iPhone 6 launch led Apple to 47.7% share of US market, edging Android's 47.6%

Posted:
in iPhone edited February 2015
For the first time since the end of 2012, Apple's iPhone edged out all devices running Android for shipments in the U.S., becoming not only the top device, but also the top domestic platform for the quarter.




The latest data from Kantar Worldpanel, published on Wednesday, shows that Apple was responsible for 47.7 percent of smartphones shipped in the U.S. during the December quarter. Led by the debut of the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, Apple managed to top the plethora of devices running Android by the slimmest of margins --?0.1 percent.

Unsurprisingly, Apple's flagship iPhone 6 was the best-selling smartphone in the U.S., and was also the most popular smartphone to give as a gift. Somewhat interestingly, Kantar says that Samsung's Galaxy S5 was the second-best selling smartphone, making it unclear whether the research firm lumped the iPhone 6 and larger iPhone 6 Plus together as one model.

With iOS and Android accounting for virtually all American smartphone sales, there was little room left for competitors: Microsoft's Windows Phone took a distant third place with 3.8 percent, while BlackBerry managed just 0.3 percent of devices shipped.

"While the success of the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus is unprecedented, this quarter's performance also points to Apple having its strongest portfolio ever," said Carolina Milanesi, chief of research at Kantar Worldpanel ComTech. "With a range of devices available at different price points in both contract and pre-pay Apple was able to take advantage of a weaker Android offering at the premium end of the market."




The new results also spotlight Apple's success in China, where almost a quarter of consumers who bought an iPhone during the quarter were purchasing their first smartphone. The iPhone accounted for 21.5 percent of smartphones shipped in the period, increasing Apple's share from 19 percent a year ago.

The launch of the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus also chipped away at Android's dominance in Europe, where the platform's share declined by 3.8 percentage points year over year to 66.1 percent. Apple's iOS platform, meanwhile, rose 6.2 points across the continent, and ranged from a 12.9 percent share in Spain to 42 percent in Great Britain.

The global success of the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus propelled Apple to sales of a massive 74.5 million units last quarter, shattering its previous record.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 34
    Probably a lot of people who started out with an Android "smart"phone, who got tired of the bugs and decided to move up to a real smartphone. Of course, since they don't see a difference between the Galaxy Ace and the Galaxy S5(not that there's a huge one) Android is now junk to them and the iPhone was the only option. Still an aspirational gadget.
  • Reply 2 of 34
    MacProMacPro Posts: 19,718member
    It is truly an achievement when you consider the price difference too. Of course a lot of this could be due to more honest reporting somehow entering the equation and the gazillion percent lead Android crap had was never quite as large as the media would have had us believe in the first place. Perhaps Samscum have cut back on paying off the analysts.

    It is also noticeable 'other' is not doing too well. 'They' usually have very large numbers in these things and I always ask who 'they' are and usually get a snippy reply from some smart ass with a list of companies I have never heard of.

    I can see why BB shares are doing well ...:rolleyes:

    Meanwhile Microshit should give up and go back to doing what they do well ... Oh wait a minute ... :D
  • Reply 3 of 34
    lkrupplkrupp Posts: 10,557member

    I’m getting kinda tired of these “my penis is bigger than your’s” articles. We harp about how Apple takes the majority of profits and how market share is meaningless, then turn around and obsess over market share. Isn’t it enough that Apple is the most important tech company of our era?

  • Reply 4 of 34
    MacProMacPro Posts: 19,718member
    lkrupp wrote: »
    I’m getting kinda tired of these “my penis is bigger than your’s” articles. We harp about how Apple takes the majority of profits and how market share is meaningless, then turn around and obsess over market share. Isn’t it enough that Apple is the most important tech company of our era?

    I agree basically but after all those years of the US media proudly crowing over S. Korea's dominance in volume sales over a US company (profits be damned), it seems only fair to allow AI readers some alternative data for a change.
  • Reply 5 of 34
    Apologies, I'm a bit confused here. The article talks about iPhones (noting that the iPhone 6 launch propelled Apple's market share), but the data seems to be about the operating systems (iOS vs Android vs Blackberry, etc). If the data (and graph) are about operating systems does this take into account both the phones and pads, or simply the phones?
  • Reply 6 of 34
    dasanman69dasanman69 Posts: 13,002member
    emoeller wrote: »
    Apologies, I'm a bit confused here. The article talks about iPhones (noting that the iPhone 6 launch propelled Apple's market share), but the data seems to be about the operating systems (iOS vs Android vs Blackberry, etc). If the data (and graph) are about operating systems does this take into account both the phones and pads, or simply the phones?

