The Live Indian Entertainment Blog

While many have labeled RIM's new BlackBerry Torch 9800 an "iPhone killer," perhaps the Canadian company should be focusing its attention on Android devices instead. An NPD report released Wednesday showed that Android has overtaken RIM's BlackBerry OS as the top-selling smartphone OS in the U.S.

These results, for Q2 2010, mark thefirst time since Q4 2007that RIM has not held the top spot among smartphone OSes. The report stated that Android held 33 percent of market share in Q2, with RIM's BlackBerry OS falling to second and 28 percent. iOS was third at 22 percent.

Additionally, the report stated that the top 5 Android smartphones purchased in Q2 were:

• Motorola Droid (indeed, that venerable device!)
• HTC Droid Incredible
• HTC EVO 4G
• HTC Hero
• HTC Droid Eris

Since the Incredible and Evo have both been sold out for much of their life, it would be interesting to see what the results might have been if consumers had been able to get their hands on the devices.

Interestingly, screen size is attributed as part of the allure of recent hot Android phones. Ross Rubin, executive director of industry analysis for NPD said, while somewhat criticizing the BlackBerry Torch, that:

[...] the Blackberry Torch lacks the large screen allure that has characterized the best selling Android devices at its price point, including the Droid Incredible and EVO 4G.

The trend toward large screen Android devices has continued with the recently released Samsung Galaxy S models, as well as the Droid X.