Apple gains more market share outside United States: Research

The substantial sales of iPhones outside the United States helped Apple boost its market share, whereas Android recorded more market share in Apple’s home country. Apple witnessed a growth for its iOS share in five big European markets, namely, Great Britain, Germany, France, Italy and Spain, according to reports.

Research firm Kantar Worldpanel ComTech released the latest smartphone sales data for the second quarter of 2015. Carolina Milanesi, chief of research at Kantar Worldpanel ComTech said, “Apple iOS returned to growth across all of Europe’s ‘big five’ markets, as it recorded its first year-on-year gain in France since February 2015.”

Meanwhile, Milanesi also said that Android continued to grow in the quarter ending June 30 in the US, with both Samsung and LG contributing towards increasing their share sequentially. One of the factors that inclined buyers towards Android phones is a good deal on the phone’s price.

However, Dominic Sunnebo, business unit director at Kantar Worldpanel ComTech Europe points out that Android’s performance in Europe was “mixed” as it recorded its strongest year-on-year share drop in Germany since the beginning of the year. Consumers' decision in Europe was largely influenced by the size of the smartphone’s display. Though screen size has gained importance since the launch of iPhone 6 and 6Plus, iOS loyalists also give importance to other factors like the phone’s durability, relaiability and quality, noted Kantar's research report.

Android is undergoing its “strongest consolidation yet” in the US, with LG and Samsung accounting for 78 per cent of all Android sales, explained the research firm. Meanwhile, Apple witnessed a rise in its iOS market share in China from 12.8 per cent a year ago to 20.1 per cent this past April to June.

Recently, market research firm IDC had released a report which revealed that Samsung has captured a bigger market share in the global smartphone segment compared to Apple in the second quarter of 2015. Although Samsung’s market share fell last quarter and Apple witnessed a rise in its share, the South Korean smartphone maker retained the position as the leading smartphone vendor in the world, reports CNET.

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