Apple outsells Samsung as iPhone tops US mobile activations chart for Q1 2019

AppleInsider

The iPhone was the most popular smartphone bought in the United States, according to figures produced by CIRP, with Apple narrowly beating Samsung for market share in the first quarter of 2019, suggesting Apple may see an improvement on its sales in its upcoming financial results.

Samsung Galaxy S10+ (Left), iPhone XS Max (Right)

Apple's main rival in the smartphone market is Samsung, with the two exchanging the top spot in smartphone sales quite regularly. Data from Consumer Intelligence Research Partners (CIRP) logging smartphone activations in the United States in the quarter ending in March suggests this time Apple has the upper hand.

In the data, Apple had the highest share of all smartphone brands in terms of activations, taking up 36 percent of the market. Samsung, the nearest competitor, made up 34 percent of device activations, while LG and Motorola have 11 percent and 10 percent shares respectively.

In the case of Apple, the percentage share of the market is up from 2018, but is still far behind the first quarters of 2017 and 2016, with the latter seeing Apple dominate with 40 percent of the market.

Brand share of mobile phone activations (via CIRP)

"Samsung has typically had the highest share, from 30 percent to 39 percent, depending on their product launch calendars," writes CIRP Partner and Co-Founder Mike Levin. "Apple share varied similarly, from 29 percent to 40 percent. The most notable trend has Motorola taking share from LG and threatening to take over third place in the smartphone market."

CIRP's data relates to percentage of market share by activations, so is not a direct indicator of how many iPhones Apple has shipped. The high rise in percentage from 2018 does however suggest Apple could see good financial results on April 30, though as Apple is a global company, it may not necessarily indicate success in other markets.

In the last financial results, while the main news was that China had negatively impacted revenues, the conference call to analysts revealed revenue in the United States in fact increased 5 percent year-on-year, bucking a downward trend shown by European, Japanese, and Chinese sales.

Mobile operating system market share (via CIRP)

In the battle between iOS and Android, CIRP's data calculated Android as making up 64 percent of all US device activations for the quarter, compared to iOS with 34 percent.

DAalseth

Is this across all models for Apple and Samsung? 
Samsung sells a number of very cheap phones that could be boosting their sales numbers. Apple on the other hand only sells mid range to expensive phones. Are we comparing Mercedes against Kia here?

jimh2

The shocking part of this article for me is that people still buy Motorola phones.

djames4242

jimh2 said:

The shocking part of this article for me is that people still buy Motorola phones.

My previous work phone was a Moto X and it was awful. Decent screen and ergonomics, but the battery (which was not user-replaceable) gave out after less than two years and, much like most Android devices, it received a singular major Android update before it became obsoleted. The replacement is a low-end Galaxy (J3). It feels like a cheap piece of crap and also received only one major update before becoming obsolete. Its battery life is excellent, however, and the battery is easy to replace.

Also, Android sucks. Putting widgets on the home screen is brilliant and I wish this were possible with iOS. However, in every other way it just feels like a cheap knockoff to me.

DAalseth

djames4242 said:

Also, Android sucks. Putting widgets on the home screen is brilliant and I wish this were possible with iOS. However, in every other way it just feels like a cheap knockoff to me.

That's why I avoid Android. I've used it on a couple of devices at work, and more recently I occasionally end up borrowing someone's Android phone. It's just mediocre at best. Like you said, some cool ideas, but very poorly executed.

sflocal

Well... it's about time that Samsung is getting some negative media time due to the flop that is their foldable phone.  It's nowhere near to the public-execution that people would demand of Apple, but it is nice to see finally.  Then again, Apple would never release a foldable iPhone as bad as Samsung did.

apple ][

Android is popular with financially challenged people and Android does well especially in third world countries, for obvious reasons.

I also have a theory for why so many Android devices get sold, besides many of them being dirt cheap. It's simple, they don't last that long and they need to be replaced much more often.

Buying an Android phone is like buying a pair of socks.

People use iOS devices for many, many years, while they still get the latest updates and their devices function well for a very long time. My mom still has an iPad 2 from 2011 that she uses to FaceTime with and it still works fine, though I might surprise her with a new iPad mini 5 sometime soon. Most Android phones are obsolete as soon as they are bought, and the clock is quickly ticking down until they need to be replaced with yet another cheap garbage Android phone.

