Android, RIM Pass iPhone in Total Smartphone Market Share

[Michael Essany]

According to the latest data published by prominent digital measurement provider comScore, Google's Android and Research in Motion's BlackBerry have become the largest mobile platforms, respectively, at the onset of this new year. Firmly pinned in third place is Apple's iPhone, although it should be noted that the data reflects the period immediately before the Verizon iPhone was released.

The data comes from comScore's “MobiLens” service, which reports key trends in the US mobile phone industry. The latest study surveyed some 30,000 mobile subscribers, leading to the discovery that Google's Android has captured the lead among smartphone platforms with 31.2% market share. RIM, meanwhile, retains a close 30.4% share. Apple, on the other hand, comes in at 24.7% total domestic market share. Microsoft (8.0%) and Palm (3.2%) round out the top five.

Device manufacturer Samsung ranked as the top OEM with 24.9 percent of U.S. mobile subscribers, up 0.7 percentage points from the three month period ending in October. LG ranked second with 20.8 percent share, followed by Motorola (16.5 percent), RIM (8.6 percent) and Apple (7.0 percent).

With regard to the race for mobile OS supremacy, Android is clearly hanging on to a small advantage over its competitors, as 65.8 million people in the United States now own smartphones. This represents an 8% spike from the last three-month period surveyed. To read the full report from comScore with more interesting insights into the competitive smartphone landscape, click here.

Source: comScore

[z3r01]

whos comscore really...

[CynicalDriver]

I'm surprised BB still owns that high of a share! This is a trick study.

If you compare OS, yes, Android wins. If you compare devices though, Apple is trouncing all other smartphones, except BB.

Good for RIM! I have always liked their phones and OS. I just prefer iOS, and iPhones.


Sent from my iPhone using ModMyi

[maddawg05]

Only because iPhones were only available thru AT&T at the time of the surveys. This statistic is unsubstantial.

[mortopher]

Title of this is misleading. Rim did not pass Apple at all. They were already way ahead in terms of domestic market share.

[Cowboy]

I am sure this will change by the end of the year now with a vz iphone

[coasterider]

30,000 is not a good sample size.

[Ashanx]

What amazes me is the fact with all the plethora of android devices that sport the google os, versus only 1 style phone that supports Apples iOS, Apple still holds over 24% share, speak volumes in my book.

[z3r01]

Plus really...android could be at lead...but what more do u expect when an Os is soo desperate to get out their , they make phones soo cheap. Android is like a foodstamps Os.

[Cowboy]

Plus really...android could be at lead...but what more do u expect when an Os is soo desperate to get out their , they make phones soo cheap. Android is like a foodstamps Os.

Lmao true true

[ccoltmanm]

I'm surprised WP7 isn't going up.

[The6uest]

Title of this is misleading. Rim did not pass Apple at all. They were already way ahead in terms of domestic market share.

Yeah, thats what I was going to say. Apple is getting closer to the BB market share but time will tell if they actually pass them. I guess it depends how many people go from BB to Android and iPhone to Android.

[riggs1986]

I agree there are so many variants of android on each carrier. Ranging from free to 300 dollars, so it appeals to poor and rich. But apple has only one variant. And that is on one carrier and just recently with Verizon. With that said even now that google is in the lead ( Barely) apple would dominate if they would go the same approach: free phones to 300 dollars. But who cares it seems like android users only care about specs, even tho my phone takes better pictures. I can say that cause I was a long time android user.

[kuhndsn]

WOW!!! That is an amazing feat by Apple. What the article doesn't highlight well is the fact that Apple has just 1 phone. The iPhone. The others have several models. With that Apple is killing the competition at a much lower price margin as well.

[jdm.accord]

More handsets with more carriers means more share. Not rocket science. When Apple passes RIM, they'll (RIM)be filing for bankruptcy.

I love how all the Android fanboyZ point to these stats and claim Android is winning/better. Ignorance is bliss I guess.

[i.Annie]

I think it's amazing how close Apple is with its numbers to the competitors. Like someone else said, Apple has one phone.

It's one phone vs what? 50 different other models running Android or RIM? that's not a very good comparison.

If Apple made 3 different types of iPhones suitable for different styles/tastes, the numbers would be different too.

[Nickaroni22]

I've seen android os on some junk phones! All they do is try to saturate the market, so they Can make claims to something! BB isn't passing anyone, they've been the "corporate" phone for along time. They are losing that hold quickly though.

[i.Annie]

Yes I agree. I've played with the Evo 4G and it is pretty impressive (I'd still stick with my iPhone though) but my cousin (not a real big cell phone user, just has one to text/call people) got an HTC Hero. Probably one of the worst Android phones I've seen. It took a couple hours to download Angry Birds off Sprint's network. It was definitely the phone's slowness and bad quality though, not Sprint's issue. The phone just isn't great. I imagine a lot of other Android phones sell really cheap and aren't that great.

I'd like to see an HTC EVO 4G vs iPhone 4 sales comparison though. Or at least another Android or BB of the same caliber.

[Cokeman]

WOW!!! That is an amazing feat by Apple. What the article doesn't highlight well is the fact that Apple has just 1 phone. The iPhone. The others have several models. With that Apple is killing the competition at a much lower price margin as well.

Not true. Apple has 2 phones now. The 3GS & iPhone 4. At&t still sells the 3G on their website at times.

[DRFP]

Only because iPhones were only available thru AT&T at the time of the surveys. This statistic is unsubstantial.

(This is what you would say to me) (I'm not a "FanBoy")

Whats your proof? Data? to back this up?

It stops in January and is true

so the next report should have Feb through April right?

So we will have to see if Android still beats Apple then.

I'm surprised that Android overtook Iphone but there it is.

Honestly "FanBoy" is a fail every time...............

I've seen android os on some junk phones! All they do is try to saturate the market, so they Can make claims to something! BB isn't passing anyone, they've been the "corporate" phone for along time. They are losing that hold quickly though.

On this I agree