RIM & Apple lead U.S. Consumer Smartphone Sales

Retail researcher, NPD, reported that U.S. consumers purchased 9 million smartphones in first 6 months of 2008.  This represents an increase of 84 percent over the same period last year.   The study also found that consumers purchasing smartphones increased from 9 percent in 2007 to 19 percent in 2009.  "Declining prices, streamlined form factors, and consumer Internet connectivity have begun to bring into the mainstream devices that once appealed only to mobile professionals," said Ross Rubin, director of industry analysis, The NPD Group. 

According to the study, Research in Motion has the largest market share followed by Apple, Palm, Samsung and Motorola.  The study was conducted using consumer surveys so sales to corporations or enterprises are not represented.