Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Mobile

Apple’s iPhone 6 and 6 Plus going strong in US, stealing Samsung’s thunder in South Korea

By

Apple iPhone 6 iPhone 6 Plus
According to a new report, Apple’s smartphones accounted for half of all smartphone activations in the U.S. in the quarter ending Dec. 31, 2014. This is yet another sign pointing to Apple’s iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus taking center stage when the company announces its Q1 FY15 earnings next week on Jan. 27.

In Q4 2014, Apple’s phones had 50 percent of all smartphone activations in the U.S., according to research firm Consumer Intelligence Research Partners LLC (CIRP). It’s no surprise that the company’s new flagship phones drove that impressive number up from 28 percent in Q3 2014.

Recommended Videos

“The strength of the September 2014 launch of the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus fueled Apple’s dominance in U.S. mobile phone sales this quarter,” according to Josh Lowitz, partner and co-founder of CIRP. “

Related

Samsung finished Q4 2014 in second place with 26 percent of U.S. phone activations, while LG had 11 percent. Motorola (4 percent), HTC (2 percent) and Nokia (2 percent) trailed far behind.

“The Amazon Fire and Blackberry smartphones registered slight share, which we attribute to random sample fluctuation as much as actual sales,” said Lowitz.

The CIRP report also notes that 86 percent of Apple customers upgraded from an older iPhone after the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus were launched. “Samsung and LG saw far lower loyalty rates, with 25 percent of Samsung owners and 18 percent of LG owners who activated a phone in the quarter switching to an iPhone,” according to Lowitz.

A separate report from IT research and advisory firm 451 Research found that 56 percent of respondents to a December survey said they plan to purchase an iPhone in the next 90 days.

Apple also appears to be making strong headway in Samsung’s home turf: Technology market research company Counterpoint Research reports that Apple’s market share in South Korea more than doubled to 33 percent in November, thanks to the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Jason Hahn
Jason Hahn
Contributor
Jason Hahn is a part-time freelance writer based in New Jersey. He earned his master's degree in journalism at Northwestern…
How to fast charge your iPhone
iPhone 12 Mini with charger

While they may not be some of the longest-lasting smartphones on the market, modern iPhones boast more than respectable battery life that should be able to get you through an entire day's use without breaking too much of a sweat. Of course, that assumes a lot of things — including a battery that's still relatively new and in good health, plus a usage pattern that doesn't include all-day streaming or gaming.

If you fall into either (or both) of these categories, then overnight charging isn't going to cut it, and you'll want to get your battery topped up again as quickly as you can so you can get back on the road. Thankfully, every iPhone released in the past six years supports much faster charging, but the downside is that with very few exceptions, Apple has never supplied you with the right adapter to get the best possible charging speeds from your iPhone.

Read more
These are the only 2 reasons I’m excited for the iPhone 15 Pro
The App Library on the iPhone 14 Pro.

It’s peak summer right now, though fall is just around the corner with back-to-school season on the horizon. With that also comes Apple’s annual iPhone event.

This year, we are definitely expecting the iPhone 15 lineup, as well as Apple Watch Series 9, and maybe a new Apple Watch Ultra. The rumors for the iPhone 15 series have been going strong for months, though there has also been a lot of back-and-forth too, mostly relating to the iPhone 15 Pro models.

Read more
Apple may face ‘severe’ iPhone 15 shortage over production issue, report says
The Apple logo on the iPhone 14 Pro Max.

Hoping to get your hands on an iPhone 15 Pro or iPhone 15 Pro Max when the new phones come out in the fall? Well, you may be in for a wait.

Apple is experiencing production issues caused by a new manufacturing process designed to significantly reduce the size of the bezel around the display, according to a report from The Information on Thursday.

Read more