Apple has achieved its highest ever share in the U.S. smartphone market, accounting for more than half of (53.3 percent) the  country's smartphone sales the last 12 weeks, thanks to  growing iPhone 5 sales. However, rival Samsung continues to hold the number one smartphone manufacturer spot across the big five countries in Europe with 44.3 percent share in the last 12 weeks. Apple is ranked second with a 25.3 percent share while HTC, Sony and Nokia shares remain close in the chase for third position, reveals the latest sales data from Kantar Worldpanel ComTech.

"Apple has reached a major milestone in the U.S. by passing the 50 percent share mark for the first time, with further gains expected to be made during December," Dominic Sunnebo, Kantar's global consumer insight director, said in a statement.

Apple had claimed 35.8 percent of the  U.S. smartphone market share a year prior and its jump to rule half of the market has been boosted by strong sales of the iPhone 5.  Meanwhile, Android retains the highest share with 61 percent of the market, up from 51.8 percent a year ago.

"Although Windows sales in the U.S. remain subdued, Nokia is managing to claw back some of its share in Great Britain through keenly priced Lumia 800 and 610 prepay deals. The next period will prove crucial in revealing initial consumer reactions to the Nokia 920 and HTC Windows 8X devices," Sunnebo said.

Nokia seems to be finding it very hard to attract younger consumers in Great Britain as over the past six months, just 28 percent of Nokia Lumia 800 sales have come from under 35's, compared with 42 percent of all smartphone sales.