New data from Kantar Worldpanel ComTech shows that Apple has been pushed out of the number 1 spot by Samsung. This is as per the new rankings for total sales in the US.
The market research firm reports —
Samsung regained the top sales spot in the USA in the three-month period ending in May 2017, with market share rising to 36.2% from 32.9% during the previous period, […] with Apple holding a 34.0% share, up 4.7 percentage points from a year earlier.
This, according to most market analysts was as expected. Samsung had launched its flagship Galaxy S8 and the sales were predicted to overtake Apple in this quarter, as Apple doesn’t launch its flagship until the next quarter.
However, the results were below par, according to some. For example, it was expected that the S8 would top the charts — if only for a brief time. But the data show that Apple’s iPhones continued to be the most sold phones even after the launch of S8.
The Galaxy S8 launch helped Samsung regain the top position in the USA, but the bounce from the flagship launch was less than would be expected from a full product redesign.
What’s even more surprising is that the last year’s flagship from Samsung — the Galaxy S7 — outsold the newer, much-improved S8. Both of them, however, trailed behind iPhone 7 and 7Plus.
iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus occupy the top two spots, with the Samsung Galaxy S7 in third place, just ahead of the Samsung Galaxy S8 in the number four spot.
We can say with much confidence — and the analysts will back us up here — that these rankings are only temporary. The moment Apple launches the new iPhone this September, these rankings are all going to fly out the window. Because on the day of its launch, and for nearly a month afterwards, the new iPhone remains untouchable. Apple has done it year after year after year. There’s no reason to doubt why it will not be able to do the same this time around as well.
Here’s KANTAR’s full report, with smartphone sales from other international markets included —