iPhone 6 and 6 Plus Boost Apple's Customer Base in Europe, but Market Share Slightly Down in U.S.

[MacRumors]

Research firm Kantar WorldPanel has released a new report (via TechCrunch) highlighting global smartphone sales over the July-September period which saw the debut of the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus. The report found that Apple's market share in major European markets is now higher when compared to the prior-year-period that saw the debut of the iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c. However, Apple's share in countries like the United States and Japan were found to be lower when compared to the same timeframe last year.

Our latest data covers the first few days of the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus being available in Europe and it is clear that demand has been high for the eagerly awaited new models. In Great Britain, where the new iPhone models started shipping on 19 September, Apple saw its sales share up by 1.7% compared with the same period last year, taking share of iOS to 31%. Across the major European markets, where the new iPhone models were made available between the 19 and 26 September, initial sales of the new iPhone models have overwhelmingly been from existing iPhone owners (87%).

Across Europe's top five markets, the iPhone 6 has outsold the larger iPhone 6 Plus by five-to-one.

Apple's total market share in the U.S. hit 32.6% during September, which is down 3.3% from the 35.9% market share it held in the year-ago period. In Japan, Apple's market share reached 31.3% in September, which is down 15.9% when compared to the 47.2% market share it held during same time period last year.

In the US, market competition has been reinvigorated with LG and Motorola increasing their shares. The recently launched LG G3 and Motorola Moto X are better positioned to compete with flagship products from Samsung and HTC. Smartphones sales grew 35% over the past year in the US. Despite Apple's share declining 3 percentage points in the three months ending in September, compared with the same period last year, it is clear that demand for the iPhone 6 has been very healthy.

While the iPhone continues to enjoy a steady market share throughout the world, it also continues to trail Android which holds a 70% or higher market share in many countries. In Italy, the iPhone holds the third most market share at 10.4%, which is behind Windows Phone's 15.2% market share and Android's 71.8% market share.

Article Link: iPhone 6 and 6 Plus Boost Apple's Customer Base in Europe, but Market Share Slightly Down in U.S.

 

[maflynn]

Wow, Windows phones are down across the board are down, though iOS down in the US is surprising..

 

[RichTF]

What's the deal with Windows Phone in Italy? That's a massive anomaly, so presumably there's some reason for it…?

 

[AppleInTheMud]

Wow, Windows phones are down across the board are down, though iOS down in the US is surprising..

Not surprising at all. Remember Android has devices that without a contract cost's less than 50$ - Ofcourse they sell - and well....

 

[mtneer]

What's "Other"?? - Blackberry? Tizen? Symbian?

 

[haruhiko]

So we are still playing this market share game?

 

[mejsric]

Apple is doom.

 

[RockSpider]

Looks like America is finally waking up to the fact that there are other alternatives, good to see.

 

[Hurda]

What's the deal with Windows Phone in Italy? That's a massive anomaly, so presumably there's some reason for it…?

Huge discounts given out by MS on already cheap mid-tier- and low-end-phones. Skewed the numbers over the course of two quarters.

 

[blackcrayon]

Looks like America is finally waking up to the fact that there are other alternatives, good to see.

Market share hasn't changed enough to justify your statement. Unless you're referring to mild shifts between different types of Android phones.

I wonder if this is only taking Q4 into account, as Q1 is supposed to see record breaking iPhone sales (based on Apple's financial estimate).

 

[Tom-Create-Pro]

We must like big phones on this side of the pond then!

 

[synp]

It's all about the phone companies

What's the deal with Windows Phone in Italy? That's a massive anomaly, so presumably there's some reason for it…?

Most people buy phones from the phone company, and what the salespeople at the phone company recommend carries a lot of weight. What they push entirely relies on the incentives the manufacturer gives the company.

In the US, Apple provides great incentives. In Europe - much less so. I guess the local Nokia sales office in Italy does good work. Following the Microsoft acquisition, I'm guessing they'll lose their edge, but that remains to be seen.

 

[gnasher729]

As usual, they publish the market share in smartphone units. That is, they don't cover either the high end smartphone market, which is where Apple is playing, and they don't cover the whole phone market, which isn't skewed by the fact that people switch from cheap feature phones to cheap smartphones.

These numbers also count a $600 phone exactly the same as a $100 phone. Personally, I'd rather sell x phones for $600 each than 2x or 3x phones for $100 each.

 

[apparatchik]

What a misleading title, the iPhone 6(+) wasnt even available in some of these countries in the covered period, and just a few days of it in the ones it was available, how can you state "iPhone 6 and 6 Plus Boost Apple's base in Europe, down in the US"?

