A leading research company has undertaken a study of the impact that the first three generations of the iPhone have had in Europe and also the hugely anticipated iPhone 4. The findings come from comScore Inc. and are revealed just as iPhone 4 demand reaches extraordinary heights as people clamber to buy one or to replace their iPhone 3Gs. 

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comScore confirm that in the U.K., France, Germany, Spain and  Italy, iPhone sales make up 18 percent of the smartphone market. The iPhone has been instrumental in changing mobile user attitudes and has created a whole new area of competition between mobile phone manufacturers and operating system developers.

iPhone owners are the most voracious consumers of mobile media: 94 percent use mobile media, 87 percent use applications and 85 percent browse the mobile internet. With just 4 percent share of the European market, iPhone users represent 12 percent of all mobile media users.

“The iPhone 4 is set to have a huge impact globally with pre-order handsets selling out and retailing websites buckling under the pressure,” said Jeremy Copp, Vice President Mobile Europe, comScore.

“To date the iPhone has had a disproportionate impact on the European mobile market considering its relatively modest installed base of around 10 million. It has catalysed the consumption of mobile media and opened the eyes of brands to mobile as an engaging marketing medium. However, it has also prompted other device manufacturers and OS vendors to elevate their game so the poster-child of the smartphone generation now faces serious competition.”