NEW YORK — More mobile consumers are choosing smartphones over cell (or “feature”) phones according to new figures released by Nielsen.
The market research company’s May survey of mobile consumers in the U.S. reported that 38 percent of mobile purchasers now own smartphones and 55 percent who bought a new handset in the past three months reported buying a smartphone instead of a cell phone.
The spike marks a 34 percent jump from just a year ago.
Android is still the leader in new purchases, owning 38 percent of the smartphone marketplace, but Apple’s iPhone iOS has shown the most growth in recent months and holds a 27 percent share, fueled largely by the addition of Verizon as a carrier.
RIM’s Blackberry logged a 21 percent share.
Google’s Android is the most popular handset among users who bought a new smartphone, according to the report.
Although smartphones are growing at a fast clip, 62 percent of mobile users polled said they still have cell phones.