BlackBerry's U.S. Market Share Drops to 1% as Apple Soars (AAPL, BBRY)

BlackBerry BBRY handsets may be popular throughout Canada and other parts of the world, but the company is struggling in the United States. After examining a three-month period (which ended in June 2013), Kantar Worldpanel discovered BlackBerry's market share dropped to 1.1 percent. During the year-ago period, the company commanded four percent of the U.S. market. Google's GOOG Android platform still dominated, but it took a dive as well, falling from 52.6 percent in 2012 to 51.5 percent in 2013. Related: Apple, BlackBerry and Nokia Reluctant to Release Larger Phones Microsoft's MSFT Windows Phone and Apple's AAPL iOS proved to be the big winners during three-month period. Windows Phone rose from 2.9 percent in June 2012 to four percent in June 2013. Apple's mobile operating system jumped from 39.2 percent to 42.5 percent. This increase corresponds with the rising iPhone sales and the continued growth of Nokia's NOK Lumia devices, which were built specifically for the Windows Phone platform. Kantar Worldpanel also found some changes in the percentage of smartphones sold through each of the four major carriers in America.

• AT&T T dropped from 28.4 percent to 26.5 percent.
• Verizon VZ rose from 35 percent to 36.9 percent
• Sprint S fell from 15.1 percent to 13.8 percent
• T-Mobile TMUS declined from 12.4 percent to 10 percent

Aside from Verizon, which jumped nearly two percent, the vague "other" category received the most gains, rising from nine percent to 12.8 percent. While Kantar Worldpanel did not specify which firms were included in that category, one could assume that it includes (but is not limited to) Virgin Mobile, Boost Mobile, Leap Wireless LEAP and MetroPCS PCS. Additionally, Kantar Worldpanel's data showed that iOS was the dominant mobile operating system at AT&T during the three-month period. iOS rose from 57 percent to 62.9 percent. Android fell from 35.8 percent to 30.1 percent. Data was not provided for Sprint and T-Mobile, but Android led the pack at Verizon. Google's popular mobile OS declined from 53 percent last year to 48.4 percent this year, but that was still enough to beat iOS, which rose from 45.8 percent to 46.5 percent.

Image Credit: Kantar Worldpanel

It should be noted that the iPhone was on AT&T for three-and-a-half years before it appeared on Verizon or any other carrier. This made Android the primary OS for non-AT&T customers by default. The iPhone's exclusivity also gave AT&T an advantage because it forced all Apple customers to choose that carrier. Louis Bedigian is the Senior Tech Analyst and Features Writer of Benzinga. You can reach him at 248-636-1322 or louis(at)benzingapro(dot)com. Follow him @LouisBedigianBZ