Apple passes Android in US smartphone market in Q4

News Wireless United States 4 FEB 2015
Apple passes Android in US smartphone market in Q4
The launch of the iPhone 6 helped Apple overtake Android in the fourth quarter of 2014 for the first time since 2012, according Kantar Worldpanel. Apple took 47.7 percent of smartphone sales in the three months, whereas Android smartphones accounted for 47.6 percent. Windows' share fell to 3.8 percent from 4.2 percent a year earlier. 

The market researcher estimates that 12 percent of iPhone buyers during Q4 2014 were former Android users. iPhones are also attracting first-time smartphone buyers as 27.7 percent of iPhone sales in Q4 went to previous feature phone owners. From a channel perspective, Apple sales went through AT&T (25%), Verizon (21.6%) and Apple's own retail stores (13%).

Throughout the holiday quarter, the iPhone 6 was the best-selling smartphone in the US and was also the most popular smartphone to give as a gift. Samsung retained its number two spot in the vendor chart with the Galaxy S5 which was the second best-selling smartphone.

The research also shows a growing shift towards monthly installment plans to buy phones, separate from service plans. In Q4, 31 percent of US consumers were on such a plan, compared to 16 percent in the year-earlier period. 

Categories:

Mobile

Companies:

Apple,  Samsung,  Verizon

Countries:

United States

Tags:

Handsets, Market research

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