Edible Apple

Even in a market flooded with Android devices, the popularity and success of the iPhone continues to flourish. During the third quarter of 2011, even as many were awaiting the release of the iPhone 4S, the iPhone 4 and iPhone 3GS remained the top selling smartphones on the market according to data compiled by NPD. Following Apple’s iPhones were the HTC EVO 4G, the Motorola Droid 3 and the Samsung Intensity II.

Of course, the vast number of Android smartphones results in device fragmentation and makes it less likely that any one Android device will overwhelmingly outshine another. In that regard, one almost expects Apple’s iPhone to lead the way. But when you consider that the iPhone 4 was over a year old during the Q3 of 2011 – not to mention the iPhone 3GS being well over two years old – the lasting popularity of the iPhone is truly astonishing. And now with the iPhone 4S out on the market and selling out extremely quickly in a number of markets, we wouldn’t be surprised to see Apple’s lineup of iPhones take up the top 3 spots during the current quarter.

The takeaway from this is that many people would rather have a last-generation iPhone than a next-gen Android device. By all accounts, the iPhone 3GS continues to be the phone that keeps on trucking. Released during the Summer of 2009, it continues to sell extremely well and will likely trudge on even longer now that it’s availabe as a free device with contract at AT&T.

via NPD Group