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Nearly half of smartphones sold in Europe hail from Samsung

The company's devices have helped increase Android's market share to 70.4 percent in several larger European countries.

Don Reisinger
CNET contributor Don Reisinger is a technology columnist who has covered everything from HDTVs to computers to Flowbee Haircut Systems. Besides his work with CNET, Don's work has been featured in a variety of other publications including PC World and a host of Ziff-Davis publications.
Don Reisinger
CBS Interactive

Android is flying high in Europe, due mainly to the "relentless" popularity of Samsung's smartphone line, according to a new report.

During a three-month period that ended in May, nearly half of all smartphones sold in Europe were produced by Samsung, Kantar Worldpanel ComTech reported Monday. The research firm found that Samsung helped lift Android to a 70.4 percent share of the key European markets, Germany, the U.K., France, Italy, and Spain. During the same period last year, its market share was at 61.3 percent.

Trailing far behind Android, Apple's iOS platform owns only 17.8 percent of the European market, according to Kantar. Windows Phone holds 6.8 percent.

Still, Kantar reports that Samsung may need to watch out. The company's loyalty rate in Britain stands at 59 percent, meaning that's the percentage of current Samsung device owners who will stick with another handset from the company. Apple's loyalty rate in the country stands at 79 percent, according to Kantar.