The lifespan of iOS devices are much greater than the lifespans of an Android device. It's like comparing the lifespan of an average human living in 2019 compared to the lifespan of some dude living in the Middle Ages.

iOS devices lead much more productive and happy, meaningful lives. Android devices lead a miserable existence, and face a cruel and hasty death.

mark fearing

apple ][ said:

Android is popular with financially challenged people and Android does well especially in third world countries, for obvious reasons.

I also have a theory for why so many Android devices get sold. It's simple, they don't last that long and they need to be replaced much more often.

Buying an Android phone is like buying a pair of socks.

People use iOS devices for many, many years, while they still get the latest updates and their devices function well for a very long time. My mom still has an iPad 2 from 2011 that she uses to FaceTime with and it still works fine, though I might surprise her with a new iPad mini 5 sometime soon. Most Android phones are obsolete as soon as they are bought, and the clock is quickly ticking down until they need to be replaced with yet another cheap garbage Android phone.

The lifespan of iOS devices are much greater than the lifespans of an Android device. It's like comparing the lifespan of an average human living in 2019 compared to the lifespan of some dude living in the Middle Ages.

iOS devices lead much more productive and happy, meaningful lives. Android devices lead a miserable existence, and face a cruel and hasty death.

That is a HUGE issue we don't hear enough about. The waste (economics-wise, environmentally) of 'throw away' electronic devices.  And since you get an android phone almost for 'free' it has no value to anyone using it. And where and how do you service it? With Apple stores, there is a place to go with questions and help. Androids really are disposable. 

racerhomie3

jimh2 said:

The shocking part of this article for me is that people still buy Motorola phones.

I believe Motorola makes some pretty reliable cheap devices.

tht

racerhomie3 said:

jimh2 said:

The shocking part of this article for me is that people still buy Motorola phones.

I believe Motorola makes some pretty reliable cheap devices.

I’m curious if all those Moto phone sales are just Verizon sales. Moto has basically been a de facto Verizon phone OEM for a long time now.

flydog

Doesn't make any sense. According to the forums Apple's greed and lack of innovation is killing their sales.

1st

Does Mot phone including pixel?

lkrupp

flydog said:

Doesn't make any sense. According to the forums Apple's greed and lack of innovation is killing their sales.

Yeah, well, what does that tell you about tech blog forums? Tech blog forums are a conglomeration of anonymous posters with axes to grind, mostly negative axes against Apple in particular. Even after 40 years they can’t accept the fact that Apple exists, let alone is successful. The existence of Apple does something to their psyches, a sort of migraine headache of the id. 

StrangeDays

lkrupp said:

flydog said:

Doesn't make any sense. According to the forums Apple's greed and lack of innovation is killing their sales.

Yeah, well, what does that tell you about tech blog forums? Tech blog forums are a conglomeration of anonymous posters with axes to grind, mostly negative axes against Apple in particular. Even after 40 years they can’t accept the fact that Apple exists, let alone is successful. The existence of Apple does something to their psyches, a sort of migraine headache of the id. 

Yeah it's really bizarre. That Apple affects them in this way is bizarre enough, but that they go out of their way to hang around an Apple site to constantly and routinely tell people why other companies did it first, are more innovative, blah blah, is even more bizarre....at that point it's either a paycheck or an unhealthy condition. I'm not into sports, but I can't imagine going to some rival team's website to tell everybody how much they dislike their team. Nuts.

apple ][

StrangeDays said:I'm not into sports, but I can't imagine going to some rival team's website to tell everybody how much they dislike their team. Nuts.

I personally think that Android is complete garbage, and have always thought so since day one, but you will never find me on any Android forums, that sounds like a huge waste of time. I don't really care about Android or Android users or what they are discussing.

Apple haters who visit Apple forums have numerous issues, including but not limited to feelings of inferiority, insecurity, jealousy, etc.........

sflocal

apple ][ said:

Apple haters who visit Apple forums have numerous issues, including but not limited to feelings of inferiority, insecurity, jealousy, etc.........

 Surely compensating for how tiny their *cough* "love" for Apple is.

sirozha

apple ][ said:

Android is popular with financially challenged people and Android does well especially in third world countries, for obvious reasons.

I also have a theory for why so many Android devices get sold, besides many of them being dirt cheap. It's simple, they don't last that long and they need to be replaced much more often.

Buying an Android phone is like buying a pair of socks.

