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Smartphones are taking over the U.S., says Nielsen research. Photo courtesy of Nielsen

If your last cellphone purchase wasn’t a smartphone and you’re living stateside, consider yourself in the minority.

So says the most recent data from Nielsen, which claims 55 percent of U.S. mobile phone purchases over the last three months were smartphones. That’s up 34 percent from last year.

“With more compelling features and lower prices, Apple’s iPhone set the trend,” said Gartner mobile analyst Ken Dulaney in an interview.

Even outside of the national market, smartphones have risen drastically since the iPhone’s debut, four years ago Wednesday. The company sold a record 18.6 million iPhones in the first three months of 2011 alone. The proliferation of new smartphone models running on the Android platform has also driven this growth: A recent tweet from Android head honcho Andy Rubin claims 500,000 daily Android device activations.

As the rise of the smartphone gradually edges out the traditional feature phone, the mobile landscape as a whole is changing dramatically. Carrying an ‘always on,’ web-connected device is slowly becoming the norm; 38 percent of U.S. mobile phone users now own smartphones. Mobile carriers saw this coming a mile away, preemptively ending unlimited data plans as smartphone data consumption rose. Like it or not, the future is mobile, web-connected and data-hungry.

“The vast majority of mobile consumers — 55 percent — are now choosing smartphones over feature phones when they purchase a new device,” a Nielsen spokesperson told Wired.com. “And they are choosing app and media-friendly devices like iPhones and Android phones.”

Interestingly enough, Android is losing some of the momentum it once had in the smartphone market. While it rose in marketshare by 20 percent over a one-year period from February 2010-11, that growth seems to have stagnated, settling around 27 percent of recent smartphone purchases over the past four months. It is, however, still the leader in terms of smartphone platform share.

Android’s growth has most likely been stymied by a surge of iPhone purchases, according to Nielsen’s data. Over the same four-month period, recent iPhone purchases jumped from 10 to 17 percent. This was probably driven by the release of the iPhone 4 on Verizon’s 3G network on Feb. 10, which allowed a flood of new customers who weren’t thrilled about AT&T’s service to buy Apple’s phone. Previous to the release, AT&T carried Apple’s phones exclusively.

Those of you who love Apple’s hardware but not the high prices may be in luck — circulating rumors suggest Apple may come out with two new phone models this fall, including a “feature phone” version of the iPhone 4, nee the iPhone 4S. However, we’re skeptical about that claim.

Android’s stagnation is Apple’s gain and RIM’s loss, according to Nielsen data. (Photo courtesy Nielsen.)

In Symantec’s bleak, dystopian world, it doesn’t matter whether you choose Android or iOS — you’ll be making yourself vulnerable to attacks regardless of the camp you’re in. The company just concluded a study pitting iOS’s security against Android’s — an undertaking intended mainly for corporate IT staffs trying to figure out which devices they can safely issue to employees. (Curiously, despite the enterprise focus, you won’t find a single comparison against BlackBerrys.) Although iOS won higher marks when it came to thwarting traditional malware and showed a more modest advantage in terms of data loss, data integrity, and service attacks, the two platforms proved equally adept at preventing web-based attacks — and equally powerless to catch socially engineered ones. And when it came to implementing certain security measures, such as permissions-based controls, Android pulled ahead.

Ultimately, Symantec (which sells mobile security software of its own, by the by) concluded that both “are still vulnerable to many existing categories of attacks,” not least because both platforms allow users to sync with third-party apps or web services that may or may not be secure themselves. Indeed, Symantec’s thesis is that Apple’s App Store approval process helps explain its lead in the malware-blocking department. Also, in shocking news, Symantec adds that people using jailbroken are especially attractive targets for attackers, and that these devices are as vulnerable as computers. Don’t say no one warned you. Head past the break for a press release with a summary of the findings or, if you’re curious, hit the source link for a PDF version of the full report.

Continue reading Symantec report on mobile security concludes iOS and Android both vulnerable to attacks

Symantec report on mobile security concludes iOS and Android both vulnerable to attacks originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 29 Jun 2011 17:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Up till now, the ranks of 3D-capable smartphones were neatly organized by territory: Japan had the Sharp Aquos SH-12C, the US had the HTC EVO 3D, and Europe had the LG Optimus 3D. Now it’s all getting a tiny bit messier (and more competitive!) with HTC’s announcement that the EVO 3D has boarded a transatlantic liner and is en route to the green shores of Europa. Available “broadly” across the old continent, this Android 2.3 handset touts a 4.3-inch display with qHD (540 x 960) resolution and an added parallax barrier layer that allows it to deliver a glasses-free 3D effect. We call it an effect because real 3D it ain’t, but at least it’ll allow you to review the three-dimensional pics you snap with the included pair of 5 megapixel autofocus cameras. There’s also a 1.2GHz dual-core Snapdragon purring within for the performance obsessives and a generous 1730mAh battery — perhaps the biggest advantage that we can see for this phone over the similarly specced (but 3D-less) Sensation. Jump past the break for the full spec sheet and PR or hit up our review to learn just how awesome the EVO 3D’s shutter button really is.

Continue reading HTC EVO 3D landing in Europe next month, two-stage shutter button and all

HTC EVO 3D landing in Europe next month, two-stage shutter button and all originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 27 Jun 2011 06:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Our friends over at the FCC have somehow both scored and already torn asunder Nokia’s new flagship MeeGo development phone. Slicing and dicing Espoo’s latest confirms the watered-down N9 specs we’d previously heard about, except for one: a 12-megapixel camera. An intriguing addition, as the N950’s official specs list an 8-megapixel shooter, which the Finnish firm touted as “different” than the unit in its brother. Perhaps different means the additional 4-megapixels we spotted earlier this year? Sure, last minute component changes aren’t unheard of, but if you ever manage to convince the Finns to throw one your way, do us a favor and let us know what it’s packing. Ok?

Nokia’s N950 splayed by FCC, 12-megapixel camera lurking within originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 26 Jun 2011 16:57:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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They’re hardly as exciting as the company’s two new Android 3.1 tablets, but if you’re looking for Android in even more places, look no further. Also being unveiled today is the 35 Home Connect, a self-proclaimed Android web radio that should do wonders by your bedside, or kickin’ it on the beach. You heard right — there’s a built-in battery here, as well as WiFi access to over 50,000 web radio stations. You’ll also find a touch panel, pre-loaded TuneIn application and an alarm clock function that brings together traffic, weather and whatever’s happening in your neck of the woods. Finally, a video chatting app is tossed in for good measure, but it’s only useful when your front-facing camera isn’t handling baby monitoring duties (yeah, seriously!).

Moving right along, there’s the Archos 35 Smart Home Phone, an Android-based landline phone that brings users contact sharing with their Android smartphone, MP3 ringtones, caller photo display as well as access to your current stable of Android apps. In other words, this is likely the only home phone you’ll find that can also video call, check your email, look up a topic on Wikipedia and satisfy gramps. The above-mentioned 35 Home Connect should ship this September for $149, while the 35 Smart Home Phone does likewise for $10 more.

Continue reading Archos trots out Android-based DECT home phone, 35 Home Connect radio

Archos trots out Android-based DECT home phone, 35 Home Connect radio originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 23 Jun 2011 12:45:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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