Data shows Apple clawing back iPhone share in US, but ceding ground in China

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in iPhone
Apple's iPhone continued to gain more U.S. marketshare towards the end of 2016, according to research data published on Wednesday, but saw setbacks in China, facing tough competition from local and often cheaper alternatives.




Apple advanced 6.4 percent year-over-year in the U.S. during a three-month period ending in November, giving it a 43.5 percent marketshare, Kantar Worldpanel ComTech said, citing sales data. That knocked Google's Android platform back to 55.3 percent of the market, in a sixth consecutive period of decline. A year ago, Android held a 60.4 percent share.

The iPhone 7, 7 Plus, and 6s were reportedly the most popular phones in the country, together accounting for 31.3 percent of sales. Samsung though controlled 28.9 percent, thanks to the Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge. Google's new Pixel phone managed 1.3 percent, said to represent rapid growth.
Kantar's data suggests Apple had the three most popular smartphones in the U.S: The iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus, and iPhone 6s.
Apple's share in urban China meanwhile fell from 25.3 percent to 19.9 percent, squaring off against local firms Huawei, Oppo, and Xiaomi. Huawei managed a 25 percent share, though this was actually a decline of 3.1 percentage points from a previous three-month period ending in October. In the same span, Apple advanced 2.8 percentage points thanks to the iPhone 7.

The device in fact became the best-selling Chinese smartphone during the November period, taking 6.6 percent of sales, relegating Oppo's R9 to second place at 4.7 percent.

In the "big five" European markets -- Britain, Germany, France, Italy, and Spain -- both the iPhone and Android made gains year-over-year, hitting 24.6 and 72.4 percent respectively. This was linked to the decline of Windows phones, which fell to 2.8 percent. Britain was a particular strong point for Apple however, where iPhone share rose 9.1 percentage points.

Kantar also noted that between the October and November periods, Android dipped 2.8 points in Europe while the iPhone made gains because of the iPhone 7.

"The holiday period is always strong for Apple, but it remains to be seen if demand for the latest devices will level out in the first quarter of 2017," wrote a business unit director for Kantar, Dominic Sunnebo.

Indeed Nikkei recently claimed that Apple is cutting its iPhone 7 production orders by 10 percent based on slower-than-expected sales, despite the 7 Plus remaining in high demand. Indeed while Foxconn -- which assembles the 7 Plus -- saw a revenue uptick in December, standard iPhone 7 manufacturer Pegatron saw its revenues fall dramatically.

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 20
    Comparing markets on different continaents is like comparing apples to oranges. Profit is one thing and purchaser objectives migh be different. Cheap copies. knokoffs to be replaced and recycled in short period of time might be a goal on one market while on the other market quality and long term reliability might be objectives. And no yuou cannot have everrything for cheap there is a cost to every objective. I can relate to this problem between US market and Eastern/Central Europe. They are different markets with overlap objectives, but there is a gap as well. Not all gaps can be covered. In some parts of this world Samsung Android devices are preferred in others Chineses Huawei will beat anything based on different objectives that cannot be met by products developed with different objectives. It would be like saying that someone's Toyota, Honda or KIA is the same as someone's BMW or Mercedes. It is not and it will never be regardles how much they may resemble as cars.
  • Reply 2 of 20
    calicali Posts: 3,494member
    I love how knockoff fans lump android's 1,000+ manufacturers against ONE company and claim that ONE company is losing.

    Anyway, it shocks me how many people buy into Samsung marketing and believe they have an original and quality device.
    magman1979StrangeDayswatto_cobra
  • Reply 3 of 20
    blastdoorblastdoor Posts: 3,258member
    When the iPhone 5 came out, Apple had over half of the US market:

    https://www.cnet.com/news/iphone-snags-its-highest-u-s-market-share-ever-says-report/

    It's nice to see that Apple is rebounding a bit from the 6s crash, but they have a ways to go to get back to where they were. 

    Hopefully AirPod availability will increase the appeal of the iPhone 7 (I know the products are independent, but I think in many consumer minds they are linked), and Apple can claw back more share. 
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 4 of 20
    SoliSoli Posts: 10,035member
    blastdoor said:
    When the iPhone 5 came out, Apple had over half of the US market:

    https://www.cnet.com/news/iphone-snags-its-highest-u-s-market-share-ever-says-report/

    It's nice to see that Apple is rebounding a bit from the 6s crash, but they have a ways to go to get back to where they were. 

