Apple and Google dominate smartphone space while others scramble

Google’s Android platform and Apple’s iOS dominated the U.S. smartphone space in 2011 while a number of companies that helped shape the market as we know it were forced to reboot. Market research firm The NPD Group on Tuesday issued a report on the smartphone market through October 2011, stating that Android and iOS extended their lead while companies like RIM and Microsoft scrambled to reform their respective strategies. Google’s Android platform represented 53% of the U.S. smartphone market through October in 2011 and Apple’s share grew to 29%. RIM’s market share with the BlackBerry OS dropped to 11% and Microsoft’s Windows Phone continued to struggle out of the gate with less than 2% of the market.

HTC beats Samsung in American smartphone market with 24% Share

HTC edged out Samsung Electronics to become the largest smartphone vendor in the US, capitalising on the Android platform's popularity and a lull in demand for iPhones to overtake Apple and Research In Motion. A 10 percentage-point jump in share from a year earlier gave Taoyuan, Taiwan-based HTC 24% of the world's largest smartphone market in the third quarter, ahead of Samsung's 21%, Palo Alto, California-based researcher Canalys said in a statement on Tuesday. Apple fell to third at 20% while RIM, maker of the BlackBerry, had 9%. HTC, which made the world's first phone using Google's Android in 2008, benefited from strong relationships with US carriers and made different models for each operator. Apple's iPhone 4S and new devices from Suwon, South Korea-based Samsung may help the two global smartphone leaders gain share in the US this quarter as HTC forecasts its first shipment decline in almost two years. "Because iPhone 4S wasn't yet ready during the quarter, there was a window of opportunity for others, and HTC benefited from this," said Wang Wanli, who rates the stock "buy" at RBS Asia in Taipei. "HTC has historically done more customisation of handsets, which has made operators more willing to market and sell their devices." APPLE, SAMSUNG HTC sells its high-end models, which include faster processors and higher-quality cameras, for less than similar Samsung products, Wang said. Samsung offers more low-price models overall, bringing its average sales price below the Taiwanese company's, he said. HTC and Samsung benefited from the rising popularity of the Android operating system, while Cupertino, California-based Apple was affected by consumers awaiting the next iteration of the iPhone, Canalys said. Android has 44% of the US market for smartphones in use, Apple's iOS has 27%, and the BlackBerry OS 20%, Reston, Virginia-based Com-Score said earlier this month. Samsung and Apple are the two largest smartphone vendors globally, followed by Nokia, UK researcher Strategy Analytics said last week.