Microsoft announced new data from IDC indicating that Windows Phone is the second-most-used mobile platform in Latin America. It would be simple to dismiss it as a minor victory in a secondary market, but the news is in fact a validation of Windows Phone’s strategy to grow its install base and accelerate its unit shipment growth.Microsoft, obviously proud of the silver medal, reported the data, saying that “in one year, the operating system went from fourth to second place,” and that “there was 12 percent growth compared to the previous quarter.”