On Friday, Nov. 2, research firm comScore released results from a new survey, which indicates that more than 50 percent of mobile phone users in the U.S. own smartphones. The study also revealed that Samsung was the leading handset manufacturer in the U.S., accounting for 26 percent of the market share.

"comScore, Inc., a leader in measuring the digital world, today released data from the comScore MobiLens service, reporting key trends in the U.S. mobile phone industry during the three month average period ending September 2012," stated the comScore report.

The comScore study surveyed more than 30,000 mobile subscribers in the U.S. and reinstates that the trends have not changed in the past few months with Samsung leading the race. Android pipped iOS as the favoured OS platform. Additionally, this is the first time that the market penetration for smartphones has surpassed the 50 percent threshold with 119.3 million U.S. consumers owning smartphones during the three months ending in September period.

"Smartphone penetration surged past the 50 percent threshold for the first time. Google Android led that segment of the market with 52.5 percent of smartphone subscribers, while Apple accounted for 34.3 percent," noted comScore.

The report also noted that for the three-month period ending in September, mobile devices were used by 234 million Americans who were aged 13 and older. Samsung took the top honors for OEM manufacturers with 26 percent of mobile subscribers, up 0.4 percentage points (ppts), followed by LG, buoyed by its Nexus' success, with 17.7 percent (a drop of 1.1 ppts). Apple was ranked third with 17.5 percent mobile subscribers, up 2.1 ppts. Motorola and HTC wrapped up the top five with 10.9 percent and 6.2 percent, respectively.

When it comes to OS platforms, Android's share grew by 0.9ppts vis-à-vis iOS' 1.9 ppts. The OS from Google was the numero uno smartphone platform with 52.5 percent market share, compared to Apple's 34.3 percent. RIM, Microsoft, and Symbian rounded up the top five with 8.4percent, 3.6 percent, and 0.6 percent, respectively.

With the mobile ecosystems battling it out for supremacy, it seems that Android has established a strong foothold in the U.S. mobile phone market, fending off competition from Apple, at least for the time being.