Samsung has overtaken Apple in the US for the first time since 2017
Samsung dominates the smartphone market on an international level, but in the United States it has been relegated to second place behind Apple for several years. Last quarter, that all changed.
For the first time since 2017, Samsung is the most popular in the US
The last time Samsung took the top spot in the US was Q2 2017. At the time, the brand was selling millions of Galaxy S8 units and the world was waiting patiently for its first look at the iPhone X.
Per the report, Samsung achieved a market share of 33.7% in the US between July and September. That was mainly down to strong demand for recent Galaxy A-series devices such as the Galaxy A51 5G and Galaxy A71 5G.
The foldable Galaxy Z Fold 2 and premium Galaxy Note 20 series contributed too, albeit in smaller numbers – Samsung recently cut production of the Galaxy Note 20 & Note 20 Ultra due to weaker than expected demand.
The delayed iPhone 12 launch had an impact on Apple
In addition to demand for its own smartphones, there is one other reason Samsung was able to overtake arch-rival Apple. As many of you will know by now, the annual iPhone launch was pushed back until October, which dramatically impacted iPhone demand in September.
Apple is said to have accounted for 30.2% of US smartphone sales last quarters. Looking to the future, the brand will no doubt take the lead in the current holiday season thanks to the iPhone 12 series which is apparently selling better than expected.
An additional boost to iPhone demand is expected as soon as this Friday. After releasing the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro last month, Apple is gearing up to launch the highly anticipated iPhone 12 mini and iPhone 12 Pro Max, which start at $699 and $1,099 respectively.
LG accounted for almost 15% of US sales
Rounding out the top 3 last quarter was LG with almost 15% of US smartphone sales – 14.7% to be precise. The brand has found success in recent times thanks to its updated budget and mid-range product lineup.
After years of struggles, it also seems to have created a formula that works for itself in the premium smartphone segment. The LG Velvet has performed considerably better than previous-gen flagships like the LG G8X ThinQ and LG V60 ThinQ.
The unique LG Wing and the upcoming rollable device, which may be marketed as the LG Slide or LG Rollable, have garnered a lot of attention too and prove LG still knows how to innovate and push the boundaries in an increasingly monotonous industry.
Could Samsung overtake Apple again in Q1 2021?
In terms of what can be expected next year, Strategy Analytics believes there will be a close fight between Samsung and Apple. The former is planning to release its next-gen Galaxy S21 series over a month earlier than usual, therefore giving the iPhone 12 series a run for its money very early on.
Whether the impact is big enough to push Apple back down to second place in the US next quarter will remain to be seen. But one thing's for sure – Samsung will continue in first place on a global level and it may even extend its lead as Huawei continues to tumble outside of China.
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