Microsoft's mobile platform continues to stagnate in 2014, while Android and iOS are making more bounds forward.

Windows Phone dropped from a 5 percent market share to 3.4 percent; iOS has seen significant gains in the Southeast Asian market, and Android continues to take market share in developing nations.

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Developers also took little to no interest in Windows Phone this year, with new apps like Snapchat, Tinder, Yik Yak and Instagram Video not being available on the platform. Even though third-party developers have designed apps working on the original APIs, developers like Twitter and Snapchat are starting to actively block the third-party clients.

A more worrying issue for Windows Phone is updates to existing apps. Developers are not updating the Windows Phone app as frequently as the iOS or Android counterparts, leading to apps still on their first or second update.

Overall numbers might look good - at 300,000 total apps in the store - but realistically many of the new apps are not available on Windows Phone; and developers are certainly not using Windows Phone as a primary or secondary platform.

Part of the reason for the drop in Windows Phone market share could be due to the lack of smartphones. Nokia has been the only active provider, with HTC just joining the fold in late 2014 and other providers like Huawei and Samsung remaining dormant.

It is rumored more companies will work on Windows Phone in 2015, when it is folded into Windows 10, but the growth of the platform in four years has been minimal.

The lack of growth comes off an active 2013, when Nokia, Samsung and HTC all had flagships on Windows Phone 8. It looks like the 5 percent was not enough to keep manufacturers like Samsung invested in the platform.

Windows 10 may offer one-store and one platform for Windows users. It may also solve the issue of lack of developers, considering one store for mobile, tablet and PC might be more lucrative for developers.

TagsWindows Phone, developers, apps