Apple, propelled by its wildly popular lineup of iOS devices, became the largest mobile phone vendor in the United States during the fourth quarter of 2012, capturing a record 34% market share.
According to Strategy Analytics, mobile phone shipments grew 4% annually to reach 52 million units in the US during Q4 2012. Unsurprisingly, the increase can be attributed to robust demand among consumers for 4G smartphones and 3G feature phones.
However, despite a solid fourth-quarter performance, the US mobile phone market had previously contracted 16 percent for the first three quarters of 2012 due to economic uncertainty and tighter carrier upgrade policies. As a result, US mobile phone shipments fell 11 percent from 186.8 million units in 2011 to 166.9 million in 2012.
“We estimate Apple shipped 17.7 million mobile phones for a record 34 percent share of the United States market in the fourth quarter of 2012. This was up sharply from 12.8 million units shipped and 25 percent share in Q4 2011,” a Strategy Analytics rep explained.
“[As such], Apple has become the number one mobile phone vendor by volume in the US for the first time ever, [with] success driven by its popular ecosystem of iPhones and App Store, generous carrier subsidies, and extensive marketing around the new iPhone 5 model.”
Meanwhile, rival Samsung shipped 16.8 million mobile phones in the United States, for 32% share, during Q4 2012.
“This was a good performance from Samsung, as its market share rose 5 points from 27 percent a year earlier, but it was not enough to hold off a surging Apple,” noted the rep.
Indeed, Samsung had been the number one mobile phone vendor in the US since 2008, and it will surely be eager to recapture its title in 2013 by launching the long-awaited Galaxy S4.
Meanwhile, LG remains the third largest player in the US mobile phone market, shipping 4.7 million mobile phones for 9% share of the US market in Q4 2012, dipping from 6.9 million units and 14% share a year earlier.
“LG struggled to compete with an Apple and Samsung onslaught in the high-growth smartphone sub-category last year, but LG will be aiming to fight back this year with new and improved models like the Optimus G 4G LTE with Android,” added the rep.
