• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia
TechThe Mobile Executive

Why Samsung’s Troubles Are Apple’s iPhone Gains

By
Don Reisinger
Don Reisinger
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Don Reisinger
Don Reisinger
Down Arrow Button Icon
December 7, 2016, 12:08 PM ET
A customer buys the new iPhone 7 smartphone inside an Apple Inc. store in Los Angeles
A customer buys the new iPhone 7 smartphone inside an Apple Inc. store in Los Angeles, California, U.S., September 16, 2016. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson - RTSO2OMLucy Nicholson — Reuters

Apple’s iPhone had its strongest market share gains in two years at the end of October, new research shows.

The iOS device accounted for 40.5% of all smartphone sales in the U.S. during the three-month period ended October, according to data released on Wednesday by Kantar Worldpanel ComTech. That was up from 33.5% share of smartphone sales during the same period in 2015, according to the research firm. That’s the strongest year-over-year growth Apple (AAPL) has witnessed in the last two years and the greatest number of sales share since the three-month period ended January 2015.

Android devices still reign supreme in the U.S., collectively accounting for nearly 58% of all smartphone sales.

Get Data Sheet, Fortune’s technology newsletter

While the iPhone is still trailing Android devices, Apple’s success during the period might have been due in part to the troubles Samsung endured during the same period.

In August, Samsung released the Galaxy Note 7 in hopes of competing against the iPhone 7 that would launch in September. However, the smartphone fell victim to manufacturing troubles that caused it to overheat and in some cases, explode. After a recall, replacement devices suffered from the same problem, leading Samsung to discontinue the handset. The Galaxy Note 7 had been expected by some industry watchers to sell exceedingly well. Apple could have benefited from that.

Still, there’s more to the iPhone’s success during the period than Samsung. Kantar’s consumer insight director Lauren Guenveur noted that the iPhone 7 proved exceedingly popular. The analyst said in a statement that the smartphone’s “lack of the headphone jack has proved to be a non-issue for U.S. iPhone consumers.” Apple’s iPhone 7 was the top-selling smartphone during the period.

In addition, Guenveur said Apple benefits from being Apple.

For more about Apple iPhone, watch:

“While Android dominates in terms of the raw number of devices it powers, Apple remains the most desirable smartphone brand in the world,” the analyst said.

Moving away from Apple, Kantar noted that Google’s Pixel smartphone, the first to be designed and engineered by Google (GOOGL), accounted for 0.5% of all smartphone sales during the three-month period ended October. That put Google’s handset on equal footing with smartphones from popular competing brands, like China-based Huawei.

About the Author
By Don Reisinger
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Tech

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • Future 50
  • World’s Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Editorial Calendar
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Diversity And Inclusion
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Editorial Calendar
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Diversity And Inclusion
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Tech

Startups & VentureDefense
A turning point at the Pentagon: Anduril’s new mega‑deal rewrites the rules for Silicon Valley—and raises new risks
By Jessica MathewsMarch 22, 2026
28 minutes ago
gen z
CommentaryGen Z
Gen Z is using ChatGPT to practice salary negotiations and tough conversations before they happen
By Phillip MillerMarch 22, 2026
1 hour ago
AIthe future of work
AI may be helping more people start their own businesses, but without many employees
By Marco Quiroz-GutierrezMarch 22, 2026
3 hours ago
AIFinance
Meet the CFO who turned Adobe’s finance department into an AI lab
By Sheryl EstradaMarch 22, 2026
4 hours ago
AIOpenAI
OpenAI plans to almost double its headcount this year, FT says
By Liza Tetley and BloombergMarch 21, 2026
13 hours ago
Politicsarms, weapons, and defense
The U.S. has the world’s most advanced military, but the unforgiving economics of wars in Iran and Ukraine show quantity has a quality all its own 
By Jason MaMarch 21, 2026
14 hours ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.