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Apple iOS, BlackBerry, Android neck-and-neck in US smartphone race

The race for the lead in U.S. smartphone operating system consumer market share is tighter than it has ever been, according to November data from Nielsen Co.

The popularity of Google?s Android OS among those who purchased a smartphone in the last six months (40 percent) makes it the leading OS among recent acquirers. But despite that surge, when it comes to overall consumer market share, Android (25.8 percent) is still behind Apple?s iOS (28.6 percent).

?Android has arrived in terms of what devices consumers are buying,? said Paul Kultgen, director of mobile media and advertising at Nielsen Online, Chicago. ?Apple remains a leader.  

?Others are at risk without reenergizing consumer interest,? he said. "Apple continues to show great vision in device design and creating consumer experiences that take all aspect of daily life and put it on a user?s mobile phone. 

"While the debate rages about Apple?s practice of tightly controlling everything, consumers appreciate the ease-of-use and benefits this approach delivers."

OS wars are heating up
The position of Research In Motion?s BlackBerry is less clear: Its share (26.1 percent) puts it within the margin of error of both Apple?s iOS and Android.

In other words, RIM remains statistically tied with both Apple for first and Android for third.

Apple?s clear lead over Android notwithstanding, this race might still be too close to call, per Nielsen.

Mr. Kultgen said that this much is clear, however: All three smartphone OS leaders?Apple?s iOS, RIM?s Blackberry and Google?s Android?are benefitting from strong demand for smartphones.

In November, 45 percent of recent acquirers chose a smartphone over a feature phone.

The top three platforms are currently neck-and-neck, and it is unclear whether any of the three will be able to significantly increase market share over the course of 2011 to become the clear-cut No. 1 OS in the U.S.

"The battle for dominance will be fueled by innovation in the features and services a particular operating system offers over another and market factors, including if Apple will be available on more carriers in 2011, Android solving some of the challenges of purchasing apps and others like who delivers on the promise of mobile commerce," Mr. Kultgen said.

"Ultimately, 2011 will be a banner year to see if a particular platform can create a new offering that fundamentally shifts the market, which will be required to deliver fair share plus market growth," he said.

Final Take
Dan Butcher, associate editor, Mobile Marketer

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