Led By Google, Mobile Search Grows 68%Led By Google, Mobile Search Grows 68%

Due to the increased popularity of smartphones and data plans, searching from a mobile phone is gaining in frequency in the United States and Western Europe, according to new data from comScore.

The research firm reports that 20.8 million U.S. wireless customers and 4.5 million European subscribers searched from their mobile handset in June 2008. This is an increase of 68% and 38% from the year before, comScore said.

Google remains the dominant search provider in the mobile space, with about a 60% share in all countries measured. The search giant previously said mobile searches could ultimately yield the highest advertising rates, and it has made multiple moves to target cell phones.

Google is the default search provider for Sprint handsets, the iPhone, and is reportedly in talks to provide mobile search and advertising for Verizon Wireless. Android, the company's mobile OS, is also expected to provide more mobile search revenue for Google.

Yahoo ranks second in most countries, and is particularly strong in the U.S. with about 35% of the market. The company is rolling out its Yahoo 3.0 offerings later this year to target mobile search, and it recently agreed to be the default search engine on most of AT&T's cell phones, except for the iPhone.

The United Kingdom had the highest penetration rate of mobile subscribers using search with 9.5%, followed by the United States at 9.2%. Industry analysts expect penetration to grow in all markets, particularly with U.S. subscribers.

"The number of U.S. users accessing mobile search has more than doubled as a result of expanded 3G penetration and smartphone adoption, as well as the proliferation of flat-rate data plans," said Alistair Hill, an analyst at comScore, in a statement. "We have also seen a substantial improvement to the mobile search offerings in the U.S. market."