Mike Wuerthele
New data suggests that Apple marketshare took a very slight hit in a three month period ending in October in the U.S., because users put off purchasing phones while waiting for the iPhone X.
According to Kantar Worldpanel ComTech on Tuesday, customers holding off on purchases caused a 7.6 percent drop in mobile sales in October when compared to Oct. 2016. Android manufacturers saw a 8.2 percent increase, also fueled by the continuing decline of Windows mobile.
The data set claims that in those three months, Android held 66.2 percent of the U.S. sold smartphones, with Apple holding 32.9 percent. In 2016, Android held 58 percent, with Apple claiming 40.6 percent.
It is a different story in China, though. Apple sales increased in October by 0.5 percent year-over year, with Android falling by the same amount.
"It was somewhat inevitable that Apple would see volume share fall once we had a full comparative month of sales taking into account the non-flagship iPhone 8 vs. the flagship iPhone 7 from 2016," said Kantar Worldpanel's Global Business Unit Director Dominic Sunnebo. "Considering the complete overhaul that the iPhone X offers, consumers may be postponing their purchase decisions until they can test the iPhone X and decide whether the higher price, compared to the iPhone 8, is worth the premium to them."
Kantar Worldpanel also noted that most of the homegrown Chinese brands like Meizu, Coolpad, ZTE, and Lenovo were declining, and the decent was feeding Apple and Xiaomi. Also feeding the pair is Samsung, with data showing a continuing decline to 2.2 percent of the Chinese marketplace.
The data for the study was gleaned by tracking mobile phone user's behavior, including purchases, bills, airtime, source of purchase, and active usage.
AppleInsider Staff
Malcolm Owen
Oliver Haslam
Andrew O'Hara
Wesley Hilliard
William Gallagher
Christine McKee
10 Comments
But I keep being told that Apple leaks news about upcoming products (despite how that will hinder sales of the current devices) and that they artificially limit supply in order to drive up demand (despite demand already far outstripping supply for their flagship product segment). It's almost as if the Osborne Effect and not selling product is bad for the bottom line. #NobodyKnew
And? Who gives a shit. Apple thankfully doesn't obsess about monthly marketshare or make decisions that benefit them over the very short term only. They look at the big picture, and what will help them in 3, 5, and 10 years.
I’m surprised the drop without iPhone X was not bigger. The next report I suspect is going to show huge gains
It’s okay now for Kantar to put Windows into the ‘Other’ category. Microsoft should be embarrassed how they completely blew mobile. Yet has PE of 28 — 45% above Apple. Something here is gonna give
More fake news and made up numbers to tell a story to change market behavior, No different than the fake new Ross told and drove the market down 300 points. I hope investors sue Ross and ABC for what they did to the market, then investors should also sue these analysis since they can not back up their numbers. If these people have to pay out of their pocket for the word they utter with no regard of the outcome then maybe we will get the real facts.