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"Nielsen has just released the data from its U.S. smartphone survey in October 2010. According to the report, Android and iOS are essentially tied as the \"most desired\" smartphone operating system amongst mobile users planning an upgrade.\nThe report also broke broke down the current marketshare for smartphones in the U.S. Smartphones now account for 29.7% of the total mobile marketshare. \nOf smartphone operating systems, RIM's BlackBerry and Apple's iOS are at a statistical dead heat. Each platform possesses a 27% share of the smartphone market. The Android platform, which was barely a blip on the radar in October 2009, is close behind with 22.7%. The study goes on to break down smartphone OS desirability across a variety of different demographics.\n\n\n\n\nSome highlights from that data:\n\nAside from iOS and Android, the next most common answer for \"most desired smartphone\" is \"not sure.\" \n35% of current smartphone owners are interested in purchasing an iPhone as their next device, versus 28% for an Android phone.\nFor feature phone owners, Android leads with 28%, while 25% of feature phone users say they most desire an iPhone.\nBlackBerry interest across the board is under 15% and Windows Mobile was listed as \"most desired\" by less than 10% of those surveyed.\n\nAge and Gender Stats\nAt this point, the fact that the iPhone and Android platforms generate the most user interest and desirability isn't really a surprise; it continues to confirm an ongoing trend.\nWhere Nielsen's data gets more interesting is when it is broken down by age and gender.\nCheck out this chart of desired smartphone platforms by age:\n\n\n\n\nWhen it comes to \"next desired smartphone OS\" by age, the iPhone leads in the 18 to 24, 25 to 34 and 55+ demographics. The largest differential is actually in this oldest age group, where the iPhone outpaces Android 26.46% to 20.3%. \nHistorically, Apple really hasn't targeted the 55+ age bracket \u2014 at least not in its direct advertising. The iPad, however, has already shown some serious success in this age group, perhaps indicating that the iPad has produced a halo effect for older smartphone buyers.\nIn the 35 to 54 demographic, Android nudges past the iPhone. This is a demographic that has long been associated with the BlackBerry. To see that the BlackBerry is the most desired OS by less than half of those surveyed is telling.\nThe divide by gender is even more telling. Nearly 31% of women said they wanted their next smartphone to be an iPhone, compared with 23% for Android. On the flip side, 33% of men preferred Android over 29% for the iPhone.\n\n\n\n\nWhereas Apple has taken a gender-neutral approach in its advertising \u2014 with some of its ads (ex. FaceTime) skewing toward women, the most prominent ads in the U.S. for Android \u2014 notably the \"Droid Does\" campaign from Verizon \u2014 have been overwhelmingly masculine.\nIn print, online and on TV, I can't actually recall seeing an Android ad that didn't have a more masculine bent. \nAre there any aspects in this data that surprise you? How does this survey align with your own plans for a future smartphone? Let us know in the comments."^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://mashable.com/2010/12/01/android-ios-nielsen/>