New smartphone buyers picking Android over iOS by 2 to1 margin says Nielsen

While we are on the cusp of the launch of the next-gen Apple iPhone, stats released by Nielsen show that the Android OS continues to dominate in the States. 43% of U.S. smartphone users were using an Android phone in the U.S. as of August, up from 40% the year before. Behind Android was Apple's iOS with a 28% slice of the smartphone pie. That figure is unchanged from last August. RIM's BlackBerry OS followed with 18% while the "others" category had 11% of  U.S. smartphone owners.

Perhaps more interesting is the current buying habits of those who have purchased a new smartphone over the last three months ending in August. 56% of those buying a new smartphone from June through August selected an Android flavored model. 28% of those new smartphone buyers purchased the Apple iPhone while the BlackBerry OS and the "others" category accounted for 9% and 6% of new smartphone purchases during the three month period, respectively.

With the next-generation Apple iPhone expected to be introduced October 4th and launched not too long afterward, those numbers could change a bit as we head toward the end of the year. Of course, Android has some anticipated high-end units also due out soon, like the Google Nexus Prime which could be released on November 3rd, as we told you. As for RIM, it might not be until early next year, when the company is expected to deliver on its QNX flavored Superphones, when we might see an improvement in the Canadian manufacturer's share of the U.S. smartphone market.

source: Nielsen via DroidLife