comScore Reports August 2012 U.S. Mobile Subscriber Market Share

Apple Inches Closer to #2 Position in OEM Market

RESTON, VA, October 2, 2012 – comScore, Inc., a leader in measuring the digital world, today released data from the comScore MobiLens service, reporting key trends in the U.S. mobile phone industry during the three month average period ending August 2012. The study surveyed more than 30,000 U.S. mobile subscribers and found Samsung to be the top handset manufacturer overall with 25.7 percent market share. Google Android led among smartphone platforms, accounting for 52.6 percent of smartphone subscribers, while Apple accounted for 34.3 percent.

OEM Market Share

For the three-month average period ending in August, 234 million Americans age 13 and older used mobile devices. Device manufacturer Samsung ranked as the top OEM with 25.7 percent of U.S. mobile subscribers, followed by LG with 18.2 percent share. Apple continued to inch closer to the #2 ranking with 17.1 percent of mobile subscribers (up 2.1 percentage points), followed by Motorola with 11.2 percent and HTC with 6.3 percent.

Top Mobile OEMs
3 Month Avg. Ending Aug. 2012 vs. 3 Month Avg. Ending May 2012
Total U.S. Mobile Subscribers (Smartphone & Non-Smartphone) Ages 13+
Source: comScore MobiLens
Share (%) of Mobile Subscribers
May-12 Aug-12 Point Change
Total Mobile Subscribers 100.0% 100.0% N/A
Samsung 25.7% 25.7% 0.0
LG 19.1% 18.2% -0.9
Apple 15.0% 17.1% 2.1
Motorola 12.0% 11.2% -0.8
HTC 6.1% 6.3% 0.2

Smartphone Platform Market Share

116.5 million people in the U.S. owned smartphones during the three months ending in August, up 6 percent versus May. Google Android ranked as the top smartphone platform with 52.6 percent market share (up 1.7 percentage points), while Apple’s share increased 2.4 percentage points to 34.3 percent. RIM ranked third with 8.3 percent share, followed by Microsoft (3.6 percent) and Symbian (0.7 percent).

Top Smartphone Platforms
3 Month Avg. Ending Aug. 2012 vs. 3 Month Avg. Ending May 2012
Total U.S. Smartphone Subscribers Ages 13+
Source: comScore MobiLens
Share (%) of Smartphone Subscribers
May-12 Aug-12 Point Change
Total Smartphone Subscribers 100.0% 100.0% N/A
Google 50.9% 52.6% 1.7
Apple 31.9% 34.3% 2.4
RIM 11.4% 8.3% -3.1
Microsoft 4.0% 3.6% -0.4
Symbian 1.1% 0.7% -0.4

Mobile Content Usage

In August, 75.6 percent of U.S. mobile subscribers used text messaging on their mobile device (up 0.8 percentage points). Downloaded applications were used by 53.4 percent of subscribers (up 2.3 percentage points), while browsers were used by 52 percent (up 2.2 percentage points). Accessing of social networking sites or blogs increased 1.6 percentage points to 38.3 percent of mobile subscribers. Game-playing was done by 34 percent of the mobile audience (up 0.5 percentage points), while 28.3 percent listened to music on their phones (up 1.3 percentage points).

Mobile Content Usage
3 Month Avg. Ending Aug. 2012 vs. 3 Month Avg. Ending May 2012
Total U.S. Mobile Subscribers (Smartphone & Non-Smartphone) Ages 13+
Source: comScore MobiLens
Share (%) of Mobile Subscribers
May-12 Aug-12 Point Change
Total Mobile Subscribers 100.0% 100.0% N/A
Sent text message to another phone 74.8% 75.6% 0.8
Used downloaded apps 51.1% 53.4% 2.3
Used browser 49.8% 52.0% 2.2
Accessed social networking site or blog 36.7% 38.3% 1.6
Played Games 33.5% 34.0% 0.5
Listened to music on mobile phone 27.0% 28.3% 1.3

About MobiLens
MobiLens data is derived from an intelligent online survey of a nationally representative sample of mobile subscribers age 13 and older. Data on mobile phone usage refers to a respondent’s primary mobile phone and does not include data related to a respondent’s secondary device.

*Source: comScore

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