Android now 44% of US smartphone market

Froyo is the flavour of the quarter

US Android market has grown significantly in the third quarter of 2010, and now accounts for 44% of all smartphones purchased.

Thanks to continued high-profile handset introductions, the Android smartphone OS significantly grew its lead in the US consumer smartphone market in Q3 2010. According to market research company NPD Group, Android’s OS was installed in 44% of all smartphones purchased in Q3, an increase of 11% since Q2.

Apple iOS held relatively steady versus last quarter, rising one percentage point to 23%; RIM OS, fell to third position, declining from 28% to 22%.

“Much of Android’s quarterly share growth came at the expense of RIM, rather than Apple,” said Ross Rubin, executive director of industry analysis for NPD. “The HTC EVO 4G, Motorola Droid X, and other new high-end Android devices have been gaining momentum at carriers that traditionally have been strong RIM distributors, and the recent introduction of the BlackBerry Torch has done little to stem the tide.”

Based on US consumer purchases of mobile phones in Q3, four of the top five handset models were smartphones, as follows:

1. Apple iPhone 4 (smartphone)
2. BlackBerry Curve 8500 series (smartphone)
3. LG Cosmos (messaging phone)
4. Motorola Droid X (smartphone)
5. HTC EVO 4G (smartphone)

According to NPD’s Mobile Phone Track, when OS unit share for the third quarter of 2010 is compared to the third quarter of 2009, the declines among Android competitors were as follows: RIM OS share declined by 53%; Apple iOS share declined 21%.

“There has not been much share left to grab from the other operating systems,” said Rubin. “The iPhone has held its own at AT&T, but Apple faces challenges in further expanding its domestic market share, while still retaining exclusivity.”