Just under half of the UK population now owns a smartphone, according to new research which shows that 70 per cent of phones sold in the three months to October were smartphone devices.
Figures released by market research firm Kantar Worldpanel ComTech reveal that Google Android is the most popular mobile operating system, with Android-powered phones accounting for half of all smartphones being sold, followed by RIM BlackBerry with 22.5 per cent of the market and Apple iPhone at 18.5 per cent.
The past three months have seen Apple’s share of sales fall dramatically, from 33 per cent to 18.5 per cent, while mobiles powered by Nokia’s Symbian OS now only make up 6 per cent of the market, compared to nearly 20 per cent a year ago.
However, the Kantar data was compiled before the launch of the iPhone 4S handset, which has since seen record sales and is expected to significantly increase Apple’s share by the end of the year.
The next few months are also likely to be much better for Nokia following its new partnership with Microsoft, which will see a new range of Windows Phone 7.5 smartphones going on sale later this month.
Android’s share of the UK market has roughly doubled over the last year. HTC is still the most popular Android handset maker with 45 per cent of the sales for the past 12 weeks, although Samsung is catching up with 38 per cent of the Android market.
