Apple’s iPhone Completely Dominated the U.S. Market Throughout 2021

The iPhone lineup continued to reign supreme in the U.S. market for 2021, and Apple is expected to continue this winning trend by introducing more options later this year.

More Than One out of Two Smartphones Sold in the U.S. in 2021 Was an iPhone

The fourth quarter of 2021 was the best for Apple, according to Counterpoint Research, as the report states the company accumulated a 56 percent market share. On average, the Cupertino tech giant had a 52.75 percent market share in the U.S., meaning one out of every two smartphones sold in the region was an iPhone, which is impressive. Samsung’s best performance of the year was in Q3, when it amassed a 34 percent market share.

This is also the period where Apple had the lowest market share at 47 percent. Unfortunately for Samsung, the Korean tech behemoth could not replicate the same success it had in the third quarter of 2021, as its share dropped to 22 percent in Q4. This was likely due to Apple launching the iPhone 13 series, and it was the first time in history that the ‘Pro’ versions shipped with a 120Hz LTPO OLED ProMotion panel, which was probably a huge selling point for customers.

This year, Apple is said to be done with ‘mini’ versions of iPhones and reportedly plans to unveil four iPhone 14 models, all with bigger displays. Two are said to feature a 6.1-inch display, while the remaining two are rumored to ship with a 6.7-inch screen. Two versions will belong in the premium sector, while the other two will directly succeed the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini. Apple is also said to introduce the low-cost iPhone SE 5G, which will retain the same exterior as the 2020 iPhone SE, but sport better hardware, including 5G support.

This strategy will likely help Apple maintain a strong foothold in the U.S. market, but Samsung’s Galaxy S22 series has so far garnered a fair degree of popularity, so the tide may turn in the future. We will revisit how Apple and Samsung fared in the U.S. smartphone market for 2022, but for now, check out some highlights listed below by Counterpoint Research.

“Smartphone shipments grew 10% YoY and 30% QoQ in Q4 2021 as the new Apple iPhone 13 launched, filling channels with its latest premium devices for the holiday season.

In the premium segment, although Apple grew 67% QoQ due to the new launch, Samsung declined -11% QoQ as it could not replenish its S21 series fast enough which also resulted in a decline in market share, down to 22%.

Lenovo (Motorola) once again grew to 12% market share with the help of devices such as the Moto G Pure, which is the first major MediaTek device for the OEM in the US market.”