Android-based phones outsold the iPhone in the U.S. for the first time last quarter.

Google’s Android-based smartphones accounted for 28% of smartphone sales, while the iPhone accounted for 21%, according to market research firm NPD.

Research In Motion outsold both of them, and had 36% of the sales.

In a press release, NPD analyst Ross Rubin attributed the strong sales of RIM and Android phones to Verizon’s buy-one-get-one deals.

Android is now on dozens of handsets on each major carrier, so it makes sense that it leapt passed the iPhone.

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