Patent blog FOSS Patents says the two actions are unrelated, and that Apple removing some older products comes because Motorola moved to enforce an important patent victory it won back in December. It was then that a judge ruled that Motorola had a patent on a ”method for performing a countdown function during a mobile-originated transfer for a packet radio system.”

The result is that only older devices like the iPhone 3G, iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4 and 3G iPads were removed. Why not the iPhone 4S? It could be because the iPhone 4S has a chip from Qualcomm. The affected models have Infineon chips. Qualcomm chips could be safe for Apple in this case, according to FOSS Patents, if we assume “that Motorola and Qualcomm have a cross-license agreement in place (just like Samsung and Qualcomm do)” which would mean that “Apple is covered by extension, as a result of what is called patent exhaustion (a patent owner gets paid only once for the same use of a patent in a product).”

Perhaps more worrisome for some Apple customers who own the iPhone 4S in Germany right now is an injunction that affects iCloud users who want push notifications on their phones. The ruling affects any Apple devices that can receive push email notifications from iCloud or the earlier version, MobileMe. While neither service will get shut down as a result of the ruling, Apple will likely have to come up with a workaround for its iCloud/MobileMe customers there.

Apple won’t be letting this one go. As a company representative told PaidContent in a bit of subtle snarkiness on Friday, “Apple believes this old pager patent is invalid and we’re appealing the court’s decision.”

Update: It looks like the same German court may have suspended the injunction on the older 3G iPhones and iPads and they will be on sale again in “a matter of hours.” Apple told AllThingsD just now: “All iPad and iPhone models will be back on sale through Apple’s online store in Germany shortly. Apple appealed this ruling because Motorola repeatedly refuses to license this patent to Apple on reasonable terms, despite having declared it an industry standard patent seven years ago.”

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The ruling includes an injunction that is “preliminarily enforceable” against Apple Sales International, Apple’s Ireland-based EU wholesale subsidiary. The injunction covers a wide range of products, including all iPhones as well as 3G-enabled iPads, since it deals with European patent 1010336 (B1), which describes a “method for performing countdown function during a mobile-originated transfer for a packet radio system.”

It’s a significant ruling, because although Motorola previously secured a similar injunction against Apple in Germany, that one was based on a default judgment, meaning that Apple never presented a defense in the case. For Friday’s ruling, the court ruled after both sides had the opportunity to present their full arguments.

Apple will no doubt appeal this ruling to the Karlsruhe Higher Regional Court, seeking a stay of the injunction. If it fails in that effort, the Mannheim Regional Court has attached a €100 million ($134 million) bond (much lower than the $2.7 billion Apple was seeking) to the decision, which Motorola would be liable to pay in the event the injunction against Apple is enforced and a later appeal overturns the injunction awarded on Friday.

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Apple told the Mannheim, Germany, court that if it were to rule in Motorola’s favor and grant a temporary German ban on the sale of Apple products violating Motorola’s email syncing patent (devices that use MobileMe and iCloud, like the iPhone and iPad), $2.7 billion is the amount of money Apple could lose as a result. Florian Mueller, who has covered the case extensively at FOSS Patents, explains:

The purpose of such a bail is to ensure that an alleged infringer will be compensated if the enforced injunction is later overturned by an appellate court.

He also notes that the judge was a little skeptical about where Apple got that number and suspected the company was rounding a little high:

The court was wondering whether that hefty amount truly reflects the economic damages Apple would suffer from enforcement, given that the iCloud is only one Apple offering and doesn’t correspond to the entire value of its products. But Apple’s lawyers insisted that an enforcement against its product sales in Germany could result in damages of that magnitude.

An Apple representative declined to comment on the case.

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On the iPhone 4S launch day, I lined up with about 14 other people outside our Verizon store, my Motorola Droid in hand, checking the time until the store opened. I had never owned an iPhone before, which might come as a surprise from an Apple blogger. When I got the Droid in October of 2009, AT&T was the only carrier to have the 3GS, and rumors of the iPhone coming to Verizon were still just rumors. Two years later, almost to the day, the iPhone 4S came out on my network of choice, and here we are.

