Numbers are a funny thing — especially when it comes to cell phones. Separate them by company, and one brand comes out on top. But isolate different models, and suddenly another maker’s doing a happy dance.
Such is the case with two current cellular giants: RIM’s BlackBerry and Apple’s iPhone. In one report, BlackBerry handsets cumulatively outsell the Apple smartphone by nearly two to one. But a recent report from The Nielsen Company shows that the iPhone is still the most popular handset over other individual phone models.
According to the chart, the top two phones are the iPhone (accounting for 4.0% of all mobile phone owners) and the BlackBerry 8300 series (which nabbed 3.7%), both of which are smartphones. The rest of the list is comprised primarily of feature phones. (BlackBerry’s Storm and 8100 series show up in 7th and 10th places, respectively.) Since the iPhone 3GS doesn’t show up as a separate item, the presumption is that it’s grouped with the 3G.
(What about Android? Well, don’t forget that the platform’s biggest boost — otherwise known as the Verizon Moto Droid, which debuted on the nation’s largest carrier along with the Droid Eris — has only recently launched. No doubt, Nielsen hasn’t factored that in yet.)
Other noteworthy nuggets from the report:
Is it possible to be astonished by these results, while simultaneously not being surprised at all? I am. I knew smartphone usage was on the rise, but 15% is a huge segment. And I wonder how long it will be before the majority of American households are cell only. (Hey, maybe that’s an argument I can use with my hubby. He refuses to give up our landline. But I’m still working on him. Seems crazy to spend the extra coin when we have perfectly good mobile phones, no?)
Has anyone out there cut the cord completely? Good decision or no?
Via: MobileCrunch