    The article specifically states 'smartphones' which would exclude the iPad, and other tablets.
  • Reply 7 of 34
    onhkaonhka Posts: 1,025member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by lkrupp View Post

    We harp about how Apple takes the majority of profits and how market share is meaningless, then turn around and obsess over market share. Isn’t it enough that Apple is the most important tech company of our era?

     

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by digitalclips View Post

    I agree basically but after all those years of the US media proudly crowing over S. Korea's dominance in volume sales over a US company (profits be damned), it seems only fair to allow AI readers some alternative data for a change.

     

    I don't quite concur. 

     

    The only degree of relative certainty is when a company files their respective quarterly reports. Until such time, the professionals'/public's perceptions of a industry's/companies' success(es) are the analysts's reports which are determined by them scouring the trade journals or standing outside distribution centers', wholesalers'/retail stores' doors counting packages, and/or the gossip perpetrated by so-called know-it-alls/bloggers (often malicious). And then there is the media, that rather than just report the facts, which they really have no access to, become storytellers, (which we know that books of fiction sell more that non-fiction)

     

    Both market share and profits are extremely important to the company and their shareholders. And in turn, the feeders, i.e., brokers that make their living by how accurate their analysts project the future of the stocks they promote, and how the number of successful clients they get to follow them. 

     

    As most of us know, Apple is extremely secretive. And rightfully so. To unilaterally 'open up' or to refute what is most often wrongfully declared, would be the wish of every other competitor. And for the competition to do so, could just destroy the confidence of the Apple haters who in many cases only ask the question to which they want to hear the answer, in any language.

  • Reply 8 of 34
    dasanman69dasanman69 Posts: 13,002member
    sog35 wrote: »
    This is like BMW selling more cars than Toyota.  Truly amazing.

    Not really. You're comparing one vendor to another vendor. It's more like BMW selling more than Toyota, Honda, and Nissan combined.
  • Reply 9 of 34

    What's impressive is one manufacturer (Apple) is beating multiple android phone manufacturers combined

  • Reply 10 of 34
    MacProMacPro Posts: 19,718member
    sog35 wrote: »
    This is like BMW selling more cars than Toyota.  Truly amazing.

    I tried to say that in the second post but that was far more succinct! :smokey:
  • Reply 11 of 34
    MacProMacPro Posts: 19,718member
    dasanman69 wrote: »
    Not really. You're comparing one vendor to another vendor. It's more like BMW selling more than Toyota, Honda, and Nissan combined.

    That too damn it! :smokey::smokey:

    I assume Others' stock is in the tank :D
  • Reply 12 of 34
    jungmarkjungmark Posts: 6,926member
    lkrupp wrote: »
    I’m getting kinda tired of these “my penis is bigger than your’s” articles. We harp about how Apple takes the majority of profits and how market share is meaningless, then turn around and obsess over market share. Isn’t it enough that Apple is the most important tech company of our era?

    Then don't read it. Still it says something when market share is not high on Apple's priority list but it is "winning" that battle in the US.
  • Reply 13 of 34
    apple ][apple ][ Posts: 9,233member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by lkrupp View Post

     

    I’m getting kinda tired of these “my penis is bigger than your’s” articles. We harp about how Apple takes the majority of profits and how market share is meaningless, then turn around and obsess over market share. Isn’t it enough that Apple is the most important tech company of our era?




    I don't get tired of "my penis is bigger than yours" articles. I believe that it is important to stress and to remind other people of your "penis size" to Fandroids as often as possible, so that they get the message.

     

    Market share doesn't mean much, if it's Android and they're making no money. However, when you are both the leader in profit and marketshare, then that is a different story, and it shows the crushing dominance that Apple holds in all significant areas.

     

    If Fandroids can not mention profits and if they can not even mention marketshare anymore, then they have nothing at all to talk about, and that's a good thing.

