Nokia is experiencing something of a revival, with its number of fans increasing as more people get hold of the new Lumia handsets.

40 per cent of its customers now use these smartphones, while the Symbian OS has dropped from a 99 per cent share to 60 per cent, according to YouGov’s smartphone mobile internet experiences tracker.

Approval ratings of the manufacturer rose 13 per cent from September to December 2012, with 45 per cent of its customers saying they would recommend them to a friend. Nokia is now ranked first for four of the less significant attributes measured – battery life, camera quality, speed of call connection and the robustness of its handsets.

42 per cent of Nokia owners said they would get another Nokia next time, an increase of 12 per cent, but Apple’s customers remain the most loyal, with 80 per cent saying they would stick with the same brand.

33 per cent of Nokia owners said would still discourage people from choosing the brand, a drop of 4 per cent from September to December.

“Nokia has finally turned a corner,” said Russell Feldman, associate director at YouGov. “By increasing the number of Lumias in its base it has given their customers something worth coming back to.

“While they are still a fair distance behind Apple and Samsung in terms of market share and loyalty, the fact they have changed consumer perception among their customers puts them in a solid position as the smartphone war intensifies.”