Preliminary market share results are in and it looks as though Apple is surging while Android declines. With the release of the iPhone on the Verizon network less than six months ago, reports are saying the device is putting a halt to the sale of Android devices and with the much anticipated iPhone 5 coming soon it could put Android even further away from the momentum Apple is gaining with the iPhone.

Let's look at the facts

iPhone is tied to two networks inside the United States, AT&T and Verizon. Apple has one device with one branded manufacturer. Apple has a product cycle of releasing one phone per year since the phone was released in 2007, now, Android on the other hand is tied to multiple networks in the United States and has 20+ devices running all different versions of the popular Android operating system and produced by multiple manufacturers. Still the debate continues on whether Apple or Google is dominating the market. The numbers are in Google's favor, obviously, the number of devices and carriers and the people who have the oppotunity to get their hands on the popular devices don't lie. Google gives customers the option to be on different carriers and a wide array of devices from beginner to advanced users. But, now that the iPhone is available on the two largest networks in the United States is Apple taking over over with one device compared to Googles 20+? Let's take a look at the official reports that are starting to trickle down since the release of the iPhone on its second carrier.

What the reports are saying

Reports from NDP data from April say that the iPhone market grew while Android declined. This may have been too quick to jump the gun and say that iPhone was taking over as customers on verizon who were waiting to get their hands on the popular device jumped the gun and bought it the day it was released to them. It was about a month later when Nielsen data was saying that the Android market was indeed leveling off. Verizon was reporting that it had sold 2.2 million devices on its network in merely two months of its existence with the network. Reports are saying the iPhone on Verizon is the reason the Android market is leveling off and, in some reports, declining.

Just a few days ago Needham was reporting from the use of IDC data that Android's share of the market hit its peak in March and is now declining, where Apple's share is once again on the rise. This is the first quarterly decrease that Android has ever seen.

Yesterday, BTIG(registration required) released a report saying that AT&T and Verizon stores across the country are saying iPhone is outselling Android in almost every store in the nation.

The reports are clear, Apple is surging and Android is leveling off, or in some cases declining. The reports are also saying that iPhone 5 is a much hyped and anticipated device and believe that people are holding out and waiting to use their upgrade eligibility to purchase the long sought device when it is released. This is only going to add momentum to Apple's growing popularity in the mobile device market.

What do you think of the reports that are starting to come in? It is pretty clear that iPhone is a very popular device, but do you think one device can really beat 20+ devices? Let us know in the comments.

[TechCrunch]