In a new study released Wednesday by market research firm Yankee Group, 40 percent of smartphone buyers in Europe said they would buy an iPhone.

[ad#Google Adsense 300×250 in story]The study polled 5,000 consumers and 2,250 employees and IT decision-makers across five European countries: France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the U.K.

According to the study, Android-based devices come in second (19 percent), followed by BlackBerry (17 percent) and Nokia (15 percent). Keep in mind that Android devices number well over 100 from a variety of different handset makers.

“These findings highlight the continued strength of Apple in the European smartphone market and, in particular, its phenomenal brand appeal,” said Declan Lonergan, research VP at Yankee Group. “The data also highlights the enormous challenges faced by Nokia and RIM to retain mind share and market share in this increasingly dynamic and competitive marketplace.”

Other findings in the study include:

• Consumerization is taking over the enterprise. Four times more employees use consumer tools for work purposes with IT’s explicit approval.
• New devices spur productivity. Employees say they are 58 percent more productive during long-distance travel when they have a tablet.
• Mobile users are multi-device-savvy. Most users have more than one device and they access the same services and content via the screen best suited for the time and place.