Apple’s iPhone 3G can add another trophy to its crowded shelf. On Monday, The NPD Group reported that the popular smartphone surpassed the Motorola RAZR in the third quarter as “the leading handset purchased by adult consumers in the U.S.”

The RAZR had reigned as the top-selling consumer handset for the past 12 quarters. The report by the market researcher is based on more than 150,000 online consumer surveys each month, projected to represent all U.S. consumers 18 years and older.

‘A Watershed Shift’

Ross Rubin, NPD’s director of industry analysis, said “the displacement of the RAZR by the iPhone 3G represents a watershed shift in handset design from fashion to fashionable functionality.” In the third quarter, he noted, four of the five best-selling handsets were “optimized for messaging and other advanced Web features.”

Based on unit sales in the third quarter, the top five handsets, in order, were the iPhone 3G, all models of the RAZR V3, all models of the RIM Blackberry Curve, the LG Rumor, and the LG enV2.

The emphasis on “fashionable functionality” is reflected in the key motivations of U.S. consumers in making their selection. According to the NPD report, the need for a camera was cited by 43 percent of the respondents, and the need to send and receive text messages by 36 percent.

Rubin noted what he called a “growing info divide” in cellular handsets. Some users are justifying their investment in documents plans considering they see the need for wireless access to the Web, while other consumers are more “voice-centric” and see little need for notes plans.

RAZR’s Descent

Mobile phones are plus seeing some features becoming more common. For instance, 30 percent of handsets sold in the third quarter had a QWERTY keyboard, resulting in the greatest year-over-year increase yet in sales for devices with that feature. A year…

[Source] dhiram