Full Quarter of iPhone 6s/6s Plus Sales Underperforms Earlier Launch
Consumer Intelligence Research Partners (CIRP) released analysis of the results of its research on mobile phone operating systems and brands for the calendar quarter that ended December 31, 2015. This analysis features findings about market share trends in mobile phone operating systems and brands in the US from October-December 2015.
CIRP research shows that the two major mobile operating systems, Google Android and Apple iOS, continue to control more than 95% of US customer mobile phone activations (Chart 1). In the December 2015 quarter, Android accounted for 58% of US activations, while iOS had 41%. In comparison, in the December 2014 quarter, Android accounted for 45% of US activations, and iOS accounted for 50%.
Chart 1: Operating System Share of Mobile Phone Activations
As in prior years, in the first full quarter of the new iPhone 6s and 6s Plus, iOS increased its share of activations relative to earlier in 2015. Yet, it was not as strong a launch as the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus in December 2014, when iOS dominated activations and had its highest share since the December 2012 quarter following the launch of the iPhone 5.
Among phone brands, Apple had the highest share in the US market in the December 2015 quarter, at 41%. Samsung was next at 36%, up from 26% in the December 2014 quarter (Chart 2). LG maintained its share at 10% of activations, comparable to its 11% in the December 2014 quarter.
Chart 2: Brand Share of Mobile Phone Activations
In 2015 Apple had its highest share of US activations, following the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus launch, but lagged its performance in the same quarter last year. Samsung also showed surprising strength in the quarter, increasing its share from a year ago. Along with LG, it looks like these three have settled in as the dominant manufacturers in the US marketplace. Shares vary as Android users switch among Samsung, LG, and other manufacturers, and as Apple launches new models. Still, shares have remained more stable in 2015 than in previous years.
CIRP bases its findings on a survey of 500 US subjects, from January 1-7, 2016, that activated a new or used phone in the October-December 2015 period. For additional information, please contact CIRP.