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Galaxy S10 series turning the tide for Samsung, but industry overall struggles
A new report from Canalys paints a pretty bleak picture for the overall smartphone market in North America. However, the silver lining is that the Samsung Galaxy S10 family is helping Samsung claim back some of its market share in a big way.
The Canalys report centers on North American smartphone shipments for the first quarter of 2019. According to the data, North American smartphone shipments totaled 36.4 million units for the quarter, which is down 18 percent from the same period a year ago. The totals for Q1 2019 represent a very concerning five-year low for the industry, and the 18 percent drop is the largest ever recorded in the history of smartphones.
Apple remained the clear leader in North America based on its success with the iPhone XR, the cheapest variant of the 2018 iPhones. However, the company’s total shipments in the region dropped 19 percent, which should be very concerning for Apple.
Check out the overall results of Q1 2019 below:
Although Samsung is still stuck in second place, its market share percentage jumped by a higher margin than any other brands in the top five. This success is based largely on the Samsung Galaxy S10 family, which is proving to be a big winner for the company.
Canalys estimates that Samsung shipped around twice as many units of the Galaxy S10 family as it did the Samsung Galaxy S9 family the previous year. However, one should note that the S9 family only had two devices, while the S10 family has three (four, if you count the Samsung Galaxy S10 5G).
Although this report is a clear indication that Samsung’s strategy of bringing some real innovation to its flagship smartphone line is working, it shouldn’t rest on its laurels quite yet. The release of the Google Pixel 3a could eat into its sales of the Samsung Galaxy S10e, and the upcoming OnePlus 7 Pro could bring some heat to the entire S10 line.
To read the full report from Canalys, click here.
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