Thanks in part to the release of exciting new models like the iPhone XS and XS Max during the third quarter, Apple is still growing its market share in the US according to newly released data from Kantar Worldpanel.
The data points to strong sales right out of the gate thanks to the September release of the newest and most premium versions of Apple’s signature smartphone, which helped spur market share growth in Australia (up 3.8 percentage points), in China (up 1.3 percent points) and especially in its home market where strong iPhone 8 and 8 Plus sales are apparently helping that trend along.
From Kantar Worldpanel: “Healthy early sales of iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max models in the States are good news for Apple. Combined with the continued strong momentum we’re seeing among its iPhone 8 and 8 Plus, these sales have contributed to a 5.0 percentage point increase in OS share for Apple in the US — the biggest gain seen worldwide this quarter. iPhone 8 was the top selling model in the US over the quarter, with a 9.4% share of the handset market, and with iPhone XR launching outside this period we’d expect Apple share to tick up further towards the end of the year.”
As a reminder, iPhone XR sales began in the fourth quarter (last month), so we’ll see a look at how they’re affecting market share sometime in early 2019.
Meanwhile, a 9to5Mac post today paints a less-rosy market share picture for Apple in Europe, where the new Kantar Worldpanel data shows iPhone market share there dropping by 1.6 points across the top five markets and only growing in Germany by half a percentage point. “Kantar Worldpanel says this is due to fierce competition from Chinese brands, notably Huawei and Xiaomi.
“The picture is different in Europe, with competition remaining fierce among Android handset brands. European consumers are holding on to their handsets more than two months longer than they were in 2016 meaning the introduction of innovative new models is more important than ever. Huawei is one manufacturer making significant steps in the right direction – six months on from the launch of its P20 series it has consolidated its position as the second best-selling brand in Europe behind Samsung. Meanwhile, last month’s launch of its Mate 20 and Mate 20 Pro are further evidence of the investment Huawei is making in research and development meaning its strong performance is likely to continue into next year.”