Since there are likely a lot of Android users who are considering making the leap thanks to Apple’s new iPhone 4S hardware and the improvements that come with iOS 5, I thought I’d list the things I miss and don’t miss about the Android experience after making the switch to help others determine if this is the right move for them.

Things I miss about Android

Customization

Android proponents are big on pointing out the degree to which the user can customize the OS. You can use different keyboards, lock screens, launchers, even install different ROMs, right from the device. The geek in me loved tinkering around with Android, and that part of me will miss it a lot. Sure, you can jailbreak iOS and get some of the same customizations, but not to the same extent, and it requires going against Apple policies.

Notification light

On nearly all Android phones, there’s an LED that blinks when you have unread notifications. This came in handy since if I got a new notification, I could tell immediately. With the iPhone, I have to press a button to make sure there aren’t any new notifications. It’s a small difference, but the added convenience of the notification light really makes its effects felt over time.

Global sharing menu

In Android, you can share something with any service that has its app installed. I could upload a picture from the Gallery app to any Twitter client, not just the official app. Apple has made headway into making sharing better by integrating Twitter into iOS, but it’s not as good as the Android share menu. I’d be happy if Apple just added Facebook integration, though.

Free turn-by-turn navigation

Google’s free navigation app is a big advantage for Android. I’ve used it often to find obscure restaurants and other destinations while I’m driving. I have yet to find any consistently reliable, free or cheap alternatives in the App Store (but feel free to suggest something in the comments).

File system and downloads

Being able to download a file to my SD card and manipulate it with a file manager was useful. The inability to do this on my iPhone annoyed me when I wanted to download a wallpaper that only came in a ZIP archive, which of course I couldn’t download or open. I ended up transferring it over from my Mac via Photo Stream.

Things I don’t miss about Android

Laggy UI

The first thing I noticed coming to iOS from Android is just how smooth and fluid iOS is in comparison. It tracks my taps and swipes without any noticeable lag, lending to the feeling that you’re actually manipulating an object. Android has never felt the same way. Scrolling isn’t as smooth; pinch to zoom lags and stutters; and sometimes, taps take longer than they should to register. This could all be attributed to the Droid’s old hardware, of course, but reviews of even current gen devices sometimes cite similar problems.

Widgets

I feel about Android widgets the same way I feel about OS X’s Dashboard widgets: They’re a neat novelty, but not very practical. If I want to read the news, I don’t want to just stare at a news widget while headlines go by, one at a time. Call me old-fashioned, but I’d rather just launch an app.

“Real” multitasking

In Android, apps can run in the background when you’re not using them, like on a PC. In iOS, apps are suspended when they aren’t active, but are allowed to do certain things in the background. Android’s approach uses more RAM and battery life. Apple’s uses less of both while providing nearly the same experience. I’m just fine with “fake” multitasking if it uses fewer resources to accomplish the same thing.

The Android market

There’s no arguing that iOS has a wider and better selection of apps. There isn’t a single third-party Android app I’ve used that doesn’t have a better iOS alternative. Couple that with the increased presence of malware on the Android Market, and I feel pretty good about living in a walled garden.

Google integration

With iCloud, I don’t need Google integration anymore. iCloud takes care of everything important that Google did, and does it without forcing me to use a clunky web app (except in the case of uploading documents from the Mac). This is why iCloud is such a huge deal for Apple: It takes away one of Android’s core advantages and improves on it in a way that Google can’t.

Final thoughts

One of the strongest assets Apple has is its ecosystem, and that’s more apparant to me now than ever. All my mobile devices — my computer, my tablet, and my phone — are made by Apple. The tight integration between them is all part of the design: The more Apple products I use, the better my experience becomes. With my Android phone, I couldn’t really use Apple’s ecosystem to its full potential. But with my new trifecta, I can play games on my Apple TV via mirroring, take a photo and have it appear instantly on my iPad and Mac, sync with iTunes without ever having to touch a cable, and easily locate any of my devices if I ever lose one.

