Samsung surpasses Apple to lead U.S. smartphone market share

[Photo by Yonhap]

Samsung Electronics has overtaken Apple to claim the top spot in the U.S. smartphone market share for a year, starting from March last year.

According to a report from market research firm CIPR on Wednesday, Samsung captured a 38 percent market share in the U.S. smartphone market, edging out Apple, which held a 33 percent share. Trailing behind were Motorola with 13 percent, other brands with 10 percent, and Google with 6 percent.

This achievement is considered remarkable given the typical dominance of Apple in the U.S. market. According to another market research firm, Counterpoint Research, Apple has maintained the number one position in market share from the fourth quarter of 2022 to the first quarter of this year.

[Courtesy of CIPR]

However, this year, Samsung leveraged the launch of its first AI-powered phone, the Galaxy S24 series, to achieve its highest market share in four years in the U.S. market. In the first quarter of this year, Samsung’s market share in the U.S. reached 31 percent, up by 4 percentage points on-year. Apple remained the market leader with a 52 percent share, followed by Samsung in second place and Motorola in third with 9 percent.

The scenario differs when considering premium smartphone sales. During the observed period, Samsung’s share of the premium smartphone segment in the U.S. was 42 percent, while Apple’s high-end iPhone series accounted for a substantial 64 percent of sales. Apple’s flagship models included the latest iPhone 14 and 15 series, whereas Samsung’s flagship lineup comprised the Galaxy S23 and S24 series along with the Galaxy Z Flip and Fold.

CIPR’s analysis highlighted that Apple sells more high-end models than Samsung, with over 60 percent of Apple’s iPhone sales coming from its latest premium lineup.