Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) stands at a second position in the United States Smartphone market, according to a new data release from Counterpoint Research. Market share of Apple in the second-quarter is 29.7%, behind Samsung’s share of 36.1%. For the corresponding period of 2013, Apple garnered 25.9% share in the market.
U.S. a bright spot for Samsung
LG grabbed the third spot with 11% market share. Together Apple and Samsung accounted for almost two-thirds of US smartphone shipments last quarter. According to Counterpoint, the Galaxy S5’s sales volume in the U.S. was 50% more than that of Galaxy S4 last year, which makes the U.S. market “the lone bright spot for Samsung this quarter.”
Apple was the top selling brand on AT&T, while Samsung overtook the top spot at Verizon and Sprint.
Report from Counterpoint suggested that the smartphone shipment in the United States increased by only 2% year over year, but clogged in 90% of the handsets shipped during the period.
Apple popular, but have fewer volumes
The Cupertino, California-based company should be worried about its losing share in the market. Many experts believe that it’s primarily due to lack of innovation that is drawing heavily on the company. It is concerning that the company is losing shares in two of the biggest product areas, iPhones and iPads due to the saturating market. Though Smartphones have not yet reached the saturated category, it is reflecting a declining shipment of 295 million units in the second quarter of 2014.
According to Strategy analyst Linda Sui, the iPhone maker is most dominant in the market, but in terms of volume it is behind Samsung and LG. According to Sui, Apple is the market leader in the premium segment, but in the mass market, Android reigns. However, even though Samsung and LG are strengthening their presence in the premium market, there is no way they could dominate Apple in the short-term, said Sui.
Apple meanwhile is concerned about the lowering volumes and taking steps to reverse the trend. Whether Apple can revive the slipping shares in the smartphone market and tablet segment by injecting the new wave of innovation is yet to be seen.
