During the three months ending with January, Android has scored 49.9 percent of all smartphone sales in the U.S., a gain of 6.4 percent from the same period last year. During the same period, iOS took second place with a 45.9 per cent cut of smartphone sales, down from 4.7 percent a year ago.
Microsoft Windows Phone drew their own share of the growth, winning 3.2 percent of smartphone sales in the United States.
The latest results mark a return to Android. During the three months ended in December, the iPhone has won 51.2 percent of all smartphone sales in the United States, leaving Android with 44.8 percent and Windows Phone with 2.6 percent, Kantar said last month.Android phone manufacturers can thank Sprint for a large part of their sales gains, according to Kantar.
For the three months ending in October 2012, sales of smartphones through Sprint were divided almost equally between Android and iOS. But for the last three-month moving, the share of sales of Android Sprint rose to 71.9 per cent against 49.3 per cent previously.
Sprint customers also pay less money for their Android phones.
"The 50/50 we have seen in the period ending October 2012 was a result of both iOS and Android share similar levels of average price paid (iOS and Android $ 130 to $ 127)," Kantar analyst Mary- Ann Parlato said in a statement. "However, this last period has seen a significant drop in price to $ 95 for Android, iOS rose slightly, while $ 146."
Samsung Galaxy S3 with proven hot seller in a tempting price tag. In the period from October, the S3 has caught only 14 percent of all smartphone sales through Sprint. But after a price drop after $ 99 to $ 199, the S3 jumped win 39 percent of all sales of smartphones Sprint.
Overall, Samsung accounted for 60.3 percent of all smartphones sold by Sprint during the period of January. And this number could increase this spring. Samsung is set to unveil the Galaxy S4 at a special launch event on March 14.
Stats from Kantar its U.S. consumer panel, which interviews more than 240,000 people each year on purchases of mobile phones, use and bills.
