ComScore: iPhone overtakes Windows Mobile use for the first time in US

There are plenty of ways to measure smartphone marketshare. IDC measures units shipped from manufacturers whereas Gartner measures units sold to consumers. Then there's comScore, the research firm that conducts monthly surveys in the US to measure the total number of devices (and thus operating systems) currently in use. Its latest data is summarized above for the three-month period ending in October. See those yellow lines? If our kindergarten skills haven't failed us, then this data shows iPhone usage surpassing the once mighty Windows Mobile OS for the very first time. Unfortunately for Microsoft, Google's Android OS is set to accelerate significantly by the time the February 2010 data rolls in as is WebOS just as soon as Palm can bring its fledgling OS to Verizon's subscriber base. What's most troubling to Redmond about this report though, is where we found it: on FierceDeveloper, a site for mobile software developers who will presumably use the data to help determine which platforms deserve their focus. Oh Windows Mobile 7, where are you?

[theflew Posted Dec 17th 2009 11:05AM]

The funny thing is Nokia beats Google even though they don't even really target the US market. Just imagine if they tried.

[crichton007 Posted Dec 17th 2009 11:13AM]

Especially remarkable since they only have one model (with varying storage capacities) at a time and there's how many Windows Mobile products on sale at any one time?

[Kid Red Posted Dec 17th 2009 11:18AM]

That's awesome. What 2 years, 1 carrier and Windows mobile was passed. So sweet.

[kenny goo Posted Dec 17th 2009 3:51PM]

GO ANDROID GO!

[HighestRanked Posted Dec 17th 2009 6:38PM]

Very cool, good news. 2010 will be the year of the iPhone's skyrocket rise and WinMo's continual fall into irrelevance.

[strommsarnac Posted Dec 17th 2009 6:38PM]

I don't trust these studies. I sure know that I was never asked what phone OS I have. So how can they state figures to the single digits? I'll quote them " ComScore asked respondents what type of phone they own, and derived operating system information based on those responses."

So, this tells me that they did a survey and based on what was sent back, they came up with a number.

Sorry, but most WM type people aren't into surveys, while RiM and iPhone type people love them. Which means that if only a handful of WM people sent the survey back, the survey is going to have them with lower numbers.

See! Mine way is just as precise as their way.

[Wesscoast Posted Dec 17th 2009 6:51PM]

@strommsarnac

WM people aren't into surveys?

where do I start with this?
you're an idiot.
play a record you bald f-ing Manc twat.

[HighestRanked Posted Dec 18th 2009 2:11AM]

@strommsarnac if it favors Apple or the iPhone, of course the Engadget hordes won't believe it. But believe this fact:

iPhone controls 46% of Japanese smartphone market
http://www.electronista.com/articles/09/12/17/apple.crushing.sharp.willcom.in.japan/#comment_frame

Gadget-centric Japan knows something good when they see it.

[HighestRanked Posted Dec 18th 2009 2:13AM]

@strommsarnac btw, based on your post, it is clear as day you have never been educated in statistics.

[artshark Posted Dec 18th 2009 12:00AM]

wait.....JUST?

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 18th 2009 3:06AM]

Wait till you see Google's numbers from December on....