Apple and Samsung produce the most popular smartphones
Apple and Samsung are the market leaders in the U.S. smartphone market. Together the two manufacturers account for almost 80 percent of smartphone unit sales in the country. Apple’s iPhone is the most popular smartphone with U.S. American consumers, with 51 percent of subscribers using an Apple device as of January 2022.The strong market position of both Apple and Samsung in the United States is also reflected in customer satisfaction indexes. The 24 smartphone models with the highest customer satisfaction in the United States are all Samsung Galaxy or Apple iPhone models.
5G set to drive the smartphone market
5G capabilities are now a standard feature of flagship smartphones, with 5G-capable smartphones accounting for 57 percent of all smartphone sales in the first quarter of 2021. This growth is only likely to increase in coming years, with several 5G capable phones and foldable smartphones set to be released, including at the low budget devices in the market.Samsung established an early lead in the 5G smartphone market in the United States, accounting for around 75 percent of 5G smartphones sold in 2019.
The launch of the 5G-capable iPhone 12 points to the demand for 5G products in the marketplace. The iPhone 12 launch helped propel Apple’s market share from 40 percent in the third quarter of 2020 to 65 percent in the fourth quarter of 2020, eating into Samsung’s 5G lead. In a survey conducted prior to the release of the iPhone 12, 79 percent of respondents said 5G capability was an important factor they considered when deciding to upgrade their device.
