Long dominated by a clutch of Android manufacturers – Samsung, LG and Motorola – Apple has now broken through in the US to become the second largest OEM in the region.

That's according to the latest numbers published by comScore, which suggest that, based on share of total mobile subscribers in the country, Apple was second only to Samsung in the month of October.

The Cupertino giant now has more iPhones in the hands of consumers than LG or Motorola do their entire range of Android devices.

The rise and rise

The firm claims Apple now accounts for 17.8 percent of the mobile market in the US, behind Samsung on 26.3 percent.



To put that figure in some kind of context, Apple accounted for around 11 percent of the mobile market at the same point in 2011. A year before that, Apple wasn't even in the top 5.

Apple doesn't need comScore to illustrate its success in its home territory, of course, though the latest figures are significant if only because it's the first time the company's share has surpassed that of previous chart-topper Motorola and South Korean giant LG.

No bite

When it comes to operating systems, comScore reports Android remains top dog, with 53.6 percent of the market – up 1.4 percentage points since July.

Apple's iOS, too, is growing, hitting 34.3 percent.



All other major platforms are actually losing ground – Microsoft's Windows Phone, RIM's BlackBerry and Symbian all seeing their share slip as Google and Apple continue to strangle the market.

[source: comScore]