Counterpoint Research’s US smartphone market share numbers are out, and the big mover for Q3 2023 is once again Google. But unlike Q2 2023, Google Pixel phones are seeing a huge YoY decline in market share amid the challenging economic environment, which is a bit worrying considering the US is Google’s biggest market.
Last quarter, Counterpoint Research reported that Google was the only major brand to record positive growth in the US with year-on-year Pixel shipments jumping 48%. Although remarkable, this was still only 3% of the overall shipments. While the latest Q3 2023 numbers still have Google Pixel phones holding a 3% market share, this figure represents the company’s steepest YoY declines. Samsung and TCL are the other two brands joining Google on this unwanted list while Nokia HMD and Motorola managed growth, with the latter increasing its Q3 2023 market share to 11%, up from 9% in Q2 2023 and 6% in the same period last year.
The decline in Google’s market share can be attributed to a lack of movement in the Pixel market. There was no new Pixel phone to sell between July and September apart from the Pixel Fold. Considering the device’s price coupled with the tough economic times and the fact that this is still a niche product, it’s possible that Google didn’t sell as many units hence the decline. But with the Pixel 8 and 8 Pro now available to purchase, Google may soon return to positive growth numbers.
In Q2 2023, TCL saw the biggest decline at just shy of 70% year-over-year. This is still happening, with the latest report ranking TCL as one of the biggest losers. As a result, Google now ranks fourth in the US smartphone market despite recording one of the biggest YoY declines. In comparison, a recent Q3 2023 smartphone report by Canalys ranked Google fifth with a 4% market share, just behind TCL.
Apple, despite still dominating the market, also recorded a decline in sales thanks to the late iPhone 15 launch. However, the report also points to the weak upgrade rates at carriers as the major reason for the weak smartphone shipments as more people prefer to hold on to their devices for longer.
You can check out the rest of report here.
Featured image: Google
Hillary Keverenge
2132 Posts
Tech has been my playground for over a decade. While the Android journey began early, it truly took flight with the revolutionary Lollipop update. Since then, it's been a parade of Android devices (with a sprinkle of iOS), culminating in a mostly happy marriage with Google's smart home ecosystem. Expect insightful articles and explorations of the ever-evolving world of Android and Google products coupled with occasional rants on the Nest smart home ecosystem.
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