iPhone 3G Overtakes RAZR

According to AppleInsider, Apple’s 3G iPhone has surpassed Motorola’s RAZR handset to become the most popular mobile phone purchased by American adults in Q3 of this year.

Everyone remembers when the RAZR first hit retail outlets, because shortly after it seemed like every second person in the country had one in their pocket and so began three years on top for Motorola. According to NPD, the RAZR’s reign has come to an end. The iPhone placed top of the list for handsets this quarter, bumping the Motorola device into second place.

“The displacement of the RAZR by the iPhone 3G represents a watershed shift in handset design from fashion to fashionable functionality,” said Ross Rubin, director of industry analysis for NPD. “Four of the five best-selling handsets in the third quarter were optimized for messaging and other advanced Internet features.”

So in these penny pinching times, what’s making the consumer opt for Apple’s more expensive handset more popular than the RAZR ? All the cool stuff it does, of course.

“A growing data divide continues in cellular handsets,” Rubin continued. “Those who see the value in wireless Internet access are justifying the investment, whereas voice-centric users have little incentive to upgrade,” he said.

The top five list of devices shows a smartphone heavy list of cell phones. Following the iPhone and the RAZR, was the BlackBerry Curve, the LG Rumor and the LG enV2.