Nielsen: iPhone Tops BlackBerry as Leading US Smartphone

[Michael Essany]

According to data released Wednesday morning by Nielsen, Apple's iPhone has gained adequate ground in the smartphone market to now officially (but barely) surpass RIM's BlackBerry as the top smartphone in the US. As of October 2010, the iPhone has captured 27.9% of the market, while RIM's blackberry retains 27.4%. It's a "statistical dead heat," notes Nielsen, but a significant piece of information, regardless, given Apple has now officially surpassed a leading competitor across the full smartphone landscape.

At present, 22.7% of smartphone owners have devices with the Android operating system. While some believe Android is the platform to watch in future revisions to the above pie chart, its unlikely that Apple's iPhone will lose the top spot. Why? Because among users planning to get a new smartphone, "current smartphone owners showed a preference for the Apple iPhone (35 percent), while 28 percent of both smartphone and featurephone planned smartphone upgraders indicated they wanted a device with an Android operating system as their next mobile phone."

In the demographics battle, it's another close victory for Apple in most categories, with Apple’s iPhone and devices with the Android operating system getting ranked as the “most desired” phones among likely smartphone upgraders, with Apple "showing a slight lead among those age 55+ , 18 to 24, and 25 to 34." Men, however, slightly prefer Android to the iPhone, but women in the market for a new smartphone prefer the iPhone over either BlackBerry or Android.

To read the full Nielsen report, click here.

Nielsen Wire

[spazturtle]

Their smartphone sample size is ridiculesly small, less than 5000 people? Come on, no wonder the stats are so close.

[toytbo88]

I have a 3G S, an iPhone 4 and a galaxy s with 2.2 froyo, from my point of view android os is the only one that got my attention besides iOS and I wouldn't doubt if android does surpass the iPhone. On Michael's post he says that it's unlikely that android will pass iOS Because among users planning to get a new smartphone, "current smartphone owners showed more interest in the iPhone ? But you don't think that people are getting fed up with apples Bull****? specially the unlockers who pay so much money for their device without getting a discount like I did when I got my 2 iPhones from AT&T!, and to top it off they can't update without using custom software because the apple god will lock their phones and it'll only become an IPod until a new jailbreak comes out. I love my iPhone 4 and if it wasnt for "my3g" and facetime which all my family uses then I'd be using my galaxy s more often. If you pay 750 Dollars cash for an iPhone 4 then you should be able to do whatever the he** you want with it and decide who you want your provider to be!!! Years and years ago, many never thought that apple could overtake Microsoft and look at it now, Microsoft is still a bit bigger but see how fast apple is taking over Microsoft ?

[EskimoRuler]

Their smartphone sample size is ridiculesly small, less than 5000 people? Come on, no wonder the stats are so close.

That's actually not bad, in my Government classes that's suffiencent for sampling millions of people

[Eagleye]

Yeaaa... The sampling is pretty small... I dont doubt that Apple is #1, but Id like to see a more in-depth analysis to see just how close.

[vruls]

but probably from that 35 percent about 5-10% will not buy an iphone because of its price

[ohthatguyagain]

If you do just a tiny bit of independent research, you'll discover that these guys are about the last group on earth to "discover" the iPhone's market dominance. Even other companies have noted iPhone has up to 60% total smartphone market share (depends on whose surveys you use).
Anyway, a big 'welcome to the club' goes out to the a55 clowns at Nielsen.

[tudtran]

Bye bye blackberry.

[athleticswimmer]

No surprise there! although its weird RIM blackberry beat android....atleast to me it is.

