ie8 fix

Another iOS/Android stat: Two iPhones outsell all Android phones

Apple faces more Android competition every day, but the iPhone 4 and 3GS stay on top.

by

When I blogged this morning about stats relating to Apple's iOS and Google's Android, I said that the mobile wars are fast-paced and new data is arriving more or less continuously. Yup. Here's another revealing tidbit that was published just today: The latest sales figures for specific smartphone models.

Apple's best-selling iPhone 4.

Apple's best-selling iPhone 4.

(Credit: Apple)

Here are the five top-selling smartphones in the U.S. for the third quarter of 2011, as ranked by research firm NPD:

  1. Apple iPhone 4
  2. Apple iPhone 3GS
  3. HTC EVO 4G
  4. Motorola Droid 3
  5. Samsung Intensity II

That's a real triumph for Apple: Its two iPhones competed with dozens of Android handsets, including some that sell for little or nothing on contract, and beat all of them.

The iPhone 4S hadn't yet gone on sale during the time period NPD tracked. Presumably, Apple has a shot at having three of the top five phones in the fourth quarter, now that the iPhone 4S starts at $199 on contract, the iPhone 4 goes for $99, and the iPhone 3GS is a freebie. We'll see.

If you're the type who's looking for signs that Android has decisively stolen iOS's crown as the preeminent mobile operating system, these sales of specific handset models are worth monitoring. If the day comes when one or more Android phones outsell any flavor of iPhone, it'll be a meaningful moment. Any predictions on whether that'll happen anytime soon?

Don't Miss

CNET Conversations
Driving into the future at VW's Electronics Research Lab
CNET editor at large Brian Cooley goes behind the scenes with Peter Oel, director of Volkswagen Electronics Research Lab, to show you how Silicon Valley is changing the way we drive, from the latest in infotainment systems to new 3D technologies being used for design.
Play Video
ie8 fix
  • Recently Viewed Products
  • My Lists
  • My Software Updates
  • Promo
  • Log In | Join CNET