Between January and March 2025, Apple did not officially reclaim the title of the world’s number one smartphone vendor, but it certainly dominated the crucial US market. According to Counterpoint Research’s latest estimates on actual sales, Apple significantly outperformed its main competitor, Samsung, further cementing its already substantial lead in the region.
The report revealed notable trends in the industry, particularly regarding fluctuations in the premium and budget smartphone segments. While we lack specific data comparing Samsung’s latest flagship models, the Galaxy S25 family, with Apple’s latest affordable offering, the iPhone 16e, it appears that the latter has exceeded expectations.
Conversely, the Galaxy S25 trio has not performed well, falling short compared to last year’s sales figures. This decline reveals a drop in demand for premium smartphones and Android devices overall, presenting a challenging picture for many competitors.
Interestingly, despite a year-on-year decline in premium smartphone sales, Apple saw its market share rise among the top three US carriers, reaching 72 percent from the previous 70 percent. This is somewhat contradictory, as overall sales numbers for the company were down.
On the other hand, Motorola has made impressive gains within the under $300 price range, recording a 13 percent increase in sales mainly due to the timely release of new Moto G models. AT&T also outperformed both Verizon and T-Mobile with a 5 percent increase in smartphone sales, while Verizon experienced a decline of 6 percent.
Looking ahead, uncertainty in the political landscape complicates predictions for the US smartphone market. Nonetheless, major players like Apple and Samsung have stockpiled devices to buffer against potential tariff fluctuations, suggesting stable pricing strategies for the immediate future.