ComScore released its most recent U.S. Mobile Subscriber Market Share report for the three-month period ending in December, 2011. The research firm found that Samsung remained the top mobile phone vendor in the fourth quarter with a 25.3% market share — the same share as it held in the third quarter. LG’s market share dropped 0.6 percentage points to a 20% share for second place followed by Motorola, which fell 0.5 percentage points to 13.3%. Apple had the fourth largest share with a 12.4% market share, up 2.2 percentage points, and RIM fell 0.4 points to a 6.7% share. Read on for more.

Android remains the most used smartphone operating system in the United States with a 47.3% share of the market, up 2.5 percentage points from the last report. Android is followed by iOS, which grew 2.2 points to a 29.6% share, BlackBerry OS, which fell 2.9 points to a 16% share, Microsoft’s mobile Windows platform (4.7%, down 0.9 percentage points) and Symbian (1.4%, down 0.4 percentage points). ComScore did not distinguish whether or not Microsoft’s share represented Windows Phone, Windows Mobile or both.

ComScore said that 97.9 million U.S. residents owned a smartphone during the three months ended December 2011, which represents 40% of all mobile subscribers. The firm also said 234 million Americans aged 13 and older own a mobile device. The company’s full press release follows below.

comScore Reports December 2011 U.S. Mobile Subscriber Market Share

Smartphone Penetration Climbs Over 40 Percent during December Holiday Shopping Season

RESTON, VA, February 2, 2012 – comScore, Inc. (NASDAQ: SCOR), 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 December 2011. The study surveyed more than 30,000 U.S. mobile subscribers and found Samsung to be the top handset manufacturer overall with 25.3 percent market share. Google Android strengthened its lead in the smartphone market to reach 47.3 percent market share.

OEM Market Share

For the three-month average period ending in December, 234 million Americans age 13 and older used mobile devices. Device manufacturer Samsung ranked as the top OEM with 25.3 percent of U.S. mobile subscribers, followed by LG with 20 percent share and Motorola with 13.3 percent share. Apple continued to gain ground in the OEM market with 12.4 percent share of total mobile subscribers (up 2.2 percentage points), while RIM rounded out the top five with 6.7 percent share.

Top Mobile OEMs 3 Month Avg. Ending Dec. 2011 vs. 3 Month Avg. Ending Sep. 2011 Total U.S. Mobile Subscribers (Smartphone & Non-Smartphone) Ages 13+ Source: comScore MobiLens
	Share (%) of Mobile Subscribers
	Sep-11	Dec-11	Point Change
Total Mobile Subscribers	100.0%	100.0%	N/A
Samsung	25.3%	25.3%	0.0
LG	20.6%	20.0%	-0.6
Motorola	13.8%	13.3%	-0.5
Apple	10.2%	12.4%	2.2
RIM	7.1%	6.7%	-0.4

Smartphone Platform Market Share

97.9 million people in the U.S. owned smartphones during the three months ending in December, representing 40 percent of all mobile subscribers. Google Android ranked as the top smartphone platform with 47.3 percent market share, up 2.5 percentage points from September. Apple maintained its #2 position, growing 2.2 percentage points to 29.6 percent of the smartphone market. RIM ranked third with 16 percent share, followed by Microsoft (4.7 percent) and Symbian (1.4 percent).

Top Smartphone Platforms 3 Month Avg. Ending Dec. 2011 vs. 3 Month Avg. Ending Sep. 2011 Total U.S. Smartphone Subscribers Ages 13+ Source: comScore MobiLens
	Share (%) of Smartphone Subscribers
	Sep-11	Dec-11	Point Change
Total Smartphone Subscribers	100.0%	100.0%	N/A
Google	44.8%	47.3%	2.5
Apple	27.4%	29.6%	2.2
RIM	18.9%	16.0%	-2.9
Microsoft	5.6%	4.7%	-0.9
Symbian	1.8%	1.4%	-0.4

Mobile Content Usage

In December, 74.3 percent of U.S. mobile subscribers used text messaging on their mobile device, up 3.2 percentage points. Downloaded applications were used by 47.6 percent of subscribers (up 5.1 percentage points), while browsers were used by 47.5 percent (up 4.6 percentage points). Accessing of social networking sites or blogs increased 3.8 percentage points to 35.3 percent of mobile subscribers. Game-playing was done by 31.4 percent of the mobile audience (up 2.6 percentage points), while 23.8 percent listened to music on their phones (up 2.9 percentage points).

Mobile Content Usage 3 Month Avg. Ending Dec. 2011 vs. 3 Month Avg. Ending Sep. 2011 Total U.S. Mobile Subscribers (Smartphone & Non-Smartphone) Ages 13+ Source: comScore MobiLens
	Share (%) of Mobile Subscribers
	Sep-11	Dec-11	Point Change
Total Mobile Subscribers	100.0%	100.0%	N/A
Sent text message to another phone	71.1%	74.3%	3.2
Used downloaded apps	42.5%	47.6%	5.1
Used browser	42.9%	47.5%	4.6
Accessed social networking site or blog	31.5%	35.3%	3.8
Played Games	28.8%	31.4%	2.6
Listened to music on mobile phone	20.9%	23.8%	2.9

While Research In Motion just recently announced its new BlackBerry 7 device lineup — including the fantastic BlackBerry Bold 9900 — we all know that the real-deal smartphones are still in the oven. What everyone is waiting on from RIM is the company’s QNX-based devices, which we hope will make RIM competitive in the smartphone industry once again. BGR has learned exclusive details surrounding the first QNX smartphone RIM intends to release, which is codenamed the BlackBerry Colt, and it looks like there are already going to be some compromises the company will have to make in order to launch the smartphone on schedule. Hit the break for all the details we have so far.

RIM has always touted the superior battery life of its mobile devices, and this has forced the vendor to be one of the last to adopt various technologies, from full-color screens to fast 1+ GHz processors. In a time where we’re close to seeing quad-core CPUs in mobile devices, RIM is launching single core devices with a promise of dual-core processors coming to its future QNX smartphones. The information we have received suggests that the first QNX device out of Research In Motion will be powered by a single-core processor, however, rather than a speedier multi-core chipset. It’s entirely possible that it could change ahead of the device’s release, our source said, but the internal testing going on right now is with a single-core chip.

One of the reasons that the BlackBerry PlayBook launched without native email is that RIM has had to rewrite its BES code in order for it to support the new operating system, and this has proven to be extremely difficult. We have been told that RIM is working on a QNX-specific BlackBerry Enterprise Server, but that the first QNX smartphone will launch without support for current BES versions. The kicker? If companies want to use Microsoft Exchange email on the device, they will actually have to use Microsoft ActiveSync, which the phone will support out of the box.

RIM is currently aiming to release the BlackBerry Colt  some time in the first quarter of 2012, obviously depending on how internal testing goes. We’re told that the Software Verification team inside of RIM is already well into the testing process with this device, so our fingers are crossed for a timely release.

