iPhone 3G Tops the U.S. List of Consumer Smartphones

The latest from Apple was the best-selling smartphone sold to consumers during the summer of this year. This was followed up by devices from RIM and Palm.

According to market research firm NPD Group, the top smartphones based on unit-sales to U.S. consumers from June through August were:

1. Apple iPhone 3G
2. RIM Blackberry Curve
3. RIM Blackberry Pearl
4. Palm Centro

It should be noted that these figures only count smartphones sold to consumers; they do not include devices sold to businesses.

AT&T's iPhone Gamble Is paying Off 

In order to get to be the exclusive U.S. provider of the iPhone, AT&T had to agree to a large number of concessions. The carrier did so in the hopes that this smartphone would be so appealing it would help grow its share of the wireless market.

Apparently, it's gamble is paying off.  According to NPD Group, 30% of U.S. consumers who purchased the iPhone 3G from June through August of this year switched from other mobile carriers to join AT&T.  For comparison, 23% of consumers, on average, switched carriers in this same period.

About 47% of new AT&T iPhone customers that changed carriers switched from Verizon Wireless, another 24% switched from T-Mobile, and 19% switched from Sprint.

"While the original iPhone also helped win customers for AT&T, the faster network speeds of the iPhone 3G has proven more appealing to customers that already had access to a 3G network," according to Ross Rubin, director of industry analysis for The NPD Group.

Despite having only one model available at a time, Apple garnered 17% of the consumer smartphone market in the January-through-August period.

Related Articles:

• Apple iPhone 3G User Review