Some widely-covered research from Counterpoint analyst Neil Shah seemingly showed us that despite Android’s global dominance, Apple is still the top-selling smartphone vendor in the United States by a sizable margin, thanks to its popular iPhone lineup. An equally or possibly even more interesting point was lost in much of the reporting that covered the research, however: T-Mobile soared past Sprint in the first quarter this year to become the nation’s No. 3 carrier in terms of smartphone sales.
As noted by FierceWireless, T-Mobile is now close behind AT&T where smartphone sales are concerned, and it has blown past Sprint.
“T-Mobile (with MetroPCS) is now the third largest smartphone carrier in terms of smartphone volumes buyer closely behind AT&T overtaking Sprint platform (with all MVNOs),” Shah wrote. “[The] Uncarrier strategy is surely working for the carrier attracting a wave of new smartphone subscribers.”
T-Mobile said in its first-quarter earnings report that it sold 6.9 million smartphones last quarter. Meanwhile, Sprint said it sold 5 million smartphones in Q1. AT&T did not disclose smartphone sales figures, but Shah believes T-Mobile is now nipping at its heels.