Sure, I could do some of those things on Android, but the experience just wasn’t as good. Some will argue that that’s representative of Apple bullying users into buying only its devices, but for me it just represents greater convenience.

Have you recently made the switch from Android to iOS? Tell us about your experience in the comments.

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Note that this isn’t an exhaustive list of any and all acquisitions made by the companies, but it is a good lay of land in recent years. (Click to enlarge)

Infographic courtesy of G+.

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TheAppleBlog reported in October that Apple was the target of a Motorola lawsuit for infringement on 18 patents, including various smartphone issues, including antenna design. Holding to the idea that “the best defense is a good offense,” Apple not only isn’t taking that filing lightly, but is fighting back with a lawsuit of its own.

In a nine-page filing with the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin on Friday, Apple asked for action in response to the violation of various patents surrounding the iPhone’s touch screen and user interface. Apple identified, among others, the Droid, Cliq, and Backflip handsets as culprits in the infringement. It states in the filed documents, “Motorola’s actions have caused and will continue to cause irreparable harm, for which it has no adequate remedy at law, unless their infringing activities are enjoined.”

To consumers, given the great number of lawsuits thrown around between technology companies of this size, the recent filings may not seem significant.  Usually, court rulings simply ask the defendant to pay a certain sum to the plaintiff, and the amount is generally quite small when measured against the profit margins of these companies.

As phones grow increasingly similar in design and user interface, and the tech related to them grows more refined, you have to wonder if the legal system will continue to allow companies to use such closely related designs for small penalties, or will instead more strongly defend the rights of patent holders.

With Apple’s recent move to number four on the global mobile-phone manufacturer list, and Motorola’s fall to number seven, it’s apparent both have great deal at stake in the market. Accordingly, the legal battles between the two (and among others) will likely continue to heat up as companies fight to secure IP that could give them the upper hand.

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It doesn’t work with official apps (either the default set or Remote.app, etc.), unfortunately, so you won’t be able to completely customize your theme. But at least you don’t have to wait around for developers to change the icons on apps that offer great functionality but dismal aesthetics. Here’s how it works on an iPhone 4:

1. Install iPhone Explorer (free, Mac/PC).
2. Plug in your iPhone and launch iPhone Explorer.
3. Navigate to “phone name/Apps/appname/appname.app,” replacing the italicized values with your own, of course.



4. Backup the “icon@2x.png” file you find there by dragging it to a directory of your choice in Finder.
5. Name your replacement icon (which must be a .PNG file, size 114×114, 72 PPI with no transparency and no layers) “icon@2x.png” (case-sensitive).
6. Drag your replacement to that folder in iPhone Explorer, delete the original file, and manually power down and power back up your iPhone.

If you’re using an iPhone 3G or 3GS, instead of looking for and replacing filename “icon@2x.png,” you’ll be working with “icon.png” and your replacement should be 57×57, not 114×114.

iPhone 4 and latest gen iPod touch users can also use this to replace not-so-nice looking icons that haven’t yet been updated for the Retina Display. Just replace the “icon.png” file with a new 114×114-sized version. That’s what I did with the PicPosterous app for the purposes of this article, and it works great, as you can see in the screenshot.

And for nervous users, don’t worry. As you don’t have root access to your device, you can’t accidentally remove any crucial elements of your device’s OS. You also don’t have to worry about those rounded edges on your icons. Just use a square image and iOS will round the corners for you.

What icons are you looking forward to changing?

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According to a report over the weekend on HotHardware.com, Apple may have more to announce at its special event this Wednesday than its mythical tablet.

We have been led to believe by an inside source that AT&T will lose their iPhone exclusivity on the same day, though it’s not yet clear what other carrier (or carriers) will be stepping in to also carry the phone.

