Samsung rivaling HTC, Motorola to take second place among US carriers' after iPhone 4S
While Apple's iPhone 4S remains the top selling smartphone across every US carrier that offers it, Samsung is working hard to expand sales and oust its Android rivals from second place.
Across the past four months, Samsung's Galaxy S II has established itself as the second most popular model at AT&T and Sprint, and the most popular phone at T-Mobile, which does not carry Apple's iPhone line.
At Verizon, the company's Galaxy Nexus, cobranded by Google, was ousted for second place by Motorola's cheaper RAZR/RAZR Maxx. HTC took the runner up spots on T-Mobile, while Nokia's Windows Phone 7 Lumia 710 model briefly appeared as T-Mobile's third favorite in January and February. It has since fallen out of the top three at that carrier, replace by the Galaxy S Blaze.
In a note obtained by AppleInsider, Canaccord Genuity technology analyst Michael Walkley wrote, "we believe iPhones are outselling all other smartphones combined at Sprint and AT&T and selling at roughly equal volume to all Android smartphones at Verizon," adding that Apple and Samsung "continued to consolidate share with sales rebounding after a slow start to 2012."
Walkley wrote, "our global checks also indicated another quarter of strong market share gains for Samsung, particularly in Europe and Asia. In fact, we believe Samsung’s strong smartphone portfolio across all price tiers will result in Samsung’s smartphone shipments increasing a remarkable 15%-plus sequentially during the seasonally weak March quarter.”
Samsung’s broad range of SKUs and price points "has resulted in share gains within the growing pre-paid smartphone market," the analyst said, noting that in the first quarter, Samsung shipped an estimated 28.2 percent of all smartphones while Apple's iPhone made up 22.4 percent of sales.
[ View article on AppleInsider ]
Comments
At least Samsung is trying to follow Apple's business model as closely as possible - the unfortunate consequence of which is that they can't help but copy nearly everything - from phone design, right down to the packaging and even TV ads.
But whatever. Android is a godawful mess anyway.
Very impressive, their latest, greatest phone managed to displace Apple's 2 year old iPhone 4 and 3 year old iPhone 3GS from the second and third spots.
So much for buyers going with Android only 'cause they're cheap.
Very impressive, their latest, greatest phone managed to displace Apple's 2 year old iPhone 4 and 3 year old iPhone 3GS from the second and third spots.
I do think the Samsung Galaxy Note being the 3rd most popular device on AT&T in March 2012 is impressive. That device has legs much in the same way Apple's iPhone has shown to increase in unit sales in subsequent quarters. It's hard to imagine that people put that 5" device up to their head for a phone call, but perhaps they are using it with headphones or a BT earpiece.
Maybe there is a very real market for a 5" device after all, the Dell Streak not withstanding.
So much for buyers going with Android only 'cause they're cheap.
The S2 is the same price as the iPhone 4 on AT&T....
So much for buyers going with Android only 'cause they're cheap.
This doesn't prove that they aren't. It just proves that they aren't in the US on the major carriers for particular models. If we say that does prove it then it would also prove that the iPhone 4S sells more than all Android phones... but we know that isn't even close to being true.
We know that Android OS is sold on an unfathomable number of devices worldwide and that most of them are cheap. We know that the US has plenty of MVNOs that sell a lot of cheap Android-based devices because they can't get deal with vendors for the premium models. We also know that MNOs have many more models of the cheap devices than they do of the flagship devices. Do those free with contract devices add up to more units than the $199+ devices?
So much for buyers going with Android only 'cause they're cheap.
SOME Android phones were cheap. That doesn't mean that they all are (nor did anyone ever make that claim AFAIK). In fact, some Android phones cost more than the iPhone.
Sadly, some Android purchasers used upgradeability as their justification. Let's see how that works out:
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/04/02/sony_ics/
SOME Android phones were cheap. That doesn't mean that they all are (nor did anyone ever make that claim AFAIK). In fact, some Android phones cost more than the iPhone.
Sadly, some Android purchasers used upgradeability as their justification. Let's see how that works out:
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/04/02/sony_ics/
I paid $49 more for my Gallaxy S2 LTE than I would have for an iPhone 4S. Worth every extra penny.
This doesn't prove that they aren't. It just proves that they aren't in the US on the major carriers for particular models. If we say that does prove it then it would also prove that the iPhone 4S sells more than all Android phones... but we know that isn't even close to being true.
We know that Android OS is sold on an unfathomable number of devices worldwide and that most of them are cheap. We know that the US has plenty of MVNOs that sell a lot of cheap Android-based devices because they can't get deal with vendors for the premium models. We also know that MNOs have many more models of the cheap devices than they do of the flagship devices. Do those free with contract devices add up to more units than the $199+ devices?
I kinda got lost in everything there, but the point I was trying to get across is the best selling Android phones according to this article are also among the most expensive. The S2 is hardly a new phone either having launched in the Spring last year. Not Apple-like desirability, but not too shabby either for a pretender.
The S2 is hardly a new phone either having launched in the Spring last year. Not Apple-like desirability, but not too shabby either for a pretender.
You have to go by the release date for the carrier. Assuming the S II reference doesn't mean or include the Skyrocket version then the release date was October 2011, 2 weeks before the 4S hit shelves.
So much for buyers going with Android only 'cause they're cheap.
How cheap is the Galaxy SII?
Just asking.
Oh I see Hellacool has already answered that question. So don't bother.
You have to go by the release date for the carrier.
Why? Does that mean it's a newer design?
Just kidding Solip, no need to answer. It's still an older model no matter if it's "newer" to ATT. We both get a point.
So much for buyers going with Android only 'cause they're cheap.
One or two Android models are top sellers.... but don't forget all those other cheaper phones that make up the rest of the Android lineup.
Do you think every one of those 850,000 Android activations a day worldwide are premium phones?
No.
It's hard to imagine that people put that 5" device up to their head for a phone call, but perhaps they are using it with headphones or a BT earpiece.
Maybe there is a very real market for a 5" device after all, the Dell Streak not withstanding.
I saw one at BestBuy and started laughing at the thought of using it as a phone, but then...
When the iPhone came out it felt like a large flat thing - not at all like a phone, so to a degree it is cultural. I also think a lot of people use their devices differently. The phone element is just one of many features and often not the one most used. The size of the screen is nice and the device does slip into your pocket, not necessarily the front pocket of your jeans, but it is definitely a pocket device. So yeah... I think there is a market for a 5" device and I think it will only grow.
Samsung's Galaxy S II is as close to a iPhone as a person can get without actually owning one. A phone without the ecosystem is just a phone.
Android has an ecosystem... but I guess that's like saying that a swamp has land. Technically true, but most don't seek to live there.
I paid $49 more for my Gallaxy S2 LTE than I would have for an iPhone 4S. Worth every extra penny.
Barnam proved right once again.
Maybe there is a very real market for a 5" device after all, the Dell Streak not withstanding.
Fat people like the 5" phone because it makes them look thin in comparison.
Android has an ecosystem... but I guess that's like saying that a swamp has land. Technically true, but most don't seek to live there.
Do you think people buy Android phones hoping for Renaissance-era Venice instead of the more realistic immediately post-Hurricane Katrina New Orleans?
One or two Android models are top sellers.... but don't forget all those other cheaper phones that make up the rest of the Android lineup.
Do you think every one of those 850,000 Android activations a day worldwide are premium phones?
No.
Why would I or anyone else think that. It's a silly idea. Is every iPhone sold a 4S? Of course not.