2 out of 3 U.S. Mobile Phone Buyers Purchase Smartphones

GigaOm: Nielsen is reporting that two-thirds of the U.S. customers who bought mobile phones last month purchased smartphones. GigaOm noted, “With less reliance upon voice as mobile apps and the web become more widely used, it’s safe to say we’re now witnessing the final death throes of feature phones.”

Android continues to be the most popular mobile operating system, accounting for 51.8 percent of U.S. smartphones. Apple’s iOS follows with 34.3 percent of sales, while RIM’s BlackBerry had just 8.1 percent.

Among manufacturers, Apple leads with 34 percent of the market. Samsung came in second with 17 percent, followed by HTC (14 percent) and Motorola (11 percent).