It doesn’t come as any great surprise to hear about the end of AT&T’s exclusive partnership with Apple, but I will be surprised if El Jobso deliberately announces it during his keynote. After all, if he did announce it, at what may become the most-watched-and-reported-on  keynote in Apple’s history, the predictable whoops of delight from the attendees will be hugely embarrassing for AT&T. Will Jobs be so insensitive?

AppleInsider says AT&T’s contract with Apple expires in June this year. Certainly, AT&T has recently been shoring-up its offering of smartphones to include Android-based handsets, but that’s hardly unusual for a mobile operator striving to remain relevant in a crowded and hugely competitive market.

While Apple may be looking forward to ending the exclusivity deal, I don’t think the same is true of AT&T. They have attracted and retained millions of new subscribers with the iPhone since its launch in 2007. The press hasn’t been kind to it, and even its own CEO has criticized its bandwidth-chomping customers, but I’m sure AT&T doesn’t regret one single lucrative day of that almost-three-year partnership.

Brand Loyalty

Incidentally, this is pretty much win-win for Apple, who — I am sure — will see tremendous sales on other networks despite the relative age of the iPhone. For instance, here in the UK, O2 enjoyed high iPhone sales throughout its exclusive partnership period.

But as soon as O2’s exclusive partnership with Apple ended, Orange reported record-breaking opening day iPhone sales. And more recently, a third major carrier, Vodafone, also started selling the iPhone and reported even higher opening day sales.

If this demonstrates anything, it is that significant numbers of customers remain loyal to their cellular networks, choosing to “make do” with whatever handsets are available to them, all the while quietly coveting the wares of competing operators. Personally, I have no such loyalty. Most of the operators here in the UK offer pretty much the same awful services at pretty much the same inflated prices, with only minor differences in tariffs. The biggest differences lie, as always, in the range of handsets they have to offer.

When I bought my iPhone back in 2007 I just happened to already be an O2 customer, but I readily admit, had I been with another carrier, I would have made the move without hesitation. I’m surprised, then, to learn that an awful lot of people are not so ready to switch. Apparently brand loyalty extends to products and services beyond Apple. Who’d have thunk it?

A Harsh Light

AppleInsider suggests this brand loyalty probably had something to do with the relative sales success of iPhone alternatives such as Motorola’s Droid, which served as a “second best” choice for carrier-loyal customers who wanted an iPhone but weren’t prepared to leave their existing network operator.

…an announcement this week might effectively preclude a large group of consumers from upgrading to phones they might otherwise be interested in because they know the iPhone will be hitting the relatively stable Verizon network in just a few months.

Verizon’s network may be “relatively stable” right now, but wasn’t AT&T’s considered stable before the arrival of the iPhone in 2007? I don’t know, of course, but — wasn’t AT&T always a bit rubbish? Didn’t it take the arrival of the iPhone to shine a harsh light on its patchy service?

Or was it the arrival of the iPhone that caused the degradation in service? HotHardware’s Shawn Oliver thinks it was the latter.

The iPhone itself doesn’t really handle the switch from 3G to EDGE very well, so calls that are in-progress tend to fail… It seems that AT&T is tired of taking the heat for this, and at this point, they may be smart to just let another carrier take some of those customers who are most inclined to complain.

Did he just imply iPhone customers are a bunch of moaning minnies?

So who’s right? Will the inevitable opening-up of the iPhone to other carriers in the U.S. destroy Android sales? Will Americans enjoy the iPhone price wars that (sadly) never happened over here? Or will everyone be too busy cooing over the Tablet to even care?

Or — worse — what’s the chance that Apple will have an AT&T-related announcement this Wednesday, but rather than confirming the end of the exclusivity deal, could Jobs announce a new, extended exclusivity partnership that includes the iPhone and the Tablet? What fresh horrors could such a partnership bring?

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In a lengthy post comparing developing using Cocoa Touch for the App Store vs. developing web applications, Gruber goes over the strengths and limitations of both. In the end, he reveals that a new web app framework would bring the experience of using web apps much closer to that of apps which reside natively on the iPhone. The new framework is apparently called PastryKit, and it’s an official Apple endeavor.

