The Apple iPhone 4S produced some pretty impressive sales when it made its debut back in October, and according to a new Nielsen report, the device helped to boost interest in iOS among new smartphone buyers through the remainder of 2011. As the chart above shows, only 25.1 percent of new smartphone buyers said that they were interested in iOS in October. After the arrival of the 4S, though, that number jumped to 38.8 percent in November and then to 44.5 percent in December. Of all new iPhone buyers surveyed in December, 57 percent decided to purchase the Cupertino firm's latest model.
When it comes to other platforms, Android has come out on top once again, with 51.7 percent of recent smartphone buyers and 46.3 percent of all smartphone users choosing Google's OS. Apple's iOS came in second place among all smartphone users during Q4 2011 with a 30 percent share. Moving on down the line we've got RIM with 14.9 percent of all smartphone users and 6 percent of recent buyers, Windows Mobile with a 4.6 percent of all users and 2.4 percent of recent acquirers, and webOS, Symbian and Windows Phone 7 rounding out the pack with shares of 1.4 percent or less.
Lastly, Nielsen shows that smartphone adoption continues to grow in the U.S., with 60 percent of new phone buyers opting to purchase a smartphone over a feature phone. A total of 46 percent of cell phone owners reported having a smartphone during Q4 2011.
There isn't anything terribly shocking in the overall smartphone standings contained within Nielsen's latest report, with Android, iOS and BlackBerry taking the top three spots in that order. It also makes sense that the iPhone 4S helped to boost interest in iOS after its release, but what's interesting to look at is just how much of an impact the 4S had on new smartphone buyers' interest in iOS. As for the growth of total smartphone users, it's great to see more consumers continuing picking the devices up, a trend that's sure to continue as handsets continue to become more user-friendly and tout features like improved cameras. How many of you are seeing smartphone adoption among your friends and family grow as of late?
Via MobileBurn, NielsenWire
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