Android is the preferred operating system among current smartphone owners and those who intend to buy a new smartphone in the next six months, according to the Connected Intelligence service from The NPD Group.

Not only is Android generating more interest than any other OS (63%) but it’s also the platform consumers are ‘most interested in’. In fact, at least half of all smartphone purchases for the past three quarters have been Android devices.

Doro, which produces mobile phones aimed at older customers, has won a preliminary injunction that blocks sales of the Emporia Telme phone in Europe.

A court in Germany has ruled that Emporia’s phone infringes on the registered design of Doro devices.

The Google Wallet mobile payment application, which was announced by the company in May, is now being rolled out to customers in the USA.

It’s currently only available on the Google Nexus S 4G phone to customers who have a Citi MasterCard credit card or the Google Prepaid debit card and are using the Sprint network, although Visa, Discover and American Express are also expected to participate in the future.

Browser company Opera Software has acquired Handster, a US-based business that offers a mobile application store platform.

Handster supplies services to mobile operators, device manufacturers and application stores. As well as providing the world’s largest independent collection of Android apps, its platform supports Java, Symbian, Windows Mobile, BlackBerry, netbook and tablet applications.

Vodafone has announced the winners of its Vodafone Mobile Clicks 2011 competition, which is designed to help identify and support the next generation of leaders in the global application development community.

This year’s winners are...