How quickly the world changes. Nielsen said that a higher percentage of consumers prefer Android for their next smartphone over the Apple iPhone or Research In Motion’s BlackBerry.
This is especially interesting because the iPhone reined supreme in Nielsen’s last survey in September of 2010 but things change.
According to the latest figures, 31 percent of consumers who plan to get a new smartphone indicated Android was now their preferred OS. Apple’s iOS has slipped slightly in popularity to 30 percent and RIM Blackberry is down to 11 percent. Almost 20 percent of consumers are unsure of what to choose next.
This change is reflected in the chart below, which shows the platforms for recent smartphone acquisitions.
Don’t cry for Apple though, as the recent release of the verizon iPhone has helped it sell more than 18 million smartphones for the last quarter. Rumors also suggest that it is testing radios for T-Mobile, so it may soon be on three of the nation’s largest four carriers or, if the AT&T, T-Mobile deal goes down, on the two largest carriers in the nation.
As for Android, it appears that Google’s mobile platform is making its inevitable march toward dominance. Even if you include the iPhone, Android is generally powering the best phones in each carrier’s portfolio and we’re about to see a new class of awesome devices. The HTC Sensation will kick off a summer of really cool, dual-core devices with Google’s mobile platform.
Research In Motion still has its die-hard contingent of BlackBerry fans and we should see a load of new devices over the next few months. The latest rumors suggest that RIM will only be introducing one new smartphone at next week’s BlackBerry World even though it’s prepped at least four new smartphones for the year. We’ll have boots on the ground for that show, so we’ll be giving you the latest.
[Via Nielsen]