According to the latest statistics released by Nielsen on Monday, the growing popularity of the Apple iPhone, the RIM BlackBerry handsets, and Android-based phones, resulted in the snapping up of smartphones by 28 percent of the US mobile market during the third quarter.

The Nielsen data also revealed that the RIM operating system was the top-notch OS in the US, with a 30 percent market share; closely followed by Apple, which held 28 percent of the market during the quarter.

The increasingly popular Google Android OS was ranked third, with 19 percent of smartphone subscribers opting for it. Despite the fact that the Android platform is currently placed third in the OS market, the last six months have witnessed the Android-based handsets becoming the most popular choice for people buying new smartphones.

Speaking in terms of operating system demographics, Apple had the maximum number of users below 44 years; while RIM had the most users over 45 years. In comparison, 50 percent of Android-based handset users were younger than 35 years old.

The Nielsen study also drew a parallel between the smartphone penetration rate in the US and Europe during the third quarter; and noted that the surge in smartphones users was further evident from the fact that 41 percent of the people purchasing a new phone in the mentioned quarter selected a smartphone.