More UK consumers chose Google Android smartphones in the past six months than those with competing operating systems, such as Apple iOS or RIM Blackberry, according to the Q3 2011 UK Smartphone Insights report from Nielsen - a leading global provider of insights and analytics into what consumers watch and buy - to be released this week.

Over the last six months, Android phones have accounted for a commanding 44 percent of acquisitions, well ahead of RIM Blackberry (25 percent), Apple iOS phones (18 percent) and Symbian (7 percent).

But while recent smartphone purchasers prefer Android phones, there is no clear market leader among all smartphone owners.  “The momentum is with Android at the moment,” explains Nielsen European telecoms managing director David Gosen, “but to say which smartphone operating systems is ahead overall in the UK is statistically too close to call between Android and Apple iOS, with RIM and Symbian not far behind.”
 
The report, based on a survey of more than 1600 UK respondents, does show that Apple still has plenty of reason for cheer. 
 
Apple iPhone owners are much more likely to be “highly satisfied” with their device (86 percent) than the average smartphone owner (72 percent).  What’s more, those with Apple iOS phones have a much higher ongoing spend on mobile services - including voice and data usage - than those with Android.  Just 24 percent of Android owners spend, on average, more than £30 a month, compared to 61 percent of iPhone owners.  Moreover, 42 percent of iPhone owners pay to download apps each month, compared to just 15 percent of Android owners.

Nielsen’s Smartphone Insight report also analysed consumer attitudes towards different manufacturer brands.  Gosen again: “Consumers still seem to love the Apple iPhone over any other device brand.  Ninety percent of current Apple iPhone owners rate Apple as their favourite handset brand.  Yet, surprisingly only 65 percent of RIM Blackberry owners rate RIM as their favourite brand, with 11 percent of these RIM owners actually rating Apple as their favourite.  This speaks to the power of the Apple brand.” 

Summing up, he adds: “This report allows the key players in the mobile ecosystem to benchmark their performance and really understand how smartphone consumers across various demographics feel about.