    Hopefully AirPod availability will increase the appeal of the iPhone 7 (I know the products are independent, but I think in many consumer minds they are linked), and Apple can claw back more share. 
    We really need to take such "reports" with a grain of salt. Note that it says, "according to data out today from Kantar Worldpanel ComTech." Then you have timeframes involves, and other way to alter the numbers, like not including dumb phones or categorizing older smartphones as enhanced phones. Remember when MS stated that their Zune had taken a huge share of the PMP market but they specifically used data from some very specifically days right after it went on sale? The metric is to compare unit numbers, revenue, and profits to see how healthy a product (and in the case of a computer, its ecosystem) is.
    edited January 2017 theothergeoffStrangeDays
  • Reply 5 of 20
    tzeshantzeshan Posts: 2,351member
    Apple lost to Samsung in US.  Apple captures 31.3 percent of sales with three iPhones.  But Samsung captures 28.9 percent of sales with two Galaxy phones. 
  • Reply 6 of 20
    lkrupplkrupp Posts: 10,557member
    tzeshan said:
    Apple lost to Samsung in US.  Apple captures 31.3 percent of sales with three iPhones.  But Samsung captures 28.9 percent of sales with two Galaxy phones. 
    Beyond stupid.
    SoliStrangeDayspscooter63magman1979watto_cobra
  • Reply 7 of 20
    SoliSoli Posts: 10,035member
    tzeshan said:
    Apple lost to Samsung in US.  Apple captures 31.3 percent of sales with three iPhones.  But Samsung captures 28.9 percent of sales with two Galaxy phones. 
    Wow! Those Galaxy phones are on fire¡
    StrangeDaysmagman1979watto_cobrabirko
  • Reply 8 of 20
    carnegiecarnegie Posts: 1,077member
    tzeshan said:
    Apple lost to Samsung in US.  Apple captures 31.3 percent of sales with three iPhones.  But Samsung captures 28.9 percent of sales with two Galaxy phones. 
    The 28.9% is for all Samsung smartphones in the U.S., not just those 2 models. All iPhones accounted for 43.5%.
    StrangeDayspscooter63magman1979kevin keewatto_cobra
  • Reply 9 of 20
    brucemcbrucemc Posts: 1,541member
    tzeshan said:
    Apple lost to Samsung in US.  Apple captures 31.3 percent of sales with three iPhones.  But Samsung captures 28.9 percent of sales with two Galaxy phones. 
    I assume you are long Samsung and short Apple in your investments?

    BTW, you might be surprised to learn that Samsung sells more than the Galaxy line of Sx and Notes - that in fact, the vast majority of their sales are for the lower priced models.

    As many people have said - you can't fix stupid.
    StrangeDayswatto_cobra
  • Reply 10 of 20
    In the end, apple has to:
    1) make a compelling mobile device experience that holds and retains customers
    2) generates a profit that satisfies it's owners
    3) do the hard R&D to marry emerging technologies, what future customers want (and likely don't know they want), scalable production methods, and deliver an insanely great UX.
    4) rinse and repeat... Until the Mobile Market is total commodity and there is a 'next big thing' that needs to be pursued for corporate survival.
    4a)  continually build out your 'ecosystem' to make Apple iOS device dependence a compelling lock in feature (I can't leave my music, my ApplePay, my XYZ)

    and you guys are sweating a couple % points in a Trillion dollar market and a 2Billion customer space?

    and to be honest, 4 is the hard part, and the reason why Apple's Machine Learning and Cloud has to come up to speed.   Apple isn't competing against Android and WinPhone.  It's competing against Amazon and Alphabet (google makes no money on _android_),  and probably the driverless car builder after Tesla.

    And the Car vector is important.   if the buying public is buying a car based on 'personal integrated ecosystem'  Apple has to play in that space, and ideally define that ecosystem.   Making a car is 2ndary to defining the experience, especially if you want to get 3-5% of every 'transaction' your car makes (tolls, energy purchases, in car entertainment, fast food....  If you're not driving the thing, your car is your office, your entertainment, your classroom).   I spend 3 hours a day in the car... That's 20% of my waking time.   Think about the simple 'your car as a big apple pay antenna'  and as you drive up to MickeyD's, you place your order (or it asks which of your favorites you want) from your dashboard, and a big 'TouchID' to confirm and buy.


    StrangeDays
  • Reply 11 of 20
    StrangeDaysStrangeDays Posts: 12,844member
    blastdoor said:
    When the iPhone 5 came out, Apple had over half of the US market:

    https://www.cnet.com/news/iphone-snags-its-highest-u-s-market-share-ever-says-report/

    It's nice to see that Apple is rebounding a bit from the 6s crash, but they have a ways to go to get back to where they were. 

    Hopefully AirPod availability will increase the appeal of the iPhone 7 (I know the products are independent, but I think in many consumer minds they are linked), and Apple can claw back more share. 
    It's not really as dire you make it. Because they're still sucking up nearly all the profit in the entire market. Profit is the air corporations breathe. Market share doesn't really matter, and it's why Apple has never raced to the bottom in the game of market share. The Mac line is the best line of PCs and the most profitable, despite having a small market share. Which is fine, because what other people use doesn't matter to me. I want to purchase what I consider the best.
    edited January 2017 pscooter63watto_cobra
  • Reply 12 of 20
    StrangeDaysStrangeDays Posts: 12,844member

    tzeshan said:
    Apple lost to Samsung in US.  Apple captures 31.3 percent of sales with three iPhones.  But Samsung captures 28.9 percent of sales with two Galaxy phones. 
    Meanwhile, Apple has 104% of the profit:

    http://fortune.com/2016/11/04/apple-smartphone-profits/

    ...sucks to be "losing" that badly, huh?
    pscooter63watto_cobra
  • Reply 13 of 20
    tzeshantzeshan Posts: 2,351member
    carnegie said:
    tzeshan said:
    Apple lost to Samsung in US.  Apple captures 31.3 percent of sales with three iPhones.  But Samsung captures 28.9 percent of sales with two Galaxy phones. 
    The 28.9% is for all Samsung smartphones in the U.S., not just those 2 models. All iPhones accounted for 43.5%.
    If true the article is fake news.  It group Apple products sales different from Samsung products.
  • Reply 14 of 20
    magman1979magman1979 Posts: 1,292member
    tzeshan said:
    Apple lost to Samsung in US.  Apple captures 31.3 percent of sales with three iPhones.  But Samsung captures 28.9 percent of sales with two Galaxy phones. 
    tzeshan said:
    carnegie said:
    tzeshan said:
    Apple lost to Samsung in US.  Apple captures 31.3 percent of sales with three iPhones.  But Samsung captures 28.9 percent of sales with two Galaxy phones. 
    The 28.9% is for all Samsung smartphones in the U.S., not just those 2 models. All iPhones accounted for 43.5%.
    If true the article is fake news.  It group Apple products sales different from Samsung products.
    Most IDIOTIC statements of 2017 thus far!!! OMG
  • Reply 15 of 20
    tzeshantzeshan Posts: 2,351member
    tzeshan said:
    Apple lost to Samsung in US.  Apple captures 31.3 percent of sales with three iPhones.  But Samsung captures 28.9 percent of sales with two Galaxy phones. 
    tzeshan said:
    carnegie said:
    tzeshan said:
    Apple lost to Samsung in US.  Apple captures 31.3 percent of sales with three iPhones.  But Samsung captures 28.9 percent of sales with two Galaxy phones. 
    The 28.9% is for all Samsung smartphones in the U.S., not just those 2 models. All iPhones accounted for 43.5%.
    If true the article is fake news.  It group Apple products sales different from Samsung products.
    Most IDIOTIC statements of 2017 thus far!!! OMG
    Read the article  "The iPhone 7, 7 Plus, and 6s were reportedly the most popular phones in the country, together accounting for 31.3 percent of sales. Samsung though controlled 28.9 percent, thanks to the Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge. "
  • Reply 16 of 20
    kevin keekevin kee Posts: 1,289member
    tzeshan said:

    Read the article  "The iPhone 7, 7 Plus, and 6s were reportedly the most popular phones in the country, together accounting for 31.3 percent of sales. Samsung though controlled 28.9 percent, thanks to the Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge. "

    Most IDIOTIC statements of 2017 thus far!!! OMG

    As said by magman.
    Also, https://www.vocabulary.com/articles/chooseyourwords/figuratively-literally/
  • Reply 17 of 20
    tzeshantzeshan Posts: 2,351member
    kevin kee said:
    tzeshan said:

    Read the article  "The iPhone 7, 7 Plus, and 6s were reportedly the most popular phones in the country, together accounting for 31.3 percent of sales. Samsung though controlled 28.9 percent, thanks to the Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge. "

    Most IDIOTIC statements of 2017 thus far!!! OMG

    As said by magman.
    Also, https://www.vocabulary.com/articles/chooseyourwords/figuratively-literally/
    Which word is figuratively?  Which word is literally?
  • Reply 18 of 20
    carnegiecarnegie Posts: 1,077member
    tzeshan said:
    carnegie said:
    tzeshan said:
    Apple lost to Samsung in US.  Apple captures 31.3 percent of sales with three iPhones.  But Samsung captures 28.9 percent of sales with two Galaxy phones. 
    The 28.9% is for all Samsung smartphones in the U.S., not just those 2 models. All iPhones accounted for 43.5%.
    If true the article is fake news.  It group Apple products sales different from Samsung products.
    Yeah, the original press release from Kantar could have been more thorough if you ask me. It lent itself to being misread in this regard. They should have either given the market share for just the two Samsung models they referred to or given the market share for all iPhones models (instead of just the 3 they referred to) so as to present a better comparison. As it was, they said that the three iPhone models were the three most popular and then said what their combined market share was. Then they said that the two Samsung models were the next most popular, but proceeded to give the market share for all Samsung models rather than for just those two. I can see where it would be easy for some to be confused about what they meant.
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 19 of 20
    "Britain was a particular strong point for Apple however, where iPhone share rose 9.1 percentage points."

    This surprises me. The Pound Sterling took a pounding since brexit. 9.1% rise, if true, is a huge performance.
  • Reply 20 of 20
    metrixmetrix Posts: 256member
    tzeshan said:
    Apple lost to Samsung in US.  Apple captures 31.3 percent of sales with three iPhones.  But Samsung captures 28.9 percent of sales with two Galaxy phones. 
    If Samsung has to give away any profit in their phone sales have they really won anything? They are practically giving them away compared to Apple
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