Hello, my name is Jonathan, and I was a BlackBerry addict. Forget having every BlackBerry the company released, including different variants of models that didn’t ever appear in the U.S., like the BlackBerry 8707g. Forget being one of the first people to discover BlackBerry Messenger and convert family and friends to the service, even though it was probably the slowest thing ever to run on a BlackBerry 7290. Forget getting a bunch of celebrities to attend the BlackBerry 8700 launch party in New York City just so I would be one of the first people outside of RIM to have an 8700. I even once paid to have a BlackBerry 8700 forged out of solid white gold, which barely functioned since gold doesn’t play nice with antenna (an early lesson on wireless communications — maybe the first real antennagate?). I had a dedicated BlackBerry Enterprise Server for over four years — I was so in. Read on for more.

So then, I started using another smartphone, but it wasn’t as advanced in some areas that I really relied on all the time. I began carrying two smartphones instead of just one, and eventually my BlackBerry was used simply for email and BlackBerry Messenger because other operations became terribly inferior. There came a point, however, when carrying two smartphones, even though I was used to it since years earlier when I had a StarTAC and Timeport P935, became tiresome. It’s a little over the top, even for someone like me, and my BlackBerry was practically useless for me once all of my contacts began switching.

We all know what happened and is happening with Research In Motion, though one thing that’s said I don’t believe is accurate. RIM didn’t stop innovating. The accurate statement would be: RIM stopped innovating where it needed to. The great thing about the BlackBerry 9900 is that it’s sure to be the best BlackBerry yet, and there is not one single person who gave up a BlackBerry for another smartphone who isn’t interested in the BlackBerry 9900, if even just a little bit. There’s something about that keyboard, there’s something about emailing on a BlackBerry, there’s something about phone calling on a BlackBerry, and I can’t wait to get my hands on a BlackBerry 9900 to review. It’s entirely possibly someone from Waterloo put something in my water, I’ll fully admit, but I checked, and the bottle was sealed.

BGR has learned that Research In Motion’s head of BlackBerry software may have left the company. Suresh Periyalwar, Senior Vice President of Handheld Software, had been with RIM since April 2001 when he joined as Director of Software Development. He came to the company from Nortel, where he managed CDMA-related development for more than five years. Periyalwar was promoted to SVP at RIM three years ago in May 2008 according to his LinkedIn profile, which still has him listed as a RIM employee. BGR has also learned from a trusted source that several additional key executives have been planning to leave on their own accord. (more

RIM’s stock is down more than 60% from its 12-month high of $70.54, and there is a great deal of unrest at the company’s headquarters in Waterloo, Ontario. BGR exclusively published an open letter from an anonymous senior executive at RIM late last month, which pleaded for the company’s top management to make several strategic changes in order to regain momentum and mind share in the smartphone market. A later expose, also published by BGR, painted a troubling picture of the smartphone vendor that once revolutionized the industry.

If Periyalwar did in fact leave the company as multiple sources have informed BGR, it might not bode well for RIM’s next-generation smartphones. The departure of RIM’s SVP of Handheld Software just ahead of the company’s transition to QNX could imply that the executive did not have confidence in RIM’s brand new platform. On the other hand, Periyalwar may have been pushed out in favor of fresh leadership in its software division ahead of the company’s QNX smartphone launches. RIM declined to confirm or deny the executive’s departure when reached for comment by BGR. Periyalwar could not be reached for comment.

According to results from a new ChangeWave survey released on Monday, 48% of those looking to buy a new smartphone during the next 90 days plan on buying an iPhone. In addition, 46% of those buying a smartphone in the next 90 days said that they would prefer an iOS-powered device, 32% want a smartphone running Android, and just 4% want a BlackBerry OS device. Apple’s iOS users are the most satisfied with their operating system, too. 70% of those surveyed said that they were “very satisfied” with iOS. 50% said they were very satisfied with Android, 27% were happy with Microsoft’s Windows OS (which we assume means both Windows Mobile and Windows Phone), and 26% were pleased with RIM’s BlackBerry OS. The launch of the iPhone 4 on Verizon Wireless is also hurting Motorola. “After benefiting tremendously in the years Verizon subscribers were barred from the iPhone market, Motorola is now seeing a loss of market share at least partially attributable to the Verizon iPhone release that occurred earlier this year,” the study said. Finally, ChangeWave found that Apple’s free iCloud service is attracting customers away from other operating systems. 29% of the survey respondents who are currently Apple product owners said they are more likely to buy Apple products since the company announced its iCloud service, while 13% of non-Apple product owners said they are also now more likely to buy an Apple product. ChangeWave polled 4,163 consumers, 89% of which were U.S. residents. Read on for the full press release.

New Survey: Consumer Smart Phones – Apple vs. Google Android

July 18, 2011

A new ChangeWave survey of 4,163 consumers has taken a fresh look at smart phone demand trends – including mobile OS and smart phone preferences going forward.

The June survey focused on key comparisons between the Apple iOS and Google Android OS – including the impact of Apple’s new iCloud service – along with the latest momentum trends for Motorola and Research in Motion.

We note that this survey focuses primarily on the North American smart phone market – with the sample being 89% U.S. respondents and 11% outside the U.S.

ChangeWave Research is a division of leading analyst and data company The 451 Group.

Mobile OS Preferences Among Consumers

The Apple iOS and Google Android OS continue to dominate preferences for mobile operating systems, according to the latest ChangeWave survey results.

Going forward, the Apple iOS remains the number one preference for buyers – with 46% of those planning to buy a smart phone in the next 90 days saying they prefer to have the Apple iOS on their new phone, up 2-pts since the March survey.

Firmly in second in the North American market, the Android OS (32%) has registered a slight uptick (up 1-pt) in terms of future buyer preference. In contrast, Research in Motion’s BlackBerry OS (4%; down 1-pt) has once again hit its lowest level ever in a ChangeWave survey.

OS Customer Satisfaction. We also looked at OS customer satisfaction ratings based upon the operating system consumers have on their smart phones, and once again Apple is the clear leader – with 70% of customers using the iOS saying they are Very Satisfied.

The Android OS ranks second, with half (50%) of its users saying they’re Very Satisfied.

Both industry leaders are far ahead of the overall Very Satisfied ratings for the other major operating systems – Windows OS (27%) and RIM OS (26%).

But in an encouraging sign for Microsoft, we continue to see a big difference between the high Very Satisfied rating for Windows Phone 7 (57%) vs. the much lower rating for Windows Mobile OS (14%). Even so, the higher Windows Phone 7 rating has yet to produce a sustained momentum boost for Microsoft in term of buyer preferences.

Impact of Apple iCloud Service

Apple recently announced the iCloud service, which will automatically store music, photos, apps, calendars, documents, ebooks, etc., and wirelessly push them to any Apple device – allowing anytime, anywhere access for users.

