The latest report by Counterpoint reveals that the US smartphone market saw a 5% year-over-year increase in sales in July, primarily driven by Samsung and Motorola. In contrast, Apple’s sales declined due to lower upgrade rates, although the iPhone 15 Pro experienced strong sales.
The research director noted that despite the overall decline in shipments, the high-value and high-profit iPhone 15 Pro units saw double-digit growth. This shift towards Pro models has been a continuous trend and a key focus as we head into September’s product launches and earnings season.
Samsung was a major driver of market growth, with its budget-friendly Galaxy A15 5G accounting for nearly one-third of its sales. Additionally, early releases of its foldable devices, the Galaxy Z Flip 6 and Galaxy Z Fold 6, contributed to higher sales.
Motorola benefited from the prepaid integration of various brands across channels, with Verizon, T-Mobile, and AT&T reducing the number of brands in their portfolios. The best-selling Moto G Play gained market share from white-label and other suppliers. Attractive device subsidies, such as the $1 down payment promotion for the Razr 2024, also helped Motorola dominate in retailers like Cricket.
Promotional activities slowed down during the summer, apart from the launch of new Pixel phones. The director added that summer months are typically the weakest, but it’s reassuring to see a year-over-year sales increase. As AI smartphones spark significant interest, the focus will shift back to the high-end market as we approach the busy year-end period.
