Android has retained its position, secured for the first time in January, as the leading smartphone platform in the US, according to the latest data from comScore’s MobiLens service. The data charts key trends in the US mobile phone industry, during the three month period ending February 2011, based on a survey of more than 30,000 US mobile subscribers.

Android increased its market share to 33 per cent, compared to 31.2 per cent for the three-month period ending January 2011. RIM remained in second place, but saw its share fall from 30.4 per cent to 28.9 per cent. Apple was in third on 25.2 per cent, up from 24.7 per cent. Microsoft, in fourth place, saw its market share fall from 8 per cent to 7.7 per cent. Samsung is the top handset manufacturer overall, with a 24.8 percent market share, followed by LG (20.9per cent), Motorola (16.1 per cent), RIM (8.6 per cent), and Apple (7.5 per cent). Apple’s market share gained 0.9 percentage points, on momentum from the release of the Verizon iPhone, the most acquired handset during the month of February.

For the three month period ending in February, 234m Americans aged 13 and older used mobile devices, while 69.5m people owned smartphones. Mobile content usage also witnessed steady growth, with a 3.3 per cent increase ein the numb rof people accessing a social networking site or blog on their phone (26.8 per cent of mobile subscribers); a 3.2 per cent increase in the number of people downloading apps (36.6 per cent); and a 3.1 per cent increase in the number of people using their phone’s browser (38.4 per cent). Text messaging  was the most popular activity, used by 68.8 per cent of mobile subscribers, a 1.7 per cent increase over the previous period.