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Verizon Wireless’ iPhone helped Apple iOS gain nearly a full percentage point of market share through February, but it didn’t impede the progress of Google’s Android operating system, according to the latest U.S. data from comScore.
Android led the market in February with 33 percent share, up two percentage points from comScore’s count of 31.2 percent share in January.
Research In Motion’s BlackBerry retained the No. 2 spot, but slipped to 28.9 percent through February from 30. 4 percent the prior month.
BlackBerry had been at 33.5 percent in November, but saw share plummet instead of gain through the holiday season as consumers continued to buy any of 100-plus Android smartphones in the United States or snap up an iPhone.
No. 3 smartphone platform Apple iOS grew to 25.2 percent share in February, up from 24.7 percent through January. Microsoft’s Windows Mobile/Windows Phone 7 continues to fall.
In fourth place, Windows Phone fell to 7.7 percent share through February, down from 8 percent market share in January, which was down from 8.4 percent in December, 9 percent from November and 9.7 percent through October.
The real story for February was Verizon’s iPhone 4, which helped Apple jump to 7.5 percent in the smartphone standings and accounted for the iOS share growth.
Indeed, comScore said the CDMA-based device was the top smartphone sold for February. This is an impressive feat considering the device didn’t launch until Feb. 10, which means it only required 19 days to be the top seller.
Verizon’s iPhone 4 succeeded in the face of AT&T’s Android 2.2-powered Motorola Atrix 4G, a quality device with speedy data service and an optional laptop docking station for better corporate productivity on the go.
What will be interesting to see is whether or not comScore’s data shows that Verizon’s iPhone 4 sales continued to rock with the benefit of a full 31 days of sales in March, and whether or not that denigrates Android share for that month.
Verizon shipped the Android 2.2-based HTC Thunderbolt 4G smartphone March 17, which is reportedly stacking up well to the iPhone 4 in stores all over the country.
Together, the Android and iOS platforms are dominant, comprising 58 percent market share in just three years, give or take a few months.
Barring any sea change, there seems to be little room left for BlackBerry, Windows Phone 7, HP’s webOS (a paltry 2.8 percent) or any other platform at this stage, despite IDC’s belief that Windows Phone will command 21 percent worldwide market share in five years.