With iCloud – which becomes available this fall – Apple joins competitors Google, Amazon and Microsoft in providing a product that many expect will change the way consumers use smart phones and other media devices.

We took a close-up look at the potential impact of the iCloud service going forward, and found 29% of Apple product owners say Apple’s iCloud announcement makes them More Likely to buy Apple products in the future, as do 13% of Non-Apple owners.

This initial look at the impact of Apple’s new iCloud service shows it enhancing existing customer loyalty. But the survey also provides highly encouraging signs that iCloud will generate additional customer demand for other Apple products, not only from current Apple product owners but from a substantial numbers of non-owners as well.

Smart Phone Manufacturer Demand

Despite no new Apple model launch, demand still appears strongest for the iPhone in terms of North American planned purchasing.

Nearly half of respondents (48%) planning on buying a smart phone in the next 90 days say they’ll get an iPhone – up 1-pt since our previous survey in March and the highest level of demand in the smart phone industry.

The same can’t be said for Motorola (8%; down 4-pts). After benefitting tremendously in the years Verizon subscribers were barred from the iPhone market, Motorola is now seeing a loss of market share at least partially attributable to the Verizon iPhone release that occurred earlier this year.

Still, Motorola’s situation is considerably less daunting than that of Research in Motion’s.

In seven of the past 10 ChangeWave quarterly surveys since 2008 we have seen a drop in RIM’s planned purchase share. Importantly, its customer satisfaction ratings have also fallen in nine of the past 10 ChangeWave surveys – and our latest survey shows them at their lowest level ever for this most critical of indicators.

For now, the dominant story in smart phones remains the escalating horse-race between Apple and Android.

Research In Motion launched its first tablet, the BlackBerry PlayBook, on April 19th of this year. Since that point in time — and even before, courtesy of reviews — the slender slate has been lambasted. A vocal minority belts praises for the tablet on Internet forums and in the comments sections of news sites and blogs, but the clear consensus is not favorable. Most see potential in QNX, but the lack of core PIM and email functionality coupled with RIM’s current situation makes it hard for many to take the tablet seriously. And yes, it’s a BlackBerry that doesn’t support email out of the box. While I agree with much of the criticism surrounding RIM’s first tablet, my overall feelings stray greatly from those shared by most who discuss the PlayBook. Read on to find out why.

I had hoped to wait until after RIM had updated the PlayBook software to include BlackBerry Bridge-less email support, but June came and went without a peep on the matter so I decided not to wait any longer. Truth be told, the introduction of native email will have absolutely no impact on my usage, as I believe the email experience on almost any modern tablet is terrible. While thumb-typing on the glass touchscreen of a smartphone is a great experience for me, full typing on the glass touchscreen of a tablet is not. I love the email UI on the PlayBook, iPad and other tablets, but I simply can’t take typing on any of these slates for more than a sentence or two at a time.

Here’s how I use a tablet: while sitting on my couch watching television or a movie, I might pick it up and browse the Web a bit or use a few apps. Maybe I’ll want to run through the RSS feeds I subscribe to in Google Reader quickly, or maybe I’ll want to check my Twitter stream quickly during a commercial.

When passing by a tablet on my coffee table, I might pick it up and do some quick searching or add a movie to my Netflix queue. I also use tablets from time to time while my smartphone is charging.

On rare occasions, I might try to watch a movie or TV show on a tablet. This only lasts a few minutes, however, as the tablet form factor is anything but conducive to watching videos. Who wants to site there and hold a device while you watch movies on it? I typically last for about 3 or 4 minutes before growing tired of having to hold it, so I stop the video and move on.

Finally, I use tablets as eBook readers. I purchase books from Amazon’s Kindle store and from Kobo’s eBook store, and I like that I can easily sync my accounts to multiple devices and pick up a book on one device right where I left off on another. I also love that I’ve cleared space on my book shelves for more important things, like bottles of scotch and boxes full of gadgets I’ll never look at again.

Let’s go through my use cases one by one…

The PlayBook is great for browsing the Web. In a monumental departure from BlackBerry devices of old, the PlayBook’s browser is a joy to use. It’s fast, the UI is extremely clean, and it renders most sites as they should be rendered. It annoys me that some sites load as mobile versions instead of full versions, but this is an issue common to all tablets and it’s one that should be addressed by webmasters, not vendors. The PlayBook also supports Flash video, if you’re into that sort of thing.

Most people will argue with me here, but I think the PlayBook already has plenty of great apps that suit my needs. Sure I might not have 13,755 options for a to-do list app like I do in Apple’s App Store, but most of my bases are covered and covered well. Netflix Queue Manager is easy to use and lets me quickly add movies and shows to my queue. News360 sports a wonderful UI — as it does on all platforms — and lets me browse and read top news stories from numerous sources. Pipeline is an absolutely gorgeous RSS reader for the PlayBook that offers full support for Google Reader accounts, and GeeReader is a good free alternative that gets the job done quite well. ScoreMobile lets me check Yankees scores quickly in a great-looking UI, and the Facebook app for RIM’s PlayBook is fairly comprehensive and easy to use. I do wish there were better Twitter apps for the PlayBook, but BlackBird and Blaq will get the job done until more choices come along.

Watching videos on the PlayBook, as infrequently as I attempt it, is as good an experience as one might expect. The PlayBook’s display is bright and vivid, and the speakers are surprisingly decent for a small portable device. So, for the 3 to 4 minutes every other month I try to watch a movie on a tablet, the PlayBook has me covered.

Finally, as an eReader, the PlayBook puts other tablets to shame. The size is perfect for eBooks; I find other tablets like the iPad 2 to be way too large to provide a good reading experience. The PlayBook is also much lighter than competitive offerings, thanks in part to its size of course, and I really do love the hardware. The sleek shape of the tablet and the soft-touch rubbery feel of the back of the PlayBook are just terrific. The PlayBook undoubtedly features my favorite tablet hardware to date, approached only by T-Mobile’s G-Slate.

But the iPad 2 is so thin! And sexy! And aluminum! This is all true, but we’re not talking about a sleek laptop or a refrigerator here. This is a tablet. You hold it in your hands and you shift it around constantly. Metal is hard and the iPad 2′s edges are sharp. The PlayBook is soft and its squared edges sit well in the hand. Just like most things Apple builds, the iPad is absolutely gorgeous. Unlike most Apple products, however, I do not find that function is on par with form in the iPad’s case.

Whether you consider this an endorsement for the PlayBook or a commentary on the current state of consumer tablets, the end result is the same. The BlackBerry PlayBook is my favorite tablet. By a wide margin, in fact.

