Android Smartphones Outselling Apple iPhone – US Numbers

Data collected by the NPD Group indicate that smartphones running the Android OS are now outselling the Apple iPhone for the first time.

This switch over in sales puts Android as the second most selling OS behind RIM devices.

In the first quarter of 2010, Android from Google [GOOG] took about 28% of all handsets followed by Apple at 21% and just behind RIM at 36%.

The information is no real surprise though due to the amount of handsets that are starting to run the Android OS. Google have taken a different and more open approach than Apple. Google allow many manufacturers to install Android OS whereas Apple [AAPL] only have a couple of handsets on sale currently with those being the iPhone 3G and iPhone 3GS.

“As in the past, carrier distribution and promotion have played a crucial role in determining smartphone market share,” said Ross Rubin, executive director of industry analysis for NPD. “In order to compete with the iPhone, Verizon Wireless has expanded its buy-one-get-one offer beyond RIM devices to now include all of their smartphones.”

webOS hasn’t gained any traction in the last quarter and in fact, it dropped slightly. With the recent purchase of Palm by HP, we might see some interesting changes over the coming months and years where webOS begins to climb in the ranks.

Via: Apple Insider

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