PastryKit brings three really important things to the table for web developers:

• Hides the address bar, without the need to create a home screen shortcut first, which currently allows that.
• Allows for static, fixed position toolbars that don’t scroll along with the rest of the page.
• Allows for scrolling momentum, which allows users to “fling” lengthy lists without causing scroll friction, the way web apps generally do now.

PastryKit has already been deployed in its iPhone User Guide web page, though you can only see the effects if you’re visiting the site on an iPhone. They are all JavaScript implementations, and so should be usable by any web developer. MacRumors points out that performance issues attached to the new features could arise on older-generation iPhone models, since these are known to have trouble with JavaScript in mobile Safari.

There’s little doubt that Apple is keeping its eye on the mobile web space, which is poised to explode thanks to recent developments in web tech like HTML5, CSS and others. There are some things that the App Store is no doubt better for, including advanced 3-D games like the kind released by Gameloft, ngmoco and EA, but for other apps, an improved web interface could be just what the doctor ordered.

If Apple can get smaller developers who are creating apps with limited or light functionality to take their business to the web instead of routing through the App Store, it’ll be able to eliminate a lot of the static and chatter that currently gums up the review process and no doubt costs Cupertino a not-insignificant amount of overhead. It may lose revenue, too, but the more lucrative titles will likely remain as dedicated apps, being the aforementioned games from major publishers I mentioned above.

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Computers get dirty, especially their human interface surfaces — keyboards and pointing devices.

In some instances, dirt can even affect input device performance as well as appearance. Some time ago the faithful SlimType gave me a scare when the F and W keys stopped responding properly. A keystroke would register only when the key was pressed more firmly than usual, and the subtle over-center click of the SlimType’s scissors keyswitch mechanism was missing — the malfunctioning keys feeling “numb” and offering higher than normal resistance.

The medicine that time proved to be blowing out the accumulated crud beneath the key console with compressed air. I successfully used an automotive shop compressor with a blow gun. For more cautious folks, or those without convenient access to a compressor, one of those little aerosol cans of compressed air used for cleaning photography equipment could do the trick.

But sometimes a bit of compressed air isn’t enough. So, here is our guide to cleaning everything from mice to laptops.

Getting Started: Apple’s Cleaning Recommendations

Apple has posted a Knowledge Base article covering recommendations and guidelines for cleaning Apple computers, displays, or input/ peripheral devices. Much of its advice should be common sense, such as before you start cleaning:

1. Turn off your Mac.
2. Unplug the power cord from the wall or power strip.
3. Remove the battery (from products with removable batteries such as some Apple portables or from wireless devices such as mice and keyboards).
4. Disconnect all external devices from the computer.

Other warnings some users might be less likely to think of are:

• Don’t use window sprays or cleaning products containing ammonia, chlorine, or abrasive ingredients.
• Don’t use rough towels or cloths to dry the plastic.
• Don’t spray cleaner directly onto your computer. Liquid could drip inside the case and cause an electrical shock or malfunction.
• Don’t use excessively damp cleaning wipes.

If more than dusting is needed, use a lint-free cloth slightly dampened to wipe away dirt or grime. Don’t over-wet the cloth. If you can squeeze drips of water out by wringing, it’s too wet.

Solvents and Cleaners

Plain water may not be effective on oils or grease residues, in which case a stronger agent will be needed. Try iKlear or mild detergent first.

Cleaning Laptops

Instructions specific to Apple laptops include not using isopropyl alcohol on bare LCD panels (or any type of alcohol or ammonia-based glass or window cleaner, I hasten to add). Use only a damp, soft, lint-free cloth or purpose-made, Apple-approved LCD cleaning product like iKlear.