Tablets as a whole do not improve any experience worth noting. Sure a tablet can browse the Web, but not as well as a PC. Sure a tablet can run productivity apps and email clients, but not as well as a laptop. Sure a tablet can provide an affordable portable computing experience, but not as well as a netbook. Sure a tablet can play movies and TV shows, but not as well as a TV. Sure a tablet can let you play games, but not as well as a dedicated portable console. Sure a tablet can keep users connected on the go and run a number of apps, but not as well as a smartphone. You get the idea.

The tablet is, at its core, the definition of jack of all trades, master of none. Apple’s iPad is a gorgeous, elegant device that gives consumers the opportunity to purchase a large-form Apple product for a mere $499, and that in itself plays a huge role in the tablet’s popularity. Other vendors do not carry the same hype and allure that Apple is enjoying at the moment, and that is a big reason their tablet sales are barely a blip on the radar; of course there are other equally important reasons such as the lack of intuitive and distinguished user experiences, but in the end, these vendors are building products that consumers simply aren’t asking for just yet. I’ve written this before, but it bears repeating: Consumers don’t want tablets, they want iPads.

But the most popular product isn’t always the best product, and for my personal usage, the PlayBook is at the top of the pile for me right now. The QNX OS also shows tons of potential, and while I believe iOS provides one of the best mobile user experiences money can buy, I far prefer gesture-based navigation on a larger device like a tablet. Swiping the big screen to switch apps, open menus and discard open applications is far better than poking at a home button, and the PlayBook’s gesture support is great.

If RIM makes the right moves and catches up, uses TAT as much as possible, and finds a way to innovate in some key areas, the company’s future tablets and smartphones could be fantastic. And I’m very confident that RIM is taking this matter seriously. While the native email update users are waiting for is still missing in action, RIM has already issued five software updates for the PlayBook OS since its release in April. This update frequency shows that RIM is being proactive with the PlayBook, and the device’s OTA updates are absolutely painless.

Back to TAT for a moment, this was a key strategic acquisition for RIM and I think it will pay off big time. Historically, the BlackBerry UI has been somewhat, well, boring and ugly. This is putting it mildly. RIM seems to be well aware of that however, and the PlayBook UI is already a 180-degree turn from the stale BlackBerry UI of old. But there is plenty of room for innovation there, and that’s where TAT comes into play. “TAT is an integral part of the RIM PlayBook strategy,” RIM’s Vice President of Handheld Software Product Management Andrew Bocking told BGR. “We continue to add TAT into the PlayBook UI as well as applications such as ‘Scrapbook.’”

In the meantime, even as it stands today, the PlayBook is the one-eyed man in the country of the blind.

According to a new report from comScore, 1 in 3 Americans now own a smartphone. Google’s Android OS is ahead of the pack with a 38.1% share of the market during the 3-month period ending in May — up 5.1% from the last report in February. Apple’s iOS operating system jumped 1.4 percentage points to a 26.6% share, and RIM’s BlackBerry OS fell 4.3% to a 24.7% share of the market. Microsoft also dropped from a 7.7% share to a 4.8% share, and HP’s webOS fell from a 2.8% share to a 2.4% share in May. Manufacturer mobile subscriber market share remained relatively flat: Samsung still has a 24.8% share of the market according to comScore, followed by LG (21.1%, down 0.2 percentage points), Motorola (16.1%, down 1 percentage point), Apple (8.6%, up 1.2 percentage points), and RIM (8.1%, down 0.5 percentage points). Read on for the full release from comScore.

comScore Reports May 2011 U.S. Mobile Subscriber Market Share

Smartphones Reach Key Milestone; Now Owned by 1 in 3 Americans

RESTON, Va., July 5, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — comScore, Inc. (NASDAQ: SCOR), 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 May 2011. The study surveyed more than 30,000 U.S. mobile subscribers and found Samsung to be the top handset manufacturer overall with 24.8 percent market share. Google Android led among smartphone platforms with 38.1 percent market share.

OEM Market Share

For the three month average period ending in May, 234 million Americans ages 13 and older used mobile devices. Device manufacturer Samsung ranked as the top OEM with 24.8 percent of U.S. mobile subscribers, followed by LG with 21.1 percent share and Motorola with 15.1 percent share. Apple strengthened its position at #4 with 8.7 percent share of mobile subscribers (up 1.2 percentage points), while RIM rounded out the top five with 8.1 percent share.

Top Mobile OEMs 3 Month Avg. Ending May 2011 vs. 3 Month Avg. Ending Feb. 2011 Total U.S. Mobile Subscribers Ages 13+ Source: comScore MobiLens
	Share (%) of Mobile Subscribers
	Feb-11	May-11	Point Change
Total Mobile Subscribers	100.0%	100.0%	N/A
Samsung	24.8%	24.8%	0.0
LG	20.9%	21.1%	0.2
Motorola	16.1%	15.1%	-1.0
Apple	7.5%	8.7%	1.2
RIM	8.6%	8.1%	-0.5

Smartphone Platform Market Share

76.8 million people in the U.S. owned smartphones during the three months ending in May 2011, up 11 percent from the preceding three month period. Google Android ranked as the top operating system with 38.1 percent of U.S. smartphone subscribers, up 5.1 percentage points. Apple strengthened its #2 position with 26.6 percent of the smartphone market, up 1.4 percentage points. RIM ranked third with 24.7 percent share, followed by Microsoft (5.8 percent) and Palm (2.4 percent).

Top Smartphone Platforms 3 Month Avg. Ending May 2011 vs. 3 Month Avg. Ending Feb. 2011 Total U.S. Smartphone Subscribers Ages 13+ Source: comScore MobiLens
	Share (%) of Smartphone Subscribers
	Feb-11	May-11	Point Change
Total Smartphone Subscribers	100.0%	100.0%	N/A
Google	33.0%	38.1%	5.1
Apple	25.2%	26.6%	1.4
RIM	28.9%	24.7%	-4.2
Microsoft	7.7%	5.8%	-1.9
Palm	2.8%	2.4%	-0.4

Mobile Content Usage

In May, 69.5 percent of U.S. mobile subscribers used text messaging on their mobile device. Browsers were used by 39.8 percent of subscribers (up 1.5 percentage points), while downloaded applications were used by 38.6 percent (up 2.0 percentage points). Accessing of social networking sites or blogs increased 1.8 percentage points to 28.6 percent of mobile subscribers. Game-playing was done by 26.9 percent of the mobile audience (up 2.3 percentage points), while 18.6 percent listened to music on their phones.

Mobile Content Usage 3 Month Avg. Ending May 2011 vs. 3 Month Avg. Ending Feb. 2011 Total U.S. Mobile Subscribers Ages 13+ Source: comScore MobiLens
	Share (%) of Mobile Subscribers
	Feb-11	May-11	Point Change
Total Mobile Subscribers	100.0%	100.0%	N/A
Sent text message to another phone	68.8%	69.5%	0.7
Used browser	38.3%	39.8%	1.5
Used downloaded apps	36.6%	38.6%	2.0
Accessed social networking site or blog	26.8%	28.6%	1.8
Played Games	24.6%	26.9%	2.3
Listened to music on mobile phone	17.5%	18.6%	1.1

Launching new products is always difficult. Launching new products with hundreds of different carriers is exponentially more difficult. Apparently there is an easy way and a hard way to do things, however, and RIM has been making carriers offers they can’t refuse. BGR has learned from a trusted source that RIM has been strong-arming several carriers, essentially forcing them to approve devices they normally would not move through the Technical Acceptance phase.

