iPhone 3GS Still Outsells Everything But the iPhone 4 [STUDY]

**Waqas** · August 22, 2011

Apple’s iPhone 3GS was supplanted by the newer iPhone 4 more than a year ago, but it’s still outselling every other phone on the market, except for the iPhone 4, according to a report.

Apple’s iPhone 4 took the number one spot, followed by the iPhone 3GS in the second quarter, according to The NPD Group. The latter model, which is slower and has less functionality than the iPhone 4, is also much cheaper. AT&T cut the price of the 3GS model to $49 with a two-year contract, in January. Refurbs of that model can go for as low as $9. A new 16 GB iPhone, meanwhile, costs $200 with a two-year contract and the 32 GB version sells for $300. Verizon, which began offering the iPhone in February, doesn’t offer the 3G iPhone as an option.

Even though the iPhone held the top two slots for mobile phone sales, Google’s Android operating system was on 52% of all units sold compared to 29% for Apple’s iOS. RIM’s BlackBerry was number three with 11%. Motorola’s market share fell from 12% in Q2 2010 to 9% in the current quarter, according to NPD. The report also noted the growth of prepaid plans offering smartphones. In Q2 2010, just 8% of prepaid phones were smartphones, compared to 22% in this year’s second quarter. Since such plans are usually aimed at lower-income and credit-challenged consumers, that growth also explains the continuing popularity of the iPhone 3GS.

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