One in Four U.S. Cell Phones Is a Samsung

Sara Yin - PC Magazine

Americans loved their Android-based Samsung phones last quarter, based on comScore MobiLens data captured between April and June.

Samsung led phone manufacturers with 25.3 percent of the cell phone market (which includes feature phones), followed closely by LG (20.9%), Motorola (15.8%), RIM (8.4%), and Apple (7.9%). However, iPhone adoption grew the most among the manufacturers, rising one percent, even though Apple missed its usual June iPhone launch and is rumored to be announcing a next-generation iPhone in September or October.

Motorola lost the most interest last quarter, with subscriber figures falling 1.3 percent, but its fortunes could change with the imminent release of the dual-core, 4G-ready Motorola Droid Bionic.

As for mobile platforms, Google Android was both the most popular (40.1 percent) and the fastest growing (up 5.4 percent). Runner-up Apple iOS was found in 26.6 percent of all smartphones, up 1.1 percent from the previous quarter.

The number of smartphones running RIM's BlackBerry, Microsoft's Windows Phone 7, and Nokia's Symbian OS fell last quarter. RIM, the third-largest platform by volume, suffered the biggest drop, falling 3.7 percent to capture 23.4 percent of the market. Microsoft's Windows Phone 7 devices lost 1.7 percent of its subscribers to take 5.8 percent of the pie, while Nokia's Symbian platform fell 0.3 percent and was visible on only two percent of all U.S. smartphones. In June Samsung launched the Samsung Exhibit 4G and Samsung Gravity SMART, though its Galaxy range continues to be its bread and butter. LG launched the Thrill 4G , a glasses-free 3D smartphone, and LG 200 on Virgin Mobile.

ComScore's June results don't vary much from data reported in early July, but things could change by the end of the year. Phone manufacturers have announced the release of new devices shipping with revamped mobile operating systems, notably Nokia's first Windows phone and other phones equipped with Windows Phone 7.5, or "Mango." This week RIM launched two smartphones with the new BlackBerry 7 OS. Apple is also expected to launch a next-generation iPhone when it releases iOS 5 this fall. And a device running Android 4.0, Ice Cream Sandwich is due at the end of the year. There's plenty of time to pass those batons.