Here is how it works: once an OS software build (bundle) has been tested internally at RIM, and the OS performs well, it moves up to be a Technical Acceptance candidate. The OS is then sent to the carrier to test and approve, or test and reject. If a carrier rejects a build, it can take weeks to get a new build tested and approved, and it can slow down a device’s release by months — as evidenced many times with different BlackBerry products in the past.

What’s the problem, then? We have been informed by a very reliable source at a major carrier that RIM has been putting an enormous amount of pressure on carriers to approve the upcoming BlackBerry smartphones like the BlackBerry Bold 9900 — phones that have to hold RIM over until its next-generation platform launch in 2012 — and that certain carriers will be approving the devices, “no matter what — with bugs and problems.”  Additionally, RIM is putting huge pressure on its internal engineers to deliver Technical Acceptance bundles even when there are serious problems with the OS. In short, RIM is pushing unfinished OS builds from its engineers to the carriers, and demanding that the carriers approve them.

The thing is, this isn’t something new, and it’s part of the reason your BlackBerry is so buggy, reboots randomly, and there are possible signal and connection issues. There have been multiple devices, we have been told, that have been forced through the Technical Acceptance process with multiple carriers, and it’s one of the reasons some carriers launch devices sooner than others (barring any exclusivity arrangements) — some play ball but others won’t. Remember how Rogers was one of the first carriers to launch the BlackBerry Bold 9000 while AT&T didn’t launch the device until November? The device constantly failed Technical Acceptance on AT&T, but Rogers pushed the device out anyway as a result of pressure from RIM. And Rogers is most certainly not the only carrier that has found itself in that position.

Spokespeople from RIM and Rogers did not immediately respond to a request for comment. An AT&T spokesperson declined to comment.

RIM on Tuesday announced the availability of a new software update for the BlackBerry PlayBook tablet. Before we get into all the details, we should note that this is not the major update PlayBook users have been waiting for that will enable email and PIM functions without the need to tether. Now that we have that out of the way, version 1.0.5 of RIM’s QNX-based operating system brings the following additions to the BlackBerry PlayBook: the Facebook app is now preloaded, in-app payment support has been added, Wi-Fi hotspot detection has been added, the status bar menu has been tweaked a bit and a few new languages are now supported. We’ve applied the update to our PlayBook as so far, everything is going just fine. If you haven’t yet received a notice letting you know that the update is  available, you can check for it manually in the device settings. Hit the break for RIM’s full press notice.

BlackBerry Tablet OS v1.0.5 will soon be available via a free over-the-air update. The easy-to-install software update brings several new features and performance enhancements to the BlackBerry PlayBook.

New BlackBerry Tablet OS v1.0.5 features:

• Facebook for BlackBerry PlayBook – The first Facebook app optimized for tablets now comes preloaded and introduces new features including video uploading, message deletion, Facebook search enhancements and more

• In-App Payments Support – Enables developers to create apps for the BlackBerry PlayBook using the BlackBerry Payment Service, which will allow users to purchase enhancements within apps such as another level in a game or a new edition of a magazine

• Additional Language Support — Updates language support to include: French, Italian, German, Spanish, Dutch and UK English

• BlackBerry PlayBook Charging Enhancements – By simply touching the battery indicator on the BlackBerry PlayBook home screen, users can easily adjust the screen brightness or choose to restart, turn off, or put the tablet into standby mode.  Other charging improvements include the ability to charge the PlayBook while it is turned off, as well as an on-screen alert to notify users if they accidentally have plugged in an incorrect charger into their BlackBerry PlayBook

• Video Chat Connectivity – Adds support for the TURN (Traversal Using Relay NAT) protocol, which enhances Video Chat connections between users on home, public and enterprise Wi-Fi networks

• Wi-Fi Hotspot Detection – Automatic Wi-Fi hotspot detection in the BlackBerry Tablet OS v1.0.5 makes it easier to connect to a Wi-Fi hotspot (at a coffee shop or an airport, for example)

How to update to BlackBerry Tablet OS v1.0.5:

Users who purchase and activate a BlackBerry PlayBook tablet on or after Monday, June 6, will be automatically updated to v1.0.5 as part of the BlackBerry PlayBook setup process. Existing users will receive a software update notification on the BlackBerry PlayBook status ribbon, or they can check for the software update at any time in the settings menu under Software Updates.

On Friday comScore released its latest mobile subscriber market share report, which suggests that both Android and iOS are increasing their U.S. market shares at the cost of RIM’s BlackBerry OS. ComScore surveyed 30,000 U.S. mobile subscribers during a three month period ending in April 2011 and found that Android’s U.S. market share jumped 5.2 percentage points to a 34.6% grip of the industry. Meanwhile, Apple’s iOS market share grew a marginal 1.3 percentage points to a 26% share. RIM’s BlackBerry OS share fell from 30.4% in January to 25.7%. Samsung remains the most popular mobile phone manufacturer with a 24.5% share of the market and is followed by LG (20.9%), Motorola (15.6%), Apple (8.3%), and RIM (8.2%). Hit the jump for the full release from comScore.

comScore Reports April 2011 U.S. Mobile Subscriber Market Share

RESTON, Va., June 3, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — comScore, Inc. (NASDAQ: SCOR), 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 April 2011. The study surveyed more than 30,000 U.S. mobile subscribers and found Samsung to be the top handset manufacturer overall with 24.5 percent market share. Google Android led among smartphone platforms with 36.4 percent market share.

OEM Market Share

For the three month average period ending in April, 234 million Americans ages 13 and older used mobile devices. Device manufacturer Samsung ranked as the top OEM with 24.5 percent of U.S. mobile subscribers, followed by LG with 20.9 percent share and Motorola with 15.6 percent share. Apple jumped to the #4 position with 8.3 percent share of mobile subscribers (up 1.3 percentage points), while RIM rounded out the top five with 8.2 percent share.

