The iPhone X may not have helped Apple shatter any quarterly sales records, but it’s still performing incredibly well in the market place. As Tim Cook noted during Apple’s recent earnings conference call, Apple’s flagship iPhone has been the best-selling iPhone model every single week since the device first hit store shelves this past November. All in all, the success Apple has enjoyed with the iPhone X is even more impressive given the device’s rather hefty $999 entry price.
In light of that, a new report from Counterpoint Research reveals that Apple during the first quarter of 2018 saw iPhone sales in the United States jump by 16%. In stark contrast, overall smartphone sales in the U.S. fell by 11%. The takeaway here is significant: even in a market where smartphone sales are slumping, Apple still manages to see an uptick in year-over-year iPhone sales.
Maurice Klaehne of Counterpoint Research adds:
Apple shipped a record 16 million iPhones for the first time ever in a Q1 in the US. This is a 16% YoY increase, with the OEM showing continued success in taking share away from Samsung in the premium market space. It now commands 80% of the +$800 price band. Samsung’s sales declined 4% YoY which indicate weaker sell-through of their premium Galaxy models. Overall, Apple’s super-premium segment ($800 and above) accounted for 20% of US total sales during Q1. Samsung contributed 8%. The $800 and above price segment grew to 28%, an additional 3% share, over what we reported during Q4 2017. Google Pixel 2 models are solid sellers when on promo within Verizon. Sales dip considerably when off promo. Volumes would be much higher if the Pixel was offered within carrier retail channels outside of Verizon.
As to the top-selling smartphones in the United States, Counterpoint found that Apple’s iPhone 8 took the top spot with the company’s two iPhone X variants taking up the second and third sports. If this sales data is indeed accurate, it would indicate that demand for the pricier iPhone X is greater in overseas markets than it is in the United States. Still, it’s a win-win for Apple as various iPhone models occupy 6 of the 10 spots on Counterpoint’s list of the top ten best-selling smartphones in the U.S. last quarter. As a point of interest, Samsung’s Galaxy S8 takes up the fifth spot, trailing both of Apple’s iPhone 8 and iPhone X models.
