The Rise & Rise of Google Android

Google's Android operating system is booming in popularity in the US, with an amazing 32% of new smartphones purchased in the USA running Google Android as the operating system. This is a huge result for such a new operating system and the trend looks to continue with many manufacturers ready to release more Android handsets over the next 12 months. When it comes to penetration of existing smartphones, The Nielsen Company is reporting that the for the overall share of smartphones currently in the market and owned by customers, the Google Android operating system is still behind Apple and BlackBerry at 19% share. However, the key take away from their research is in the growing trend in the new smartphones purchased over the past 6 months - the Android OS market share with new smartphone customers is higher than that of Apple and BlackBerry, where this market share  represents almost double the existing base of customers for Android OS. If this pace continues, it will be a serious blow for Apple, Windows, Nokia and BlackBerry.

According to August data from The Nielsen Company, Android is now the most popular operating system among people who bought a smartphone in the past six months, while Blackberry RIM and Apple iOS are in a statistical dead heat for second place among recent acquirers. The Nielsen data covers a period that includes a full-month of iPhone 4 availability. (The device became available at the end of June 2010). Among all smartphone owners, Blackberry still holds the dominant share with 31 percent of the market, though its lead over Apple is declining. Twenty-eight percent of smartphone owners have Apple iPhones, compared to 19 percent who have Android devices. via Android Most Popular Operating System in U.S. Among Recent Smartphone Buyers | Nielsen Wire.

Google has often been criticised for its lack of mainstream success in products outside categories such as 'search' and 'mail', however this trend looks like it is soon to be reversed with Google's success in the Mobile OS market. Android Phones in Australia are available from Sony, HTC, Samsung, Motorola, LG and Garmin.