Apple managed to increase smartphone sales in the United States in the first quarter of 2026. Despite the decline in the overall smartphone market, the company increased its market share due to intense interest in the iPhone 17 and Samsung’s postponement of the Galaxy S26 launch.

According to Counterpoint data, iPhone sales volume in the US increased by 1.3 percent on an annual basis in the first quarter of 2026. In the same period, the total smartphone market shrank by 5.7 percent, while sales of Android devices decreased by 14.4 percent on an annual basis.

Apple has managed to increase its market share across all major operators such as AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon. There was a remarkable change, especially on the Verizon side, and Apple alone accounted for 77 percent of the sales on this operator.

Apple’s pricing and carrier strategy

Strong relationships with carriers remain one of Apple’s biggest advantages in the US market. The company maintained a competitive stance by increasing the entry-level storage capacity to 256 GB while keeping the price of the iPhone 17e model constant.

While other manufacturers are increasing prices due to increasing memory costs, Apple’s strategy is focused on keeping users in the iOS ecosystem. The company strengthened its position in postpaid channels, leaving Samsung behind with the promotions it offered on devices over $600.

While this helps Apple increase long-term service revenues, it may create some restrictions on hardware margins. Small Android manufacturers, on the other hand, are having difficulty achieving the price stability offered by Apple in the face of increasing component costs and marketing scale.

Market consolidation in the low-cost segment

The low-cost and prepaid smartphone segment in the US market continued to weaken in the first quarter of 2026. High fuel prices and debt payments suppressed the purchasing power of low-income consumers, reducing the demand for devices under $100.

In this process, Samsung and Motorola managed to increase their market shares in prepaid channels such as Cricket and Metro. Brands such as TCL, HMD, Maxwest, Orbic and Blu lost market share and had to postpone their renewal cycles or reduce their marketing activities.

The market appears to be taking on an increasingly consolidated structure. While Apple maintains its dominance in premium devices, Samsung and Motorola are absorbing much of the shrinking low-cost segment. What do you think about these changes in the US smartphone market?