Despite rumors of Android domination, the iPhone is still on the top of the growth curve

According to a study by Kantar Worldpanel ComTech, the iPhone is growing at a faster rate than its competitors once again. Kanter’s findings have indicated that Apple’s share in the U.S. smartphone market has increased to 44.9 percent, while Google’s Android has 44.8 percent of the market, slipping from 50 percent earlier in the year.

Dominic Sunnebo, Global Consumer Insight Director, explains:

Apple has continued its strong sales run in the US, UK and Australia over the Christmas period. Overall, Apple sales are now growing at a faster rate than Android across the nine countries we cover.

Many have stated for a while that an iPhone 4S announcement would help fend off Android growth. It looks like that may be occurring right now, but the real question here is whether or not the iPhone 4S can substantially widen the gap. We’re guessing that it won’t happen with the iPhone 4S, but it may happen with the iPhone 5 should everything remain the same between now and then. But, that’s the problem, isn’t it? Things never remain the same.

On another note

Here’s the deal: microcosmic analysis on market growth is starting to get a little bit stale. Release schedules and product announcements aren’t on a parallel timeline between companies. Leading up to the iPhone 4S announcement, Android growth was outpacing iPhone growth, and now that the iPhone 4S announcement has happened and the device has shipped, the tides are turning once again. This isn’t going to stop any time soon. Here’s my prediction: in four months we’ll be hearing that Android is beating the iPhone again, then once the next iPhone is announced and shipping, we’ll be right back here where we started. It’s not going to end any time soon.

Let’s keep some perspective. Looking narrowly at sales trends isn’t doing anyone any good. How about we start looking at year over year growth and measure success that way?

Joshua is the Content Marketing Manager at BuySellAds. He’s also the founder of Macgasm.net. And since all that doesn’t quite give him enough content to wrangle, he’s also a technology journalist in his spare time, with bylines at PCWorld, Macworld and TechHive.