Do New Buyers Love the iPhone?

The iPhone was the most acquired smartphone in the U.S. last year, with various versions of the Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) device taking four of the top five spots, according to comScore (NASDAQ:SCOR). Apple displaced devices belonging to HTC and BlackBerry (NASDAQ:BBRY) from the 2011 list, the report added.

Samsung’s (SSNLF.PK) Galaxy S III also proved to be popular, ending up in fifth spot behind the iPhone 4S, the iPhone 4, the iPhone 3GS, and iPhone 5 — in that order.

“Apple’s popularity among consumers making new mobile device purchases likely comes from a combination of strategic marketing moves,” the report said. “As older models of iPhones are marked down with the release of newer models, an increasing number of consumers gain access to them, which accounts for the popularity of a model such as the Apple iPhone 3GS — originally released in 2009.”

Overall, Samsung maintained its position as the top manufacturer across the total mobile population. The Korean company, in fact, increased its share to slightly more than a quarter of all mobile devices in use in the U.S.. Apple gained two spots, overtaking LG and Google (NASDAQ:GOOG) unit Motorola, to take the second spot with 19.5 percent of the market…