Top Mobile OEMs 3 Month Avg. Ending Apr. 2011 vs. 3 Month Avg. Ending Jan. 2011 Total U.S. Mobile Subscribers Ages 13+ Source: comScore MobiLens
	Share (%) of Mobile Subscribers
	Jan-11	Apr-11	Point Change
Total Mobile Subscribers	100.0%	100.0%	N/A
Samsung	24.9%	24.5%	-0.4
LG	20.8%	20.9%	0.1
Motorola	16.5%	15.6%	-0.9
Apple	7.0%	8.3%	1.3
RIM	8.6%	8.2%	-0.4

Smartphone Platform Market Share

74.6 million people in the U.S. owned smartphones during the three months ending in April 2011, up 13 percent from the three-month period ending in January 2011. Google Android ranked as the top operating system with 36.4 percent of U.S. smartphone subscribers, up 5.2 percentage points. Apple also gained share, capturing the #2 position with 26.0 percent of the smartphone market. RIM ranked third with 25.7 percent share, followed by Microsoft (6.7 percent) and Palm (2.6 percent).

Top Smartphone Platforms 3 Month Avg. Ending Apr. 2011 vs. 3 Month Avg. Ending Jan. 2011 Total U.S. Smartphone Subscribers Ages 13+ Source: comScore MobiLens
	Share (%) of Smartphone Subscribers
	Jan-11	Apr-11	Point Change
Total Smartphone Subscribers	100.0%	100.0%	N/A
Google	31.2%	36.4%	5.2
Apple	24.7%	26.0%	1.3
RIM	30.4%	25.7%	-4.7
Microsoft	8.0%	6.7%	-1.3
Palm	3.2%	2.6%	-0.6

Mobile Content Usage

In April, 68.8 percent of U.S. mobile subscribers used text messaging on their mobile device. Browsers were used by 39.1 percent of subscribers (up 2.1 percentage points), while downloaded applications were used by 37.8 percent (up 2.4 percentage points). Accessing of social networking sites or blogs increased 2.7 percentage points, representing 28.0 percent of mobile subscribers. Playing games comprised 26.2 percent of the mobile audience (up 2.5 percentage points), while listening to music represented 18.0 percent.

Mobile Content Usage 3 Month Avg. Ending Apr. 2011 vs. 3 Month Avg. Ending Jan. 2011 Total U.S. Mobile Subscribers Ages 13+ Source: comScore MobiLens
	Share (%) of Mobile Subscribers
	Jan-11	Apr-11	Point Change
Total Mobile Subscribers	100.0%	100.0%	N/A
Sent text message to another phone	68.1%	68.8%	0.7
Used browser	37.0%	39.1%	2.1
Used downloaded apps	35.4%	37.8%	2.4
Accessed social networking site or blog	25.3%	28.0%	2.7
Played Games	23.7%	26.2%	2.5
Listened to music on mobile phone	16.5%	18.0%	1.5

We broke the news on practically all of RIM’s 2011 BlackBerry smartphones, and even scored some hands-on time with more than a couple of them. We wanted to take a minute to highlight the new products coming out of Waterloo now that all of the phones have leaked in some form. Remember, a lot of these are codenames that obviously won’t make it to retail — this is how the company keeps track of the devices internally and sometimes a single product can have multiple codenames.

BlackBerry Bold Touch (codename: Dakota)

This is the big boy from RIM this year — it’s the BlackBerry that BlackBerry users have always said they wanted, a BlackBerry Bold with a touchscreen and very solid specs. The BlackBerry Bold Touch (it’s possible the name will differ at launch) combines RIM’s latest industrial design with a viciously modern twist, and bakes it all together with a screaming 1.2GHz Qualcomm CPU, a 2.8-inch 640 x 480-pixel touchscreen display, 8GB of internal storage, 768MB of RAM, a 5-megapixel camera with 720p HD video capture, and even NFC support. Any serious BlackBerry user will be picking this up when it launches, and we’ve heard it’s currently tracking for a global release in June or July.

BlackBerry Touch (codename: Monaco / Monza)

The BlackBerry Touch (the name may differ at launch) is the company’s flagship full touchscreen product and from what we’ve heard, it’s shaking off the BlackBerry Storm moniker that people associate with one of the worst ideas to come out of RIM — a half-baked product that featured a SurePress keyboard, which really only meant that you surely pressed the wrong damn letter. In any case, the BlackBerry Touch ditches any sort of complicated screen mechanism for something a little bit more straightforward — a big, beautiful 3.7-inch 800 x 480-pixel capacitive display. It’s also powered by a 1.2GHz Qualcomm processor, has integrated NFC, and with RIM’s latest OS upgrade, BlackBerry OS 6.1, the device is incredibly speedy. OS 6.1 also provides enhanced graphics and gaming capabilities, so watch for this phone to be the most game-friendly BlackBerry of all time. The BlackBerry Touch is currently looking like it will be released in the second quarter globally. Verizon Wireless will also be getting a CDMA variant of the handset.

BlackBerry Torch 2 (codename: Jennings)

RIM’s BlackBerry Torch product line is interesting. On one hand, it combines the best of both worlds — a touch display and the tried and true BlackBerry keyboard. Unfortunately, the first BlackBerry Torch seemed like a product that was around three years too late. It was underpowered, featured a display with a terrible resolution, and its software was buggy, slow, and clunky. Good news, however — the BlackBerry Torch 2 morphs the Torch into a competitive product that should prove to be a worthy upgrade to the original Torch. We’re talking about a 1.2GHz Qualcomm processor (noticing a trend, here?), a 3.2-inch 640 x 480-pixel capacitive display, 8GB of built-in storage, 512MB of RAM, NFC, and more. The BlackBerry Torch 2 should be available globally late this summer.

BlackBerry Curve (codename: Apollo)

The BlackBerry Curve, since it was introduced, has been RIM’s most popular lineup of BlackBerry smartphones. Gone are the days of having to choose between a Curve that only had GPS and didn’t have Wi-Fi, or vice versa, and the latest BlackBerry Curves have provided decent specs at relatively low prices. The new BlackBerry Curve refresh, however, brings the entire Curve lineup up to date, and in a sexy way. The device doesn’t shake the 480 x 360-pixel display, but it adds a 800MHz processor, 5-megapixel camera, 512MB of storage and 512MB of RAM, NFC, and more. This also looks like it will be a summer release.

BlackBerry Curve (codename: Orlando)

This is a little bit of a curveball, but there is a BlackBerry Curve with a touchscreen in addition to a QWERTY keyboard, more like a baby brother to the BlackBerry Bold Touch. We’re told this device will feature practically the same specifications as the BlackBerry Curve (Apollo), and will look almost, if not, identical. We’ll have to see how this shakes out and how the company plans to differentiate between the two — touch, and non-touch — Curve devices.

BlackBerry Curve Touch

You know what? This is the real curveball. Not content with stopping at a flagship full touchscreen handset, RIM is gearing up to release a phone known as the BlackBerry Curve Touch, and it’s a full touchscreen device with the proportions of the latest generation (unreleased) BlackBerry Curve. As far as specifications, we’re anticipating the BlackBerry Curve Touch will utilize the same internals as the other devices in the BlackBerry Curve lineup — 800MHz processor, 5-megapixel camera, NFC, and more. The BlackBerry Curve Touch should look like the image above with the addition of a trackpad for navigation, and the standard four BlackBerry keys beneath the display.

