Wednesday, May 2, 2012

Android, Samsung hold off Apple in US mobile space


The Galaxy Nexus smarthphone
AFP/Getty Images/File - Ethan Miller

Google's Android system has grabbed more than 50 percent of the US smartphone market, while Samsung cemented its leadership as the top device maker, a survey showed Tuesday.

Even though Apple's hot iPhone is surging, it has not dented the lead of the Android system and the South Korean manufacturer, according to a quarterly survey from research firm comScore.

The Android system snagged 51 percent of the operating system market in the three months ending in March, up from 47.3 percent in the prior quarter, comScore said.

Apple's operating system had 30.7 percent of the market, up from 29.6 percent.

The biggest loser was BlackBerry, which saw its platform share fall to 12.3 percent from 16 percent. Microsoft's share also slipped to 3.9 percent from 4.7 percent and Symbian held steady at 1.4 percent.

The survey found more than 106 million people in the US owned smartphones during the three months ending in March, up nine percent from December.

Samsung remained the top maker of mobile devices including smartphones, with 26 percent of the US market, from 25.3 percent three months earlier. Second was fellow Korean LG with 19.3 percent, down 0.7 points, and Apple was third with 14.6 percent, up from 12.4 percent and overtaking Motorola.

A separate report earlier this year concluded worldwide shipments of smartphones soared 54.7 percent in the final three months of 2011 from the same period a year earlier, with Apple leading the space.

An IDC report found smartphone makers shipped 157.8 million units in the fourth quarter of 2011.

Apple had a 23.5 percent share of the global smartphone market, followed by Samsung and Nokia with 22.8 percent and 12.4 percent respectively.

Android and iPhone smartphones accounted for slightly more than 90 percent of US smartphone sales in the fourth quarter of 2011, industry-tracker NPD Group reported earlier this year.

Sent from my iPad 2 -  Ť€©ћ№©¶@τ

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