Could it be people were actually holding purchase through out this period?

Wouldn't you need a full quater availability to see what the iPhone 6(+) impact in market share really is?

Besides, I have had $100 Android phones for development purposes, they're not really smartphones, they're not even good feature phones, as they lag so much making calls and texting becomes an enduring test of patience and frustration. It just allows people who doesn't know better to think they have a "smartphone".

 

[840quadra]

Android continues to grow faster, making iOS growth insignificant in the end. Would be better to see sales of Android devices broken down by make, as right now the statistic shows mostly Apple versus the world.

No doubt Samsung sells the most handsets, however it would be more usefull to see how apple is doing in comparison to LG, motorola and the others.

 

[gnasher729]

What's the deal with Windows Phone in Italy? That's a massive anomaly, so presumably there's some reason for it…?

Hypothetically, someone counted all the former cheap Nokia phones as Microsoft phones (which is correct) and then counted them as Windows phones (which is mostly incorrect).

 

[synp]

We must like big phones on this side of the pond then!

Lumia 1520 and 1320 are bigger than any Samsung Note or Sony Experia or iPhone 6+, yet they don't sell so well.

 

[timber]

What's the deal with Windows Phone in Italy? That's a massive anomaly, so presumably there's some reason for it…?

Probably they are being pushed by some telco or it's the effect of Nokia's loyalties

 

[OllyW]

Hypothetically, someone counted all the former cheap Nokia phones as Microsoft phones (which is correct) and then counted them as Windows phones (which is mostly incorrect).

Or they could just be the correct sales figures for Windows phones in Italy.

They seem consistent over the 12 month period so perhaps they are just more popular in Italy than in other countries.

 

[TallManNY]

What a misleading title, the iPhone 6(+) wasnt even available in some of these countries in the covered period, and just a few days of it in the ones it was available, how can you state "iPhone 6 and 6 Plus Boost Apple's base in Europe, down in the US"?

Could it be people were actually holding purchase through out this period?

Wouldn't you need a full quater availability to see what the iPhone 6(+) impact in market share really is?

Yes they need a full quarter. And they will get that, but next quarter. This is not a very useful quarter to look at the iOS vs Android fight because this is Apple's weakest quarter as folks hold off for the 6 and then Apple is unable to meet demand. Next quarter is Apple's best quarter and there will be no new flagship HTC or Galaxy S. Apple will take back market share in the US by the end of next quarter.

 

[Stella]

Not surprising at all. Remember Android has devices that without a contract cost's less than 50$ - Ofcourse they sell - and well....

Without a contract? Which ones?

I'm surprises about Windows phones - smaller market share...

 

[RockSpider]

Market share hasn't changed enough to justify your statement. Unless you're referring to mild shifts between different types of Android phones.

I wonder if this is only taking Q4 into account, as Q1 is supposed to see record breaking iPhone sales (based on Apple's financial estimate).

It's almost half of Androids share and dropping, I'd say Apple is starting to lose some of its appeal, especially after some of the missteps lately.

----------

What a misleading title, the iPhone 6(+) wasnt even available in some of these countries in the covered period, and just a few days of it in the ones it was available, how can you state "iPhone 6 and 6 Plus Boost Apple's base in Europe, down in the US"?

Could it be people were actually holding purchase through out this period?

Wouldn't you need a full quater availability to see what the iPhone 6(+) impact in market share really is?

Besides, I have had $100 Android phones for development purposes, they're not really smartphones, they're not even good feature phones, as they lag so much making calls and texting becomes an enduring test of patience and frustration. It just allows people who doesn't know better to think they have an "iPhone".

Why would they want an iPhone, they're nothing special, especially compared to more expensive Android phones, I wouldn't want people to think I have an iPhone, I like to be a bit different to the herd mentality.

 

[hachre]

Market share for Germany cannot be right. I know only one guy who uses an Android phone - everybody else bought a new iPhone this season and I know many people.

Why would they want an iPhone, they're nothing special, especially compared to more expensive Android phones, I wouldn't want people to think I have an iPhone, I like to be a bit different to the herd mentality.

Since when are Apple buyers the herd? The market share says otherwise. If anything the Samsung Android buyers are the herd...

 

[Tom-Create-Pro]

Lumia 1520 and 1320 are bigger than any Samsung Note or Sony Experia or iPhone 6+, yet they don't sell so well.

They aren't iPhones though

 

[BMcCoy]

Apple usually quote market share in terms of 'usage' - perhaps reflecting that there may be many more (cheap) android phones out there, but they're not being used!