In the smartphone market there are three major players with Android currently leading the race in smartphone sales while Apple came in close second and Blackberry in third during the period of March – May of 2011. According to a survey from Nielsen, iPhone sales increased over 10% during the same period while Android remained flat, likely due to Verizon now offering the iPhone where previously AT&T had a monopoly on the Apple devices.

While Nielsen concluded that this indicates that iPhone sales are trending to lead the marketplace other analysts say that that cannot be concluded because of the increase in the overall numbers of smartphone devices sold by Android and the fact that Google maintained their position at the top even though Apple’s share in the market had increased.

The most obvious competitors to the iPhone are available on the Android OS. Samsung, Google, and HTC are just a few big names that are threatening the iPhone’s dominance. In order to eat up some of Apple market shares, these companies have had to really step up their game to turn heads. They have not failed to deliver. With the increasing capability of the Android OS, they have become a match for the iPhone.

Ultimately, it is impossible to say the iPhone is the standalone best smartphone on the market. There are too many factors that make one phone superior to the next and those can differ from person to person. So while it most definitely is the best for some, it is not the best for everyone.

Investing in apple is not a bad idea for those looking for a company that is on the cutting edge of technology.  Apple stocks have grown considerably over the last year. Apple is up about 25% from a year ago and is continuing to grow.  They have their ups and downs but overall growth in the future looks good.

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