Aluminum portables are best tackled with a damp, soft, lint-free cloth. Apple says it’s safe to use 70 percent isopropyl alcohol on them (I personally wouldn’t) or iKlear. Remove surface dust or loose dirt gently with your bare hand before proceeding with cleaner and cloth. After cleaning, dry the aluminum with a soft, lint-free cloth.

For plastic portables, the same applies as aluminum, but I would recommend a gentler, damp-cloth approach first and reserve the heavier-duty agents for stubborn stuff. As with the metal machines, remove any loose surface dirt gently with your bare hand before proceeding with cleaner and cloth. After cleaning, dry the plastic with a soft, lint-free cloth.

For the new unibody MacBook’s non-slip plastic coated aluminum bottom case, Apple recommends using a 3M Gray Microfiber or soft dye-free, lint-free cloth for cleaning, once again giving its blessing to 70 percent isopropyl alcohol or iKlear on the bottom case.

Mouse Cleaning

Mice get dirty. When your mouse becomes covered in fingerprints or its surface is soiled, you can gently wipe it with a clean, lint-free cloth. If necessary, moisten the cloth using plain water, making sure not to over-saturate it, and be mindful that the mouse’s internal electronic components may be damaged if water seeps or drips inside.

With Apple’s Mighty Mouse, the scroll ball can be cleaned using a lint-free cloth lightly moistened with water, making sure to rotate the ball itself to ensure complete coverage or you can use something like Wet One.

Drowned Keyboard First Aid

Moisture is potential death to electronics, as anyone who’s ever spilled liquids on a computer keyboard or laptop can ruefully tell you. Apple also warns against using solvents like acetone, alcohol, or alcohol-based cleaners on your computer, admonishing to never spray cleaner directly onto the machine, since liquid could drip inside the keyboard or case and cause an electrical shock (or more likely a component-frying short-circuit and/or residual corrosion).

Should you spill liquid on your keyboard, if it’s thin and clear fluid, immediately shut the computer down, unplug the keyboard, turn it upside down, and drain the liquid out, let it dry (inverted or on edge is best) for 24 hours at room temperature, after which it may or may not recover. If the liquid is greasy, sweet, sticky, or acidic, you’re likely out of luck. I ruined a MacAlly iceKey scissors-action keyboard a while back by sloshing diluted Grapefruit Seed Extract (extremely acidic) on it twice in a week — the only times I’ve drowned a keyboard in two decades of computer use. We disassembled the keyboard and cleaned the circuits, but corrosion had set in.

Computer Disinfection

With the H1N1 flu pandemic, computer contact surface disinfection has moved to the front burner, especially for machines accessed by multiple users. Apple support also has a Knowledge Base article entitled How To Disinfect The Apple Internal Or External Keyboard, Trackpad, And Mouse. The article recommends, in addition to regular cleaning of your computer and input devices, that disinfecting them may be desirable, noting that,”Multiple people using the same computer, people using the computer when they were ill, and the particular environment where the computer is used, are a few reasons you may wish to disinfect areas of the computer that people come into contact with the most.”

Using a mild soap with antibacterial properties will help, but Apple suggests properly disinfecting contact areas with products like Lysol Wipes, Clorox Disinfecting wipes, or Clorox Kitchen Disinfecting Wipes. I would be cautious about using them on the screen however (except for glass-covered aluminum laptop and iMac displays), and would stick with water or iKlear for that. Otherwise, follow the general rules outlined in the regular cleaning instructions above, with a special caveat to not use disinfectant wipes containing bleach, or disinfectant sprays in general.

What are some techniques you’ve used to clean those hard to reach and sensitive areas of your gadgets?

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Reporting results for the third quarter of fiscal year 2009, Apple shattered expectations with big profits boosted by the all-new lineup of MacBook Pros and the iPhone 3GS.

The company reported revenue of $8.34 billion and a net quarterly profit of $1.23 billion, or $1.35 earnings per share (EPS). This beat consensus estimates of $8.2 billion of revenue and $1.17 EPS. For the same period last year, Apple earned $7.46 billion in revenue and $1.19 EPS. While this was good news, even better was Apple’s gross margin, 36.3 percent, compared to 34.8 percent last year. This is important because of concern that a down economy and price cuts on Macs might impact profits.

