% marketshare and a 5.6% lead on Apple. However, even in the weeks following the official release of theLumia 900, these expectations have waned a bit. Lam says the firmhas "ratcheted back" its claims, now predicting Windows Phone willland in third position, behind iOS and Android. Meanwhile, RamonLlamas, senior research analyst with IDC's Mobile DevicesTechnology and Trends team, says IDC has only slightly lowered itsmarket share expectations to 20.1%, but has also erased thedifference separating it from iOS, predicting WP7 to be "prettymuch statistically tied with Apple" by 2016. Much of Microsoft's success is expected to come in global markets,where smartphone penetration is now starting to gain traction, aswell as new smartphone customers looking for less expensiveoptions. The current state of enterprise mobility, though, maylimit growth in more developed markets where consumers may not beactively pursuing Windows Phone's productivity benefits. Whereas Lam pointed to Windows Phone 7's ability to integrate withexisting Windows systems without "all the extra bells and whistles"of third-party software, Llamas cited other such benefits as security , VPN access and compatibility with Microsoft's cloud-based Office365 productivity suite as reasons the IT department will welcomeWP7 devices with open arms. "From what I've seen with some of the other Windows Phone devices,we can address some of these questions, and I think it's very mucha viable option for enterprise users," Llamas says. "Whether or notit's going to be on a BYOD list or if it's going to becorporate-sponsored, that's going to be up to different companies.But if you just look at the specifications list from what an ITdepartment really likes to have, Windows Phone is going to haveit." For the time being, Lam says the consumerization of IT appearsirreversible. The continued decline of BlackBerry, whosesubscribers "dropped off a cliff" in the second quarter, and the meteoric rise of Android is evidence that the traditionalcorporate mobile model is a thing of the past, Lam says. "Within the framework of enterprise purchasing, I think it is hardto put the genie back in the bottle," Lam says. "Once you startdown this path where you can bring in something other thanBlackBerry, and there are more compelling platforms and devices outthere, it's kind of hard to say 'everybody back to the way itwas.'" While the enterprise cannot return to the days of corporate-drivenenterprise mobility, Microsoft and its carrier partners mightbenefit from trying to do so in the sales process. Llamas pointedto the Lumia 900 , which he says is a strong consumer smartphone with an interfaceand user experience that are comparable to those of the iPhone ormany Android devices. But because of its shortcomings, namely thenumber and quality of applications available for Windows Phone, Llamas says consumers will need to bemade aware of its benefits as a tool in the workplace just as well. "What really needs to happen on the other side is that salespeopleat AT&T or Verizon or wherever, they've got to be able to tellthat story too. Instead of just saying 'here, let me get yououtfitted with the latest smartphone,' go down the road of asking'do you plan on using this for work?'" Llamas says. "Most consumerswill respond rather positively to that because it takes the onusand the actual legwork off of them to go back and have all theseactual questions answered." This is a result of the BYOD trend that may be forcing a shift inthe relationship between vendors and customers. In the past, whenend users were handed corporate BlackBerry phones, "there wasreally nothing to worry about," Llamas says. The BlackBerry wasused for work and little was questioned because few alternativeswere available. Now that smartphone users have found that consumer devices can bealso used for work, vendors will need to show them how they canimprove upon that enterprise experience, Llamas says. WindowsPhone, as a "hybrid" between Android and BlackBerry, will need tobe sold to a different market than its competitors simply becauseBYOD has changed many smartphone customers' expectations, Llamassays. "You have a lot of savvy users over there, even if they're featurephone users, who have their expectations as to what a smartphoneshould do," Llamas says. "The point is, show me how Windows Phoneis different." Colin Neagle covers Microsoft security and network management forNetwork World. Keep up with his blog: Rated Critical, follow him onTwitter: @ntwrkwrldneagle. Colin's email is cneagle@nww.com. Read more about anti-malware in Network World's Anti-malware section. 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