Android Phones Popular With Americans
Android phones were at the forefront of the smartphone industry over the past six months as US consumers bought more phones powered by the Google-owned operating system than Research in Motion’s BlackBerry and Apple’s iPhone, according to the Nielsen Co.
Nielsen reported Tuesday that 32 percent of new smartphone buyers in the US bought an Android handset during the period, while 26 percent chose BlackBerry operating systems and 25 percent choosing the iPhone.
Although Android phones took the top spot in sales the past 6 months, RIM’s BlackBerry remains the leader with a 31 percent market share followed by iPhone with 28 percent and Android with 19 percent, said Nielsen.
Android’s share rose from eight percent in January, while BlackBerry’s market share had fallen from 36 percent in the same time frame. Apple’s iPhone share remained the same.
Tech research firm Gartner said in September that Android would take the number two spot later this year in the mobile operating system sector worldwide, overtaking BlackBerry and challenging market leader Symbian by 2014.
Nokia’s Symbian and Android will account for nearly 60 percent of mobile operating system sales by 2014, according to Gartner.
The research firm said it expected handset makers such as Samsung to launch a number of low-cost devices in the second half of 2010 using Android, with Sony Ericsson, LG and Motorola following suit.
“This trend should help Android become the top OS in North America by the end of 2010,” Gartner said.
Another service that could help Android catapult sales is the announcement by Skype that it was making its Internet communications service available for some Android-powered handsets such as HTC and Motorola. A Skype application can be downloaded at its website that will allow free Skype-to-Skype calls and instant messaging.
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