Not surprisingly, Steve Jobs was pleased. “We’re making our most innovative products ever and our customers are responding,” said Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO. “We’re thrilled to have sold over 5.2 million iPhones during the quarter and users have downloaded more than 1.5 billion applications from our App Store in its first year.”

While the financial news matters to investors and employees, consumers interested in Apple products should be pleased too. The Mac, the iPod, and the iPhone all sold well for the quarter, but after reports of market share loss, the Mac was the big surprise.

More than 2.603 million Macs were were sold in the quarter, an increase of four percent over last year, just short of the all-time record of 2.611 million sold during the holiday quarter of 2008. This is especially good news after the second quarter of this year, which saw a year-over-year decline of three percent. Of those Macs sold during the third quarter, laptops outsold desktops two to one, continuing a trend towards portability that has been ongoing for years. Apple does not break down sales by individual model, but it’s very likely the 13″ MacBook Pro had an impressive debut.



Regarding iPod sales, numbers were in line with expectations. 10.215 million iPods were sold in the third quarter, compared to 11.011 million for the same period last year. Again, this coincides with projections of flattening sales, though it should be noted that “flattening” means more than 50 million iPods sold yearly. Also, it’s a given that some consumers are choosing iPhones over iPods.



As for the iPhone, total sales were 5.208 million for the quarter, counting both iPhone 3GS and iPhone 3G sales, the former on sale for only 11 days of the quarter. The earnings report in October, after the fourth fiscal quarter ends in September, will be the first full quarter for sales. Since the launch of the iPhone 3G was in July of last year, it seems unlikely the iPhone sales will break the record of nearly seven million units sold during Q408.

Analysts will likely be asking for iPhone projections during the conference call, as well as probing for information regarding the rumored tablet. While Apple executives will “not comment about future products,” there’s always something to be found in their obfuscation. Check back for a summary post later to find out the details.

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According to The NPD Group, the leader in market research for the wireless industry, the iPhone 3G surpassed the Motorola RAZR as the leading handset purchased by US adult consumers in the third quarter of 2008.

The RAZR had been ranked as the top-selling consumer handset for the past three years, which means that the iPhone knocking the device from the top spot is no small deal.

“It represents a major 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.”

The top handset models in rank order, based on unit sales in Q3, were as follows:

1. Apple iPhone 3G
2. Motorola RAZR V3 (all models)
3. RIM Blackberry Curve (all models)
4. LG Rumor
5. LG enV2

This shift in the market leader represents the decreasing demand for the limited functionality of the RAZR coupled with the storming success of the iPhone 3G, which has been incredibly well received by customers. As we have noted previously, the iPhone has already surpassed its sales target of 10 million units this year, even before the holiday rush. It would seem it is set to extend a lead at the top of the mobile phone sales rankings even further over the coming months.

The report highlights the fact that phones which offer a QWERTY style keyboard are seeing faster growth than those with a traditional mobile phone text input. While this could be due to the fact that QWERTY phones are generally ‘smart phones’, offering an additional array of features, it may also represent a shifting demand to a unified input style — regardless of whether you’re using a computer or a phone. While the iPhone’s software-based keyboard was initially controversial, it seems to have been met with a very positive response over time with few major complaints.

Rubin also notes “A growing data divide continues in cellular handsets”, differentiating between buyers who put a high value on data services (internet, email, maps etc), as opposed to those who primarily use their mobile devices for voice services. The iPhone was a revolutionary product in the data category, as it was one of the first to offer an ‘unlimited’ data plan. It was able to satisfy the need of data users on a new level, and the market report shows that it has lead to a hugely successful launch and a quick catapult to the top of the U.S. sales table.

The only question to ask now is how long will the iPhone be able to retain the No. 1 spot. Can Apple break the 3 year record of the Motorola RAZR?

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