Analyst firm IDC has repeated its prediction that teaming up with Nokia could push Windows Phone ahead of both Apple's iOS and BlackBerry by the year 2015.

10 things Microsoft Mango will bring to Nokia Windows Phone

The firm's latest research note suggests Windows Phone 7 will continue to struggle to gain any sort of market traction until the first Nokia Windows Phones start circulating in large volumes.

“Until Nokia begins introducing Windows Phone-powered smartphones in large volumes in 2012, Windows Phone 7/Windows Mobile will only capture a small share of the market,” the research note reads, “as the release of Mango-powered smartphones are not expected to reach the market until late 2011.”

But should all go to plan, IDC expects the partnership to propel Windows Phone to a 20 per cent share of the smartphone market by 2015, ahead of both iOS (16.9 per cent) and RIM's BlackBerry OS (13.4 per cent). Android, however, will continue to power ahead with a stake of 43.8 per cent, IDC predicts.

“Underpinning smartphone growth is the rapidly shifting operating system landscape,” IDC analyst Ramon Llamas wrote in a statement. “End users are becoming more sophisticated about what kinds of experiences are offered by the different operating systems.

“Taking this as their cue, operating system developers will strive for more intuitive and seamless experiences, but will also look to differentiate themselves along key features and characteristics.”

That is why announcements such as the recent Windows Phone Mango update have become as pivotal – if not more so – than the release of new smartphone models themselves, and why we have focused such attention on Mango despite the first Nokia Windows Phone still being months away.

With so much riding on the platform's success, and the potential reward of seeing the Nokia-Microsoft ecosystem being the most powerful mobile platform around behind Android, this is a hugely important time for Nokia.

What do you think – can you really foresee Nokia pushing Windows Phone past iOS in the popularity stakes? Give us your thoughts in the Comments!