How strong is the Apple iPhone brand? Well, the latest figures show that even in a shrinking smartphone market, Apple iPhones have refused to yield space in the US and, in fact, have actually been able to generate respectable growth, according to Counterpoint Research data. Having said that, Google Pixel has been able to hold onto its share of the market pie. The other biggie in the equation, Samsung Galaxy with its S series phones, has suffered mostly due to the delay in launching its latest premium smartphone, Samsung Galaxy S26.
iPhone sales in the first quarter (Q1) of 2026, had risen by 1.3% year-over-year (YoY). This growth has come against the backdrop of the smartphone market dropping by as much as 5.7% overall, Counterpoint data shows. The end result indicated an even bigger gain. Its dominance was highlighted by the fact that its sales went up by 4% while that of Android’s fell in excess of 14%. What caused this surge in iPhone sales? Counterpoint attributes this in part to the Samsung Galaxy S26 series' launch delay to March, 2026. Apple took full advantage and the vacuum created by Samsung was very well filled by the iPhone 17 series. In fact, Apple's success has largely been driven by the current iPhone series.
Counterpoint pointed it out, "The premium smartphone space in the US is highly consolidated compared to some other markets, with Apple, Google, Samsung and, to some extent, Motorola comprising the vast majority of sales here. When one brand delays a flagship launch, it opens a window of opportunity to fill that vacuum. Apple did just that."
When it comes to iPhones, Counterpoint also revealed some more figures that showed how much of a dominating figure Apple is. iPhone sales for Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile, the three biggest US cellular carriers, made up 75% of phone sales in Q1 2026, Same period, last year it was 72%.
Counterpoint has also pointed out that Apple may well see its sales surge further as it has been able to maintain its pricing strategy. The smartphone maker has kept the iPhone 17e pricing consistent even as it increased the entry-level storage to 256GB. On the other hand, rivals had to roll out price hikes, damaging their sales. This strategy is proving effective and Apple hopes to see more users join its iOS ecosystem in 2027.