comScore today released data from the comScore MobiLens service, reporting key trends in the U.S. mobile phone industry during the three month average period ending October 2011. The study surveyed more than 30,000 U.S. mobile subscribers and found Samsung to be the top handset manufacturer overall with 25.5 percent market share. Google Android continued to gain ground in the smartphone market reaching 46.3 percent market share.
OEM Market Share
For the three-month average period ending in October, 234 million Americans age 13 and older used mobile devices. Device manufacturer Samsung ranked as the top OEM with 25.5 percent of U.S. mobile subscribers, followed by LG with 20.6 percent share and Motorola with 13.6 percent share. Apple strengthened its position at #4 with 10.8 percent share of mobile subscribers (up 1.3 percentage points), while RIM rounded out the top five with 6.6 percent share.
Smartphone Platform Market Share
90 million people in the U.S. owned smartphones during the three months ending in October, up 10 percent from the preceding three month period. Google Android ranked as the top smartphone platform with 46.3 percent market share, up 4.4 percentage points from the prior three-month period. Apple maintained its #2 position, growing 1.0 percentage point to 28.1 percent of the smartphone market. RIM ranked third with 17.2 percent share, followed by Microsoft (5.4 percent) and Symbian (1.6 percent).
Mobile Content Usage
In October, 71.8 percent of U.S. mobile subscribers used text messaging on their mobile device, up 1.8 percentage points. Browsers were used by 44.0 percent of subscribers (up 2.9 percentage points), while downloaded applications were used by 43.8 percent (up 3.2 percentage points). Accessing of social networking sites or blogs increased 2.2 percentage points to 32.3 percent of mobile subscribers. Game-playing was done by 29.2 percent of the mobile audience (up 1.4 percentage points), while 21.2 percent listened to music on their phones (up 0.9 percentage points).
About MobiLens
MobiLens data is derived from an intelligent online survey of a nationally representative sample of mobile subscribers age 13 and above. Data on mobile phone usage refers to a respondent’s primary mobile phone and does not include data related to a respondent’s secondary device.
Source: comScore, Inc.
MacDailyNews Take: When looking at these figures, it is important to keep in mind that they represent a three-month average ending October 2011. Apple’s iPhone 4S, ahead of which a significant pause in iPhone and, indeed, all smartphone buying was seen as consumers awaited the news that was ultimately revealed during Apple’s “Let’s Talk iPhone” event on October 4, 2011. Apple’s iPhone did not launch in the U.S. until October 14, 2011, so, at best, comScore’s numbers above only include 18 days of iPhone 4S availability.
Related articles:
Gartner: Smartphone demand stalled in Q311 ahead of iPhone 4S – November 15, 2011
Verizon 3Q earnings held back by delayed iPhone – October 21, 2011
Whenever I see Symbian, I think of a Sybian. Which is way more fun than any old phone.
Yes, only November figures may tell an actual story.
These stats are so meaningless compared to Revenue generated. That’s where the real action happens, and where Apple blows the field away. The remainder of the pie is just lemmings chasing lemmings for table scraps.
“Apple’s iPhone did not launch in the U.S. until October 14, 2011, so, at best, comScore’s numbers above only include 18 days of iPhone 4S availability.”
It doesn’t matter. When Mobilelens reports December quarter results in March, the numbers will be vastly different, as they will be in June and October.
Another thing I do not get is how Google gets grouped with handset makers when all they actually produce is an OS…. And they really do not even “produce” that since all the different equipment mfgs modify Android. Seems a bit like comparing Apples and Oranges (no pun intended).
Google gives away an OS and everyone is in awe because they are the dominant mobile OS …. This is no big surprise… The mfgs were sure to jump on a iPhone OS copy that cost them nothing…. It was their only move. Google made Android in an attempt to protect their ad revenue… It will ultimately prove to be a useless exercise because true innovation continues… Copies end up running up against something that defies copying and the whole thing falls apart… Siri will be their downfall and they know it.
That chart is comparing “platforms,” not mobile phone manufacturers. But you are right. “Apple” and “RIM” are platforms controlled by one company. So the percentage share for the platform equals the percentage share for Apple (or RIM).
“Google” is a conglomerate of many independent players making Android phones. Considering how much fragmentation exists within Android (even with brand new devices), I wouldn’t even call it ONE single platform.
These two charts make Apple “look bad” (or at least “not as good”). The first chart compares ALL mobile phones (not just smart phones), so Apple is obviously behind the largest “feature phone” makers. If it compared only smart phone makers, Apple would be at the top. And as already discussed, the second chart conveniently “changes the subject” and compares smart phone “platforms” instead of mobile phone manufacturers making smart phones.
I don’t get why we dont get the smartphone market numbers by manufacturer like the generic mobile nine numbers. I’d like that in addition to the platform breakdown. I’d also like to see the last chart broken down by platform to see how web, games, music etc breakdown by platform. Those would be very interesting numbers.
RIM Blackberry users need to now worry about the financial viability of their platform, which shuffles all their email thru RIM O&O servers. If RIM goes down, even in some kind of reorg, how long will their servers be down, and you without your email?
That’s why I finally got off my Crackberry, and went to the 4S.
iPhone is a great phone what do you expect one to get over the holiday. 🙂
You forgot to say “beleaguered” in the headline.
How do the platforms rank in terms of web usage (time, data consumption) and customer satisfaction (platform/OEM)?
BloodBath!