Android Ascends

Some 55.7 million Americans 13 and older owned smartphones during the three months ending in August—up 14 percent from the May period, a new comCast survey showed. And while RIM held firm as the leading smartphone platform—with 37.6 percent of U.S. subscribers, versus Apple’s 24.2 percent and Google Android’s 19.6 percent—only Android gained market share:

• RIM (Blackberry): – 4.1 %

• Apple (iPhone): – 0.2 %

• Google (Android): + 6.6%

• Microsoft: – 2.4%

• Palm: – .2%

Android is giving Apple quite a run for its money, as the most popular platform among U.S. customers who bought smartphones in the past six months—despite the launch of the iPhone 4 in June, Nielsen reported.

"Anybody … would be crazy to assume that Android wouldn't gain more share than Apple over time," Pacific Crest Securities analyst Andy Hargreaves told Reuters. "They've got more devices, [and] they're going to be on more networks across a wider spectrum of price points."

Lastly, just as a Nielsen study showed that 65 percent of iPad owners are male and 63 percent are under the age of 35, AARP—the organization for people 50 and older—announced an iPad edition of its AARP magazine. AARP senior vice president Sami Hassanyeh said that the 50-plus audience is one of the fastest-growing segments using mobile devices, and AARP wants them “to have access to content that’s relevant to their community of peers, wherever they go.”

Notably, Nielsen’s sample size was limited to 400 iPad owners. Also, the iPad’s base is quickly evolving: 3.27 million iPads were sold in 2010’s third quarter, and estimates for this quarter range from 3 million to 6 million units. Time, rather than Nielsen, will tell if iPad devotees are as male and youthful as this study would have us believe.

Google Getting Larger in Apple’s Rearview Mirrow (Reuters)

Magazine Publishers Reach Young Males With iPads (MediaBuyerPlanner)

iPad Skews Young and Male, While Kindle Attracts Affluent Customers (min online)

AARP Unveils Apps for iPod Touch, iPhone, iPad (MediaBuyerPlanner)

Is the iPad the fastest selling consumer electronic device ever? (NetworkWorld)

-compiled by Lucinda Hahn

Posted By: Digital Trends Team