People use iOS devices for many, many years, while they still get the latest updates and their devices function well for a very long time. My mom still has an iPad 2 from 2011 that she uses to FaceTime with and it still works fine, though I might surprise her with a new iPad mini 5 sometime soon. Most Android phones are obsolete as soon as they are bought, and the clock is quickly ticking down until they need to be replaced with yet another cheap garbage Android phone.

The lifespan of iOS devices are much greater than the lifespans of an Android device. It's like comparing the lifespan of an average human living in 2019 compared to the lifespan of some dude living in the Middle Ages.

iOS devices lead much more productive and happy, meaningful lives. Android devices lead a miserable existence, and face a cruel and hasty death.

How many android devices have you owned?

coolfactor

apple ][ said:

Buying an Android phone is like buying a pair of socks.

What are you doing in your socks, man!??!  My socks last me WAY longer than my Dad's "trusty" Samsung... after Samsung.... after Samsung.... lasts him! Honestly, I keep telling him that Samsung sucks, but he doesn't listen. He thinks it's "good" because it's so "popular".

Your poor socks! 

hammeroftruth

sirozha said:

apple ][ said:

Android is popular with financially challenged people and Android does well especially in third world countries, for obvious reasons.

I also have a theory for why so many Android devices get sold, besides many of them being dirt cheap. It's simple, they don't last that long and they need to be replaced much more often.

Buying an Android phone is like buying a pair of socks.

People use iOS devices for many, many years, while they still get the latest updates and their devices function well for a very long time. My mom still has an iPad 2 from 2011 that she uses to FaceTime with and it still works fine, though I might surprise her with a new iPad mini 5 sometime soon. Most Android phones are obsolete as soon as they are bought, and the clock is quickly ticking down until they need to be replaced with yet another cheap garbage Android phone.

The lifespan of iOS devices are much greater than the lifespans of an Android device. It's like comparing the lifespan of an average human living in 2019 compared to the lifespan of some dude living in the Middle Ages.

iOS devices lead much more productive and happy, meaningful lives. Android devices lead a miserable existence, and face a cruel and hasty death.

How many android devices have you owned?

You don’t need to own one to understand and relate to that post. 

hammeroftruth

coolfactor said:

apple ][ said:

Buying an Android phone is like buying a pair of socks.

What are you doing in your socks, man!??!  My socks last me WAY longer than my Dad's "trusty" Samsung... after Samsung.... after Samsung.... lasts him! Honestly, I keep telling him that Samsung sucks, but he doesn't listen. He thinks it's "good" because it's so "popular".

Your poor socks! 

The point I’m getting is that unless you really shop well for socks, most of them are cheap in price, quality and not very durable. 

Same experience for most Android devices. 

Although you can fold your socks and not break them. 😂

radarthekat

apple ][ said:

Android is popular with financially challenged people and Android does well especially in third world countries, for obvious reasons.

I also have a theory for why so many Android devices get sold, besides many of them being dirt cheap. It's simple, they don't last that long and they need to be replaced much more often.

Buying an Android phone is like buying a pair of socks.

People use iOS devices for many, many years, while they still get the latest updates and their devices function well for a very long time. My mom still has an iPad 2 from 2011 that she uses to FaceTime with and it still works fine, though I might surprise her with a new iPad mini 5 sometime soon. Most Android phones are obsolete as soon as they are bought, and the clock is quickly ticking down until they need to be replaced with yet another cheap garbage Android phone.

The lifespan of iOS devices are much greater than the lifespans of an Android device. It's like comparing the lifespan of an average human living in 2019 compared to the lifespan of some dude living in the Middle Ages.

iOS devices lead much more productive and happy, meaningful lives. Android devices lead a miserable existence, and face a cruel and hasty death.

Here’s an idea for DED or Neil Cybart over at Above Avalon.  Create a chart showing the number of active iOS devices versus the number of active Android devices over the years.  Android, of course, is a multiple, but not a big multiple.  Maybe 2x, which is interesting to contrast against sales, for which Android is typically at least 4x iPhones.  This chart, contrasting active devices (installed base) against sales volumes, would show the steady increase in percentage of total active smartphones represented by iOS, as these last longer, outweighing the much bigger sales volume of Android. 

Then I’d like to see layered onto this chart the estimated total resale value of each installed base.  I’m betting years ago, with a much smaller iOS installed base, iOS’ installed base total resale value  surpassed the total resale value of the Android installed base.  And never looked back.  

If others truly read the AI comment section, then I would expect someone to tackle this intriguing comparison.