RIM certainly seems to have some big devices planned for 2011. With specifications that finally match up with the year of release and a reasonably decent OS upgrade before the company switches over to its new QNX-based OS, there’s plenty for BlackBerry lovers to be exciting about in 2011.

According to a new research report issued by Gartner on Thursday, Android smartphones will account for 49.2% of the smartphone market by the end of 2012. Android is expected to have a 38.5% grip on the global operating system market by the end of 2011, surpassing Symbian — which is expected to have a 19.2% share — for the first time. iOS is expected to be the second most popular operating system in 2011 with a 19.4% share of the market, followed by RIM (13.4%) and Microsoft (5.6%). Global smartphone sales are expected to reach 468 million units by the end of this year, a 57.7% jump over 2010. Gartner also believes that Android is responsible for helping to drive the price of smartphones down. “As vendors delivering Android-based devices continue to fight for market share, price will decrease to further benefit consumers”, said Roberta Cozza, a principle analyst with Gartner. “Android’s position at the high end of the market will remain strong, but its greatest volume opportunity in the longer term will be in the mid- to low-cost smartphones, above all in emerging markets. By 2015, 67 percent of all open OS devices will have an average selling price of $300 or below, proving that smartphones have been finally truly democratized.” Hit the jump for the full release, which includes Gartner’s predictions for iOS, BlackBerry OS, and Windows Phone.

Gartner Says Android to Command Nearly Half of Worldwide Smartphone Operating System Market by Year-End 2012

Egham, UK, April 7, 2011—Worldwide smartphone sales will reach 468 million units in 2011, a 57.7 percent increase from 2010, according to Gartner Inc. By the end of 2011, Android will move to become the most popular operating system (OS) worldwide and will build on its strength to account for 49 percent of the smartphone market by 2012 (see Table 1).

Sales of open OS* devices will account for 26 percent of all mobile handset device sales in 2011, and are expected to surpass the 1 billion mark by 2015, when they will account for 47 percent of the total mobile device market.

“By 2015, 67 percent of all open OS devices will have an average selling price of $300 or below, proving that smartphones have been finally truly democratized,” said Roberta Cozza, principal analyst at Gartner.

“As vendors delivering Android-based devices continue to fight for market share, price will decrease to further benefit consumers”, Ms. Cozza said. “Android’s position at the high end of the market will remain strong, but its greatest volume opportunity in the longer term will be in the mid- to low-cost smartphones, above all in emerging markets.”

Table 1
Worldwide Mobile Communications Device Open OS Sales to End Users by OS (Thousands of Units)

OS	2010	2011	2012	2015
Symbian	111,577	89,930	32,666	661
Market Share (%)	37.6	19.2	5.2	0.1
Android	67,225	179,873	310,088	539,318
Market Share (%)	22.7	38.5	49.2	48.8
Research In Motion	47,452	62,600	79,335	122,864
Market Share (%)	16.0	13.4	12.6	11.1
iOS	46,598	90,560	118,848	189,924
Market Share (%)	15.7	19.4	18.9	17.2
Microsoft	12,378	26,346	68,156	215,998
Market Share (%)	4.2	5.6	10.8	19.5
Other Operating Systems	11,417.4	18,392.3	21,383.7	36,133.9
Market Share (%)	3.8	3.9	3.4	3.3
Total Market	296,647	467,701	630,476	1,104,898

Source: Gartner (April 2011)

Gartner predicts that Apple’s iOS will remain the second biggest platform worldwide through 2014 despite its share deceasing slightly after 2011. This reflects Gartner’s underlying assumption that Apple will be interested in maintaining margins rather than pursuing market share by changing its pricing strategy. This will continue to limit adoption in emerging regions. iOS share will peak in 2011, with volume growth well above the market average. This is driven by increased channel reach in key mature markets like the U.S. and Western Europe.

Research In Motion’s share over the forecast period will decline, reflecting the stronger competitive environment in the consumer market, as well as increased competition in the business sector. Gartner has factored in RIM’s migration from BlackBerry OS to QNX which is expected in 2012. Analysts said this transition makes sense because RIM can create a consistent experience going from smartphones to tablets with a single developer community and — given that QNX as a platform brings more advanced features than the classic BlackBerry OS — it can enable more competitive smartphone products.

Gartner predicts that Nokia will push Windows Phone well into the mid-tier of its portfolio by the end of 2012, driving the platform to be the third largest in the worldwide ranking by 2013. Gartner has revised its forecast of Windows Phone’s market share upward, solely by virtue of Microsoft’s alliance with Nokia. Although this is an honorable performance it is considerably less than what Symbian had achieve in the past underlying the upward battle that Nokia has to face.

Gartner analysts said new device types will widen ecosystems. “The growth in sales of media tablets expected in 2011 and future years will widen the ecosystems that open OS communications devices have created. This will, by and large, function more as a driver than an inhibitor for sales of open OS devices,” said Carolina Milanesi, research vice president at Gartner.

“Consumers who already own an open OS communications device will be drawn to media tablets and more often than not, to media tablets that share the same OS as their smartphone,” Ms. Milanesi said. “This allows consumers to be able to share the same experience across devices as well as apps, settings or game scores. At the same time, tablet users who don’t own a smartphone could be prompted to adopt one to be able to share the experience they have on their tablets.”

Note *: An open OS makes a software developer kit (SDK) available to developers, who can use native application programming interfaces (APIs) to write applications. The OS can be supported by a sole vendor or multiple vendors. It can be, but does not have to be, open source. Examples are BlackBerry OS, iOS, Symbian, Android, Windows Phone, Linux, Limo Foundation, WebOS and bada.

Gartner’s detailed forecast is available in the report “Forecast: Mobile Communications Devices by Open Operating System, Worldwide, 2008-2015.” The report is available on Gartner’s website at http://www.gartner.com/resId=1619615.

ComScore has released its latest report on the U.S. smartphone market, and it suggests that Apple’s share of the U.S. OEM market is growing, while Android is continuing to dominate the U.S. operating system market. Samsung remains the top mobile OEM in the United States with a 24.8% marketshare, up 0.3 percentage points from the period prior. It’s followed by LG (20.9%, no change), Motorola (16.1 percent, down .9 percentage points), RIM (8.6 percent, down .2 percentage points), and Apple (7.5%, up .9 percentage points). Given the dominance by Samsung, LG, and Motorola, it comes as no surprise that Android now has a 33% grip on the U.S. smartphone operating system market — that’s up 7 percentage points from the last report. RIM’s BlackBerry OS dropped 4.6 percentage points to a 28.9% share of the market. It’s followed by Apple’s iOS (25.2%), Microsoft’s Windows Phone (7.7%), and Palm’s webOS (2.8%). The report also found that 68.7% of mobile users use their phone for text messaging. Hit the jump for the full release.

comScore Reports February 2011 U.S. Mobile Subscriber Market Share
Android Platform Now Accounts for 1 in 3 Smartphone Users

RESTON, VA, April 1, 2011 – comScore, Inc. (NASDAQ: SCOR), 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 February 2011. The study surveyed more than 30,000 U.S. mobile subscribers and found Samsung to be the top handset manufacturer overall with 24.8 percent market share. Google Android led among smartphone platforms with 33.0 percent market share.

