Sales of smartphones running Google’s Android operating system have surpassed Apple’s iPhone and Research in Motion’s handsets in the US.

A survey carried out by the Nielsen Company revealed that share of Android-based (new) smartphones jumped from just 14 per cent to 32 per cent in a period of six months ended August.

On the other hand, market share of Apple’s iPhone slipped from 32 per cent to 25 per cent, while share enjoyed by RIM’s BlackBerry tumbled from 34 per cent to 26 per cent.

When it comes to whole market share, Apple iPhone’s share dipped slightly from 26 per cent in January to 25 per cent in August, while RIM's Blackberry operating system’s share slipped from 36 per cent to settle at 31 per cent during the same period. Conversely, Google’s Android jumped from 8 per cent in January to settle at 19 per cent in August.

It may be noted here that Android operating system is free to any phone-manufacturer. A broad range of phone-manufacturers, such as Motorola, HTC and Verizon Wireless, have adopted it.

Commenting on the topic, Roger Entner from Nielsen said, "They expand their distribution to Verizon, Sprint and AT&T and introduce a whole slew of devices, and their market share goes up like a rocket."

Analyst Tony Bradely from PC World said that a continuance of the existing trend would reduce the iPhone in importance to niche status.