By the Numbers: Top 10 Most Popular U.S. Handsets in September
October 16 2008 - 2:47 pm ET | Kristen Beckman | RCR Wireless News
Editor's Note: The following lists ranks the 10 most popular handsets in the United States for the month of September. Rankings were provided by AvianResearch L.L.C.
The firm derives its ranking via its Monthly Retail Store Survey, which polls 100 service representatives at retail stores to gauge consumer interest in handsets available at the four major carriers in the United States. For the purposes of this list, RCR Wireless News has added carrier information beyond the four largest carriers surveyed by Avian.
Research In Motion Ltd. has held the top spot on the ranking for five straight months, with the BlackBerry Pearl topping the list in April, and the Blackberry Curve dominating the list from May through September.
Avian noted RIM likely gained share at Sprint Nextel stores during September due to a promotion on the Curve for $100. The firm also noted iPhone sales seem to have leveled off at some stores. The firm also observed that half of the top 10 devices are smartphones and that touchscreens appear to be a popular selling point, with four out of the top six devices featuring touchscreens.
This list differs from one recently provided by NPG Group due to different tabulation methods.
Top 10 Most Popular U.S. Handsets in September |
|||
Device |
% |
Available at |
Picture |
| RIM Blackberry Curve | 26.1 | AT&T Mobility, Verizon Wireless, Sprint Nextel, Alltel, U.S. Cellular, others |
 |
| Apple iPhone | 9.2 | AT&T Mobility |
 |
| LG Dare | 7.9 | Verizon Wireless |
 |
| RIM Blackberry Pearl | 6.6 | AT&T Mobility, Verizon Wireless, T-Mobile, Sprint Nextel, Alltel, U.S. Cellular, Centennial Wireless |
 |
| LG Voyager | 6.5 | Verizon Wireless |
 |
| Samsung Instinct | 5.8 | Sprint Nextel |
 |
| LG Rumor | 5 | Sprint Nextel |
 |
| LG Shine | 3.5 | AT&T Mobility |
 |
| Palm Centro | 2.9 | AT&T Mobility, Verizon Wireless, Sprint Nextel |
 |
| Nokia 5310 | 2.5 | T-Mobile, Centennial Wireless |
 |
| Source: Percent rankings of respondents provided by AvianResearch L.L.C.; carrier from carrier Web sites | |||
Updated on Oct. 17, 2008, to add additional carriers.
January 8, 2009 03:44 pm
Does anyone know 11-20?
November 14, 2008 06:04 am
Everyone who is complaining is just upset because they are still rockin the Nokia 3595...Quitcherbitchen...and upgrade your phone...
October 30, 2008 07:33 am
the iPhone should be available to Verizon..!
October 27, 2008 06:05 am
Interesting to see LG have three handsets in top 10 ranking. Glad to see US consumers are catching up to mobile users abroad when it comes to recognition of such a popular brand outside of USA.
October 18, 2008 06:01 am
First, realize it's 'popularity' and not sales.2nd, this is the dumbest ranking I've ever seen."100 service representatives". Well gee... if you got 4 major carriers and only 1 has iPhone... then you could pretty much assume that 3 out of 4 of these 100 reps aren't going to say iphone.And who do these 100 reps work for anyway? Big box retailers (like Best buy or Circuit City) don't even carry all 4 major carriers i.e. their employees aren't going to say iphone either if their freaking store doesn't even sell them (yes, I know BB now has iPhone, but the question is who are these retailers).Then, on top of all that... the Curve is available on pretty much every carrier. So when you got 3 out of 4 carriers saying 'Curve!' while 1 says 'iPhone', it's not hard to see how this list came to be.LAME. FAIL.
October 17, 2008 02:14 pm
Why is Motorola not in the top 10?
October 17, 2008 02:14 pm
Why is Motorola not in the top 10?
October 17, 2008 02:14 pm
Why do you not name T-Mobile as a carrier who provides the Curve? T-Mobile's Curve is equipped with UMA which makes their Curve better than the rest.
October 17, 2008 02:14 pm
Nokia come in at number 10, amazing. Everywhere else in the world they are around 40% market share in US its around 10. Anybody know why that is ?
October 17, 2008 02:14 pm
They listed the carriers the model is available on, not where you can buy it. Otherwise they would have Best Buy, Circuit City, etc, etc... The Curve does have as available at AT&T Mobility; it's the first one.