Apple’s streak ends as Samsung seizes U.S. smartphone crown for March

By Robert Nazarian May 5, 2016

Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge — Andy Boxall/Digital Trends

Apple wasn’t kidding when it warned of slower iPhone sales. The Cupertino, California, company had a nice run in which it led smartphone market share in the U.S. for 11 straight months, but all that changed in March.

According to Counterpoint Research, based in Hong Kong, Samsung dethroned Apple for the top spot in March with a 28.8 percent market share. Apple took second place with 23 percent.

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Samsung’s success was mostly due to the early March launches of the Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge. Major phone launches usually drive sales right away, but it appears Samsung is off to an even better start this year. Last year, when the Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge were released in April 2015, Samsung couldn’t even muster the top spot for that month.

Counterpoint also reported that this year’s Galaxy phones are enjoying a 30 percent spike over last year. Analysts are also embracing Samsung. Couple that with Apple’s warnings of slowed iPhone growth, and Samsung could be in for a nice ride.

But don’t count your chickens before they hatch because Apple’s iPhone SE didn’t become available until the end of March. It might not be a blockbuster phone for Apple, but the company did say that sales were higher than expected.

Let’s not forget LG Electronics, which came in third during the month of March with a 17.1 percent market share. Its G5 flagship phone wasn’t released until early April.

Does Samsung have the muscle to stay on top until the iPhone 7 is released?

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Robert Nazarian

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Robert Nazarian became a technology enthusiast when his parents bought him a Radio Shack TRS-80 Color. Now his biggest…

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