Apple’s smartphone sales grew 1.3% year-over-year in the United States during the first quarter of 2026, according to data shared by Search for counterpoint. Apple saw its sales increase while the U.S. smartphone market as a whole saw a 5.7% decline during the same period.
Android device sales declined 14.4 percent, while Apple’s market share increased 4 percent year-over-year. The iPhone 17’s performance is part of the reason Apple outperformed the market, but Counterpoint says the company was also helped by the subsequent launch of Samsung’s Galaxy S26 series in March.
Apple’s market share increased among the three major US carriers, while Android saw a decline. The iPhone accounted for 75% of sales at Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile, while Android devices accounted for 25%.
Counterpoint expects Apple to continue attracting users to iOS because it held down prices with the iPhone 17e and even increased storage, while smartphone makers with thinner hardware margins had to raise prices.
If Apple can avoid significant price increases and continue to outpace its peers in promotional dollars, it will be difficult for Android manufacturers to keep pace in the coming year.
During Apple’s April 30 earnings call, CEO Tim Cook said the iPhone 17 family was the most popular line in Apple history. Cook said information from IDC indicated that Apple gained market share during the quarter.
Cook also said iPhone demand was off the charts, leading to supply constraints during the quarter. Apple had difficulty obtaining the A19 and A19 Pro chips made by TSMC due to demand for TSMC’s AI server chips.
According to Cook, memory shortages and rising costs will have a greater impact on Apple later in 2026. Apple expects “significantly higher” memory costs and plans to examine a “range of options” to mitigate them. Cook declined to provide insight into how Apple plans to resolve the issue, and he did not say whether Apple would raise prices.
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