Apple iOS, Android Most Desired Smartphone Platforms

December 2, 2010

The Apple iOS and Android smartphone operating systems are the most desired upgrades, with their first and second place rankings varying by mobile phone user demographic, according to new data from The Nielsen Company.

1/3 of Likely Smartphone Upgraders Desire Apple iOS

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Among all likely US smartphone upgraders from August-October 2010, nearly one-third (30%) desire to upgrade to a device running Apple iOS. Android follows closely with 28% desiring this platform.

No other operating system approaches the popularity of Apple iOS or Android among likely smartphone upgraders. RIM Blackberry was a distant third, chosen by 13% of respondents.

Current Smartphone Owners Desire Apple iOS More

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Apple iOS is the most desired upgrade among current smartphone owners and second-most-desired among feature phone owners. Its share is far higher among smartphone owners (35%) than feature phone owners (25%).

Popularity ratings of other operating systems are fairly similar among owners of the two types of mobile phone (Android gets a 28% share among both groups, ranked second among smartphone owners). This discrepancy is made up in the percentage of respondents who are not sure (25% of feature phone owners compared to 13% of smartphone owners).

Youngest, Oldest Prefer Apple iOS

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Interestingly, the youngest mobile phone users (18-24 and 55-plus) desire an Apple iOS upgrade by the largest percentages (35.9% and 26.4%, respectively). Meanwhile, Android is preferred by a leading 31.9% of respondents 25-34 and 27.4% of respondents 35-54.
The widest discrepancy between Apple iOS and Android occurred among respondents 55-plus, with only 20.3% selecting Android.

Women Like Apple, Men Like Android

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Looking at smartphone upgrade preference by gender, a leading 30.9% of female respondents desire Apple iOS while a leading 32.6% of male respondents desire Android. Apple was more desired by men (28.6%) than Android was by women (22.8%).

Apple Has Slim Lead in Current Smartphone Market

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As of October 2010, about 70% of US mobile phone users owned a feature phone and 30% owned a smartphone. Drilling down into smartphone marketshare, Apple Phone iOS enjoyed a slender lead (27.9%-27.4%) ahead of Blackberry RIM. Android OS was third with 22.7% share, although figures on desired upgrades suggest Android will overtake Blackberry RIM next year.

IHL: Half of Mobile Phone Users Considering iPhone

Forty-nine percent of US mobile phone users are considering purchasing an iPhone for their next mobile phone, according to a new study from IHL Group and RetailConnections. Data from the study indicates 49% of mobile phone users are considering an iPhone for their next phone. The only other mobile phone platform approaching the iPhone in popularity was Android (40%).

Blackberry followed at 22%. Only 8% of respondents are considering a Windows smartphone, meaning it has the same popularity as a standard cell phone. A tiny fraction of respondents (1%) are considering an HP/Palm-based smartphone.

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