comScore Reports February 2012 U.S. Mobile Subscriber Market Share

Android Captures Majority Share of U.S. Smartphone Market

comScore, Inc. (NASDAQ: SCOR), a leader in measuring the digital world, released data from the comScore MobiLens service, reporting key trends in the U.S. mobile phone industry during the three month average period ending February 2012. The study surveyed more than 30,000 U.S. mobile subscribers and found Samsung to be the top handset manufacturer overall with 25.6 percent market share. Google Android continued to grow its share in the U.S. smartphone market, crossing the 50-percent threshold in February to capture a majority share for the first time in its history.

OEM Market Share

For the three-month average period ending in February, 234 million Americans age 13 and older used mobile devices. Device manufacturer Samsung ranked as the top OEM with 25.6 percent of U.S. mobile subscribers, followed by LG with 19.4 percent share. Apple captured the #3 ranking in February with 13.5 percent of mobile subscribers (up 2.3 percentage points), followed by Motorola at 12.8 percent. HTC moved into the #5 position in February at 6.3 percent (up 0.4 percentage points).

Top Mobile OEMs
3 Month Avg. Ending Feb. 2012 vs. 3 Month Avg. Ending Nov. 2011
Total U.S. Mobile Subscribers (Smartphone & Non-Smartphone) Ages 13+
Source: comScore MobiLens
  Share (%) of Mobile Subscribers
Nov-11 Feb-12 Point Change
Total Mobile Subscribers 100.0% 100.0% N/A
Samsung 25.6% 25.6% 0.0
LG 20.5% 19.4% -1.1
Apple 11.2% 13.5% 2.3
Motorola 13.7% 12.8% -0.9
HTC 5.9% 6.3% 0.4
Smartphone Platform Market Share

More than 104 million people in the U.S. owned smartphones during the three months ending in February, up 14 percent versus November. Google Android’s share of the smartphone market eclipsed 50 percent in February, an increase of 17 percentage points since February 2011. Apple ranked second with 30.2 percent of the smartphone market (up 5 percentage points versus year ago), followed by RIM at 13.4 percent, Microsoft at 3.9 percent and Symbian at 1.5 percent.

Top Smartphone Platforms
3 Month Avg. Ending Feb. 2012 vs. 3 Month Avg. Ending Nov. 2011
Total U.S. Smartphone Subscribers Ages 13+
Source: comScore MobiLens
  Share (%) of Smartphone Subscribers
Nov-11 Feb-12 Point Change
Total Smartphone Subscribers 100.0% 100.0% N/A
Google 46.9% 50.1% 3.2
Apple 28.7% 30.2% 1.5
RIM 16.6% 13.4% -3.2
Microsoft 5.2% 3.9% -1.3
Symbian 1.5% 1.5% 0.0
Mobile Content Usage

In February, 74.8 percent of U.S. mobile subscribers used text messaging on their mobile device, up 2.2 percentage points. Downloaded applications were used by 49.5 percent of subscribers (up 4.6 percentage points), while browsers were used by 49.2 percent (up 4.8 percentage points). Accessing of social networking sites or blogs increased 3.1 percentage points to 36.1 percent of mobile subscribers. Game-playing was done by 32.3 percent of the mobile audience (up 2.6 percentage points), while 24.8 percent listened to music on their phones (up 3.1 percentage points).

Mobile Content Usage
3 Month Avg. Ending Feb. 2012 vs. 3 Month Avg. Ending Nov. 2011
Total U.S. Mobile Subscribers (Smartphone & Non-Smartphone) Ages 13+
Source: comScore MobiLens
  Share (%) of Mobile Subscribers
Nov-11 Feb-12 Point Change
Total Mobile Subscribers 100.0% 100.0% N/A
Sent text message to another phone 72.6% 74.8% 2.2
Used downloaded apps 44.9% 49.5% 4.6
Used browser 44.4% 49.2% 4.8
Accessed social networking site or blog 33.0% 36.1% 3.1
Played Games 29.7% 32.3% 2.6
Listened to music on mobile phone 21.7% 24.8% 3.1
About MobiLens
MobiLens data is derived from an intelligent online survey of a nationally representative sample of mobile subscribers age 13 and older. Data on mobile phone usage refers to a respondent’s primary mobile phone and does not include data related to a respondent’s secondary device.

About comScore
comScore, Inc. (NASDAQ: SCOR) is a global leader in measuring the digital world and preferred source of digital business analytics. For more information, please visit www.comscore.com/companyinfo.