US smartphone penetration reaches 38% says Nielsen

Nielsen isn't the first organisation to suggest Android's massive growth in the US has begun to tail off, but it's assessment that 2011 has been "flat" for Google's OS is surprising - especially in light of Andy Rubin's claim that 500,000 devices are being activated daily.

Nielsen's figures for 2011 so far report that, while Android remains the largest player in the smartphone market with a 38 percent share, it's iPhone that's been gaining the most growth in recent months.

Coming from behind

Nielsen reports 38 percent of mobile consumers in the US now own a smartphone, with 55 percent who purchased a phone in the last three months getting a smartphone. 

Still, Android's share puts it comfortably ahead of iPhone on 27 pecent, BlackBerry on 21 percent, and the legacy Windows Mobile on 9 percent, but Google's growth has been curtailed through the first half of 2011.

Despite the slowdown, Nielsen notes Android remains the most popular OS for new purchases.

[source: Nielsen]