Apple’s iPhone and its mobile operating system iOS are the most desired smartphone and operating system among smartphone buyers, according to a new study by market research firm, Nielsen.

The iOS is basically tied with RIM’s Blackberry operating system for smartphone OS market share, although the iOS did come out on top. Apple came in with 27.9 percent share and RIM had 27.4 percent share.

[ad#Google Adsense 300×250 in story]The two leaders were followed by Android (22.7 percent), Windows (14 percent), Symbian (3.4 percent), Linux (3.3 percent) and Palm (1.3 percent).

The good news didn’t stop there for Apple. Other findings in the report include:

• Among users planning to get a new smartphone, current smartphone owners showed a preference for the Apple iPhone (35 percent), while 28 percent of both smartphone and featurephone planned smartphone upgraders indicated they wanted a device with an Android operating system as their next mobile phone.
• Featurephone owners planning to get a smartphone are less likely to have made up their mind about the OS they will choose: 25 percent were “not sure” what their next desired OS might be compared to 13 percent of smartphone owners. Those over 55 were markedly less certain than younger mobile users, with 27.8 saying they weren’t sure what kind of device they wanted next, compared to 12.2 percent of those 18 to 24.
• Apple’s iPhone and devices with the Android operating system were the “most desired” among likely smartphone upgraders, with Apple showing a slight lead among those age 55+ , 18 to 24, and 25 to 34.
• Women planning to get a smartphone are more likely to want an iPhone as their next device, with slightly more males preferring Android.