The HTC Thunderbolt is outselling the iPhone 4 in Verizon outlets, according to an analyst speaking to Boy Genius Report. In calls to 150 Verizon Wireless stores across the US, 28 percent of stores interviewed said that the Thunderbolt was outselling the iPhone 4, while 61 percent said the two handsets were selling at about the same rate.

To be fair, the report from BTIG Research analyst Walter Piecyk doesn't take into account sales from third-party electronics retailers, like Best Buy or Walmart, or sales from Apple itself. The iPhone 4's hardware is also almost a year old by now, but surprisingly similar to the Thunderbolt's—the two phones each have a 1GHz processor, though the Thunderbolt packs 256MB more RAM.

But unlike the Thunderbolt, the iPhone 4 lacks access to the Verizon's 4G network, which is expected to roll out in over 100 cities by the end of this year. Still, other brands have struggled to best older Apple mobile hardware in the past, so it's heartening that at least one Android phone is up to the task.

The iPhone 5 isn't likely to arrive until sometime around September of this year, so the Thunderbolt could enjoy a months-long ride at or near the top in Verizon sales, at least until the dual-core Droid Bionic appears. Verizon did not respond immediately to requests for comment on iPhone and HTC Thunderbolt sales.