Not long after iTunes was declared the second-largest music retailer in the United States, catching up mighty fast to Best-Buy, Apple's iPhone just took the lead in the US thanks to Safari, as far as mobile web browsing goes. The mobile version of Apple's Safari is the second most used browser for the same reasons in the UK, according to the latest reports.

Starting with the UK, Apple's popular handset managed to garner a 0.06 percent of the overall browser market up until this point, just behind Nokia's 0.15 percent, according to Ireland-based StatCounter. It is said to be more than three times the mobile browser market share of RIM (Research in Motion), the company responsible for iPhone's rival, the Blackberry handset. According to the same report, RIM's device garnered just a 0.02 percent market share in the same territory.

The iPhone and iPod touch combined (as the latter uses Apple's standard web browser too) make up for 0.10 percent in the UK. Not that exciting yes, but do take into account that the iPhone has been out in the wild for less than a year.

The US, on the other hand, is a different story altogether. Both Apple's handsets using Safari as a standard web browser have managed to accumulate an amazing 64 percent increase in share since December. During that same time, the mobile version of Safari saw a rise in share from 0.14 percent to 0.23 percent.

The iPhone Safari browser alone holds a 0.18% market share in the US. It is currently the No. 1 mobile browser. Combined with its sibling lacking cell phone capabilities, the duo account for 0.23 percent market share during that time frame.

"The key message is that iPhone is more than living up to its claims of being a user friendly Internet browser, unlike many other cell phones," said Aodhan Cullen, StatCounter founder. Cullen also states that Safari browsing (on iPhone) reached a 0.7 percent peak in the US, on Christmas Day, but as AppleInsider notes, the figures may be inaccurate, as it was also reported as "0.07 percent" makes for 0.23% of the web browser market.

Care to know how much Nokia's market share has risen since December? A shy (to say the least) 0.01 percent.