The latest smartphone OS data from Kantar Worldpanel ComTech reveals a mixed performance for iOS in the three months ending November 2017. Despite new handset releases including the iPhone 8 and iPhone X, iOS share fell by 0.6 percentage points across the big five European markets to 23.9% and by 3.8 percentage points in the USA to 39.8%. In contrast, iOS performance in urban China continues to impress, gaining 4.6 percentage points over the same time period to give it a market share of almost 25%.
Dominic Sunnebo, Global Director for Kantar Worldpanel ComTech said in a statement, “On the surface Apple’s share figures for the three months to November struggle to impress, but taking into account the staged releases of the new iPhone 8 and iPhone X there are some strong performances. In Great Britain, Apple achieved its highest share in more than three years in the month of November, taking it to 49.4% and easily regaining the number one sales position from Samsung. The iPhone X was the best-selling model in Great Britain in November, with a 14.4% share of sales, though as the most expensive mass-market smartphone currently available it remains to be seen how long it can maintain this momentum at its current price point of £999.”
In the USA, the iPhone X was outsold by the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus in the month of November but did round off the top three best-selling models for the month, easily beating the top Samsung model, the Galaxy S8, which is in sixth position.
Source: Kantar Worldpanel ComTech
The iPhone X was the top selling Smartphone in Japan in November, commanding an 18.2% share, closely followed by the iPhone 8 at 17.2% share. Meanwhile, in urban China, demand for the iPhone X has exceeded all expectations, as Dominic Sunnebo said, “Apple was riding on the back of some momentum before the iPhone X release but demand for latest model in urban China has been staggering given its price point. Apple is now back on form – the iPhone X was the top selling model in urban China in November, with a market share of 6.0%. Unlike in Europe and the US, where the vast majority of new early iPhone X sales came from existing Apple smartphone owners, in urban China there are significant numbers of Huawei, Xiaomi and Samsung customers switching to the new iPhone models, which they deem a cut above the rest.”
Source: Kantar Worldpanel ComTech
MacDailyNews Note: In the countries covered, iPhone 8 and 8 Plus were released on September 22, 2017 and iPhone X was released on November 3, 2017.