OEM Market Share

For the three month average period ending in February, 234 million Americans ages 13 and older used mobile devices. Device manufacturer Samsung ranked as the top OEM with 24.8 percent of U.S. mobile subscribers, up 0.3 percentage points from the three month period ending in November. LG ranked second with 20.9 percent share, followed by Motorola (16.1 percent) and RIM (8.6 percent). Apple saw the strongest gain, up 0.9 percentage points to account for 7.5 percent of subscribers, on momentum from the release of the Verizon iPhone, the most acquired handset in the month of February.

Top Mobile OEMs 3 Month Avg. Ending Feb. 2011 vs. 3 Month Avg. Ending Nov. 2010 Total U.S. Mobile Subscribers Ages 13+ Source: comScore MobiLens
	Share (%) of Mobile Subscribers
	Nov-10	Feb-11	Point Change
Total Mobile Subscribers	100.0%	100.0%	N/A
Samsung	24.5%	24.8%	0.3
LG	20.9%	20.9%	0.0
Motorola	17.0%	16.1%	-0.9
RIM	8.8%	8.6%	-0.2
Apple	6.6%	7.5%	0.9

Smartphone Platform Market Share

69.5 million people in the U.S. owned smartphones during the three months ending in February 2011, up 13 percent from the preceding three-month period. Google Android grew 7.0 percentage points since November, strengthening its #1 position with 33.0 percent market share. RIM ranked second with 28.9 percent market share, followed by Apple with 25.2 percent. Microsoft (7.7 percent) and Palm (2.8 percent) rounded out the top five.

Top Smartphone Platforms 3 Month Avg. Ending Feb. 2011 vs. 3 Month Avg. Ending Nov. 2010 Total U.S. Smartphone Subscribers Ages 13+ Source: comScore MobiLens
	Share (%) of Smartphone Subscribers
	Nov-10	Feb-11	Point Change
Total Smartphone Subscribers	100.0%	100.0%	N/A
Google	26.0%	33.0%	7.0
RIM	33.5%	28.9%	-4.6
Apple	25.0%	25.2%	0.2
Microsoft	9.0%	7.7%	-1.3
Palm	3.9%	2.8%	-1.1

Mobile Content Usage

In February, 68.8 percent of U.S. mobile subscribers used text messaging on their mobile device. Browsers were used by 38.4 percent of subscribers (up 3.1 percentage points), while downloaded applications were used by 36.6 percent of the mobile audience (up 3.2 percentage points). Accessing of social networking sites or blogs increased 3.3 percentage points, representing 26.8 percent of mobile subscribers. Playing games represented 24.6 percent of the mobile audience, while listening to music represented 17.5 percent.

Mobile Content Usage 3 Month Avg. Ending Feb. 2011 vs. 3 Month Avg. Ending Nov. 2010 Total U.S. Mobile Subscribers Ages 13+ Source: comScore MobiLens
	Share (%) of Mobile Subscribers
	Nov-10	Feb-11	Point Change
Total Mobile Subscribers	100.0%	100.0%	N/A
Sent text message to another phone	67.1%	68.8%	1.7
Used browser	35.3%	38.4%	3.1
Used downloaded apps	33.4%	36.6%	3.2
Accessed social networking site or blog	23.5%	26.8%	3.3
Played Games	22.6%	24.6%	2.0
Listened to music on mobile phone	15.0%	17.5%	2.5

About comScore
comScore, Inc. (NASDAQ: SCOR) is a global leader in measuring the digital world and preferred source of digital business analytics. For more information, please visit www.comscore.com/companyinfo.

In this month’s Bloomberg Businessweek cover-story entitled Larry Page’s Google 3.0, reporter Brad Stone touches upon what may be the root of ongoing bickering between Apple and Google. While the two companies continue to work with each other in many areas, there is no denying the public hostility they show one another. It’s more than just marketing jabs and a competitive nature — these two giants are constantly at each other’s throats. From the Businessweek feature:

As Android became a threat to Apple in 2008, Apple began resisting Google’s claim to valuable location data gathered whenever an iPhone owner used Google Maps. [Vic Gundotra's] negotiations with Apple marketing chief Phil Schiller grew so heated that Schmidt and Steve Jobs had to intervene to settle the matter, according to two people familiar with the incident. (Apple announced earlier this year that it had developed its own location-monitoring system. Gundotra and Schiller both declined to comment on the incident.)

The iPhone’s influence over the Android operating system is also thought to play a role in the quarrel. Many will recall that early Android prototypes bore an OS that looked and operated much like RIM’s BlackBerry operating system. Android was also intended for touchscreen and non-touch devices at the time. At launch, however, Android had shed many of its BlackBerry-like features and had instead adopted several elements that mirrored Apple’s iPhone OS. The alleged spat between Google’s VP of engineering Vic Gundotra and Apple’s marketing boss Phil Shiller is believed by some to have been influenced by that shift in Android strategy. The rest, as they say, is history — Google and Apple will likely grow further apart as their battle in the mobile space and beyond continues to heat up.

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As crazy as that sounds, we have been told by multiple trusted sources that RIM is seriously considering a feature that will allow BlackBerry devices to run Android apps. Here is what we know… Research In Motion has been trying to figure out the path it wants to take as far as how the existing Java environment will work on its upcoming QNX tablet and smartphones. The company has publicly stated that it is looking at getting a Java virtual machine running on the PlayBook  — not so much for app development going forward, but for legacy support, custom apps corporations have deployed and don’t want to recreate, etc — but RIM hasn’t yet decided what kind of Java VM it will use. Hit the break for the rest!

Here is the big news: we have been told RIM is very much considering the Dalvik virtual machine, and we ultimately expect the company to chose Dalvik. If that sounds familiar to you, it’s because it’s the same VM that the Android OS uses, and it would allow RIM’s PlayBook and other QNX devices to run just about any application built for the Android platform.

There are various approaches to this situation — one where RIM uses the open source Dalvik VM and does not involve Google, and another (incredible) scenario where RIM and Google might reach an agreement (basically “certify” the device/platform) that would provide official support to Android apps on RIM’s QNX-based OS, and would feature the Android Market, Google’s Gmail, Maps, and other apps.

With the bold moves RIM has taken lately — QNX, the acquisition of the great UI team at The Astonishing Tribe, and possibly the ability to run any and all Android apps — if the company can hang on just a little longer, it could be poised to attack the market again in a huge way.