The number of smartphone owners in the US jumped 8 per cent to 78.5 million in the quarter to June 2011, with Android enjoying 40 per cent of the smartphone platform market, according to research firm comScore.

ComScore questioned 30,000 smartphone owners and found 40 per cent of owners saying that their devices were being powered by Google’s Android operating system. Thus, Android’s share jumped 2 per cent, from 38 per cent in May.

The jump in Android’s share came despite the fact that it has been facing numerous lawsuits from the side of rivals.

Cupertino, California-based Apple’s iOS platform grabbed second spot, with 26.6 per cent share of the market.

ComScore’s survey followed a study by Canalys which claimed that Google’s Android dominated the global smartphone market, with 48 per cent share.

Figures released by mobile ad firm Jumptap also put Google's Android as the foremost smartphone operating system with 38 per cent share, while Apple’s iOS and RIM's Blackberry platforms were put at second and third positions, with 33 per cent and 22 per cent market shares respectively.

Overall, Android, iOS and Blackberry captured a total of 90 per cent of the market.