  • Reply 14 of 34
    I'm surprised that there's still +40% of people that buy into Android being "just as good but cheaper" than iPhone:
    [URL=http://arstechnica.com/security/2015/02/malicious-google-play-apps-may-have-hosed-millions-of-android-handsets/?comments=1]
    Arstechnica - Malicious Google Play apps (may have) hosed millions of Android handsets[/URL]

    Read the "Promoted Comment" and tell me why anyone would want to deal with that... ever! :no:
  • Reply 15 of 34
    maestro64maestro64 Posts: 5,043member
    lkrupp wrote: »
    I’m getting kinda tired of these “my penis is bigger than your’s” articles. We harp about how Apple takes the majority of profits and how market share is meaningless, then turn around and obsess over market share. Isn’t it enough that Apple is the most important tech company of our era?

    I know and I have to agree with you, however, what apple is doing does not follow standard economic principals. Apple should not growing market share when their ASP is increasing they should in fact see declining market share, but it is not happening. As the Andriod competitor attack each other and lower the price ot gain share they all losing to each other plus Apple and only Apple is make any profits. This the issue the Market is stuck on, Apple should be loosing this game with maintaining higher pricing.

    The only thing I can say is consumers buying habits are changing and they are less concern with the price of a must have item than any time in the past.
  • Reply 16 of 34
    sflocalsflocal Posts: 6,092member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Maestro64 View Post





    I know and I have to agree with you, however, what apple is doing does not follow standard economic principals. Apple should not growing market share when their ASP is increasing they should in fact see declining market share, but it is not happening. As the Andriod competitor attack each other and lower the price ot gain share they all losing to each other plus Apple and only Apple is make any profits. This the issue the Market is stuck on, Apple should be loosing this game with maintaining higher pricing.



    The only thing I can say is consumers buying habits are changing and they are less concern with the price of a must have item than any time in the past.



    One can get an 5c or 5s for the same price as a low-end Android phone.  The "high-end" Android phones are about the same price (on contract) as an iPhone6x.  So Apple does have both ends covered.  I think the consumer does see the difference between the crappy-quality, lagging-display junk that is Android and the polished, smooth iPhone and the decision is a simple one.



    Apple isn't even competing with Android per-se.  They just want to make the best phone around.  The Android makers on the other hand are continuously shooting themselves in the foot for doing the exact same thing that sank the PC industry.  Coming out with cheap junk, and racing to the bottom of the barrel and make zero money doing it.  People are seeing that, and I say "It's about time".

  • Reply 17 of 34
    slurpyslurpy Posts: 5,382member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by sog35 View Post

     

    This is like BMW selling more cars than Toyota.  Truly amazing.


     

    It's like BMW selling more cars than Toyota and the combined sales of almost every single other car manufacturer in the world, since almost every non iPhone is an Android phone, and Windows phone marketshare is negligible. 

  • Reply 18 of 34
    So is the article correct in using the shipping numbers? ... Because we know that Apple is usually almost complete sell-through, whereas Android stuffs the channels stranding retailers with lots of extra stock.
  • Reply 19 of 34

    I remember someone said that the iPhone is the only phone that, although expensive, is an affordable luxury item that most people want. No matter if you are a billionaire or a millionaire, you can't find a better phone. So, you will want one. If you are in middle class or blue collar class, you can have one without too much trouble. Adults and kids can all have it. This is just a phenomenal product!

  • Reply 20 of 34
    lkrupp wrote: »
    I’m getting kinda tired of these “my penis is bigger than your’s” articles. We harp about how Apple takes the majority of profits and how market share is meaningless, then turn around and obsess over market share. Isn’t it enough that Apple is the most important tech company of our era?

    It's just information. Unless DED wrote it, I don't read any gloating into it. Apple will have its ups and downs. It's latest financials are "up."

    For contrast, this same story over on a pro-Windows, pro-Android, spite-Apple site had a headine about "Samsung stumbles, loses marketshare to Apple." A slightly different take (about Samsung's misfortune instead of focusing on Apple's fortune). I read their story, and buried in there isn't any praise for Apple, but simply acknowledging that Apple is selling what customers want, and Samsung isn't, "despite bendgate" (which I didn't interpret as a slam, but rather puzzlement over the lack of damage bendgate had on iPhone 6 sales).
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