[iphone?3gs]

I have a 3G S, an iPhone 4 and a galaxy s with 2.2 froyo, from my point of view android os is the only one that got my attention besides iOS and I wouldn't doubt if android does surpass the iPhone. On Michael's post he says that it's unlikely that android will pass iOS Because among users planning to get a new smartphone, "current smartphone owners showed more interest in the iPhone ? But you don't think that people are getting fed up with apples Bull****? specially the unlockers who pay so much money for their device without getting a discount like I did when I got my 2 iPhones from AT&T!, and to top it off they can't update without using custom software because the apple god will lock their phones and it'll only become an IPod until a new jailbreak comes out. I love my iPhone 4 and if it wasnt for "my3g" and facetime which all my family uses then I'd be using my galaxy s more often. If you pay 750 Dollars cash for an iPhone 4 then you should be able to do whatever the he** you want with it and decide who you want your provider to be!!! Years and years ago, many never thought that apple could overtake Microsoft and look at it now, Microsoft is still a bit bigger but see how fast apple is taking over Microsoft ?

I partially agree with you, Yes some of us do pay the full price for the phone, BUT that means it is unsubsidized and off contract that does not mean it is off carrier lock. Does the Samsung Vibrant or the Samsung Captivate when you buy it unsubsidized come unlocked? For lots of android phones you pay the same amount, but that dosent mean that you get it unlocked.

[Zokunei]

Linux? What smartphone runs Linux? I know Android is Linux based, but they're in a different group in that picture.

[iphone?3gs]

No surprise there! although its weird RIM blackberry beat android....atleast to me it is.

Lots of business people are still using Blackberries, and those who need a GOOD keyboard go to blackberry too. Sure theres android phones with keyboards, but most of them arent good, or what there looking for. Like really, though I prefer the android operating system over RIM's I would never go for the Droid and Droid 2 for there keyboard, because I think Blackberry keyboards are way better. I think there is only a couple of good Android keyboard phones.....

but probably from that 35 percent about 5-10% will not buy an iphone because of its price

Well the same goes for android, because most GOOD android sets are the same price.....

[Bluemoldycheeze88]

Android will surpass iOS. I have personally used both Android & iOS devices and they are virtually the same. Both have pros and cons it's really more of personal choice now when it comes to buying and iPhone or a Google Powered Device. The fact that they let phone manufactures add their own personal OS experience on top of Android really gives them an Edge. Blackberry will IMO always be the standard for businessmen.

[Zokunei]

Why was Obama considered cool for using a BlackBerry? I know an old fat guy that uses one, he's actually the only person I know to use one (no, I don't talk to him all the time, I don't mean KNOW him). BlackBerries do not make you cool lol

[iphone?3gs]

Android will surpass iOS. I have personally used both Android & iOS devices and they are virtually the same. Both have pros and cons it's really more of personal choice now when it comes to buying and iPhone or a Google Powered Device. The fact that they let phone manufactures add their own personal OS experience on top of Android really gives them an Edge. Blackberry will IMO always be the standard for businessmen.

That can give an edge, BUT it can also stop people from buying your phone. Really people dont know what stock android is.....
Also Blackberries used to be a standard, though a lot of companies still use them the iPhone is taking over. It has most of what they need.

Like for example, MotoBlue 1st Gen, it was annoying and slow. It didnt really attract many people towards it. Really it would be awesome if they just put stock android then we could change it to whatever.

Why was Obama considered cool for using a BlackBerry? I know an old fat guy that uses one, he's actually the only person I know to use one (no, I don't talk to him all the time, I don't mean KNOW him). BlackBerries do not make you cool lol

Because it was his symbol, he wore it everywhere with his little clip. And cause hes the President?

[Zokunei]

Because it was his symbol, he wore it everywhere with his little clip. And cause hes the President?

Lol, he clipped it on himself? I never noticed that.

[steve-z17]

Go iPhone GO!

[iphone?3gs]

Lol, he clipped it on himself? I never noticed that.

Yeah lots of times, some times he dosent. President Obama is pretty awesome..... He knows awesomeness

[coolguy742]

big surprise Messany, we all knew that apple is dominating the smart phone market. And we all knew (unless you live under a non-smartphone rock) that android is growing faster than apple (which is STOOPID)

[athleticswimmer]

Why was Obama considered cool for using a BlackBerry? I know an old fat guy that uses one, he's actually the only person I know to use one (no, I don't talk to him all the time, I don't mean KNOW him). BlackBerries do not make you cool lol

haha nice coverup....