NEW STUDY SHOWS GENDER DIFFERENCES IN MOBILE OS

Everyone knows men are from Mars and women are from Venus. Now, according to a new Nielsen study we know men are for Android and women are for iOS. Based on data collected in October 2010, 31 percent of women wanted to buy an Apple iOS device next, followed by 22.8 percent interested in a Google Android device. Among men, 32.6 percent were interested in an Android purchase while 28.6 desired an iOS phone.

In terms of market share, iPhones and Blackberrys are in "a statistical dead heat" with each claiming just over 27 percent of the smartphone OS pie, the report said. Android phones followed with 22 percent, and Microsoft Windows Mobile had 14 percent. Symbian, Linux, and Palm systems shared less than 8 percent of the market.

But looking ahead, perhaps the more important indicator is the breakdown of "next desired smartphone purchase." Both iOS and Android were most desired overall, with 35 percent and 28 percent of those surveyed checking those preferences. Only 13 percent wanted the next "most-desired" smartphone operating system, RIM Blackberry, followed by Windows Mobile with six percent.

Apple iOS was the most desired choice in every age range apart from one: 35-54 years olds. In this age group, more people preferred upgrading to an Android phone (27.4 percent) than an iOS device (26.3 percent).

The report found that 29.7 percent of U.S. mobile phone users own a smartphone now, the highest recorded figure to date. [PC Mag]