author: Bart Swiatek
Smartphone Sales Drop, but There are More Mobile Players in the USA
Smartphone sales in the US fell by 18% over the year. Apple remains the leader in the US market. Despite the shrinking market of mobile devices, the number of people playing on mobile phones is constantly growing.
IN A NUTSHELL:
- Smartphone sales in the USA decreased by 18% compared to Q1 2018;
- Despite weaker results, Apple remains the leader, controlling 40% of the market and having sold 14.6 million devices in the last quarter;
- Samsung increased its market share to 29.3%.
- The number of mobile players is growing.
GSMArena reports (based on Canalys analysts) that in the first quarter of 2019, smartphone sales in the United States were at their lowest level in five years. In total, 36.4 million devices were purchased - 18% less than in the same period last year.
The news is not the best, but some companies still have reasons to be satisfied. It is mainly Samsung, which sold 400 thousand more smartphones in the USA in the last quarter than between January and March 2018. (EUR 10.7M vs. EUR 10.3M a year earlier). As the market has shrunk significantly, the result allowed the Koreans to increase their market share by 6.1% to 29.3%. Apple remains the leader, having sold 14.6 million phones in Q1 2019 (compared to 17.9 million a year earlier). The company's market share slightly decreased (from 40.3% to 40%).
The results of the Lenovo and TCL corporations are also noteworthy. The former sold 42% more smartphones (2.4 million versus 1.7 million in the first quarter of 2018) and increased its market share to 6.5% (previously 3.8%). The latter recorded a 31% increase (300,000 more devices sold and an additional 1.5% market share).
Interestingly, despite falling sales, the number of people playing on mobile devices is constantly growing. According to the results of the 2019 - Essential Facts About the Computer and Video Game Industrystudy published by ESA (Entertainment Software Association), as much as 60% of American gamers prefer to play on their smartphones. Slightly less popular are consoles (49%) and PCs (52%). The survey was conducted by Ipsos, based on a research sample of more than 4,000 Americans.