Recognition: Oliver Cragg / Android Authority
- Samsung reportedly beat Apple to first place in the US.
- This is apparently the first time since Q2 2017 that Samsung has beaten Apple.
Samsung is the world’s leading smartphone manufacturer and regained its place in the third quarter of 2020 after briefly losing to Huawei in the previous quarter. Now it looks like the third quarter brought even more good news for the Korean brand.
Strategy Analytics reports (h / t: Korea Herald) that Samsung beat Apple to first place in the US market in the third quarter of 2020. This is reportedly the first time Samsung has managed to beat the iPhone maker since Q2 2017.
The report found that Samsung had a 33.7% market share in the US during that period, compared to 30.2% for Apple and 14.7% for third-placed LG. Samsung’s budget phones are believed to be responsible for the growth, although devices like the Galaxy Note 20 series and the Galaxy Z Fold 2 apparently also played a role.
It’s also worth noting that the iPhone 12 series wasn’t released in the third quarter of 2020, which further benefits Samsung. We still expect a closer race in the fourth quarter of 2020 when iPhone 12 sales are factored in.
Samsung also plans to take advantage of Huawei’s struggles by launching the Galaxy S30 series in January, according to multiple outlets and spills. So all eyes will be on the first quarter 2021 reports to see if an earlier launch window helps the Korean brand.
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