Apple's smartphone market share in Asia boosted by iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus
Apple’s smartphone sales in key Asian markets have experienced significant boosts since the Cupertino-based company launched the iPhone 6 and the iPhone 6 Plus in September last year.
As reported by Counterpoint Research (via The Wall Street Journal), the “bigger than bigger” handsets have contributed greatly to increasing Apple’s smartphone market share in China, Japan, and, most notably, South Korea.
On the home turf of its chief competitor, Samsung, Apple had less than 15 percent of the market before the release of the iPhone 6 and the iPhone 6 Plus. But in November, its share rose to 33 percent, enough to surpass another South Korean company, LG, and put it at the No. 2 spot.
According to Counterpoint, this is the first time in the history of South Korea’s smartphone industry that a foreign company has gone past the 20 percent market share mark.
To be sure, Samsung, which pioneered the “phablet” trend on which Apple’s new iPhones are now riding, remained at the top position in the market. But its share fell from 60 percent to 46 percent.
In China, Samsung was the market leader until it dropped all the way to No. 4 in November with a 9 percent share. It’s bested by Apple, which, with its 12 percent share, secured third place, behind Xiaomi with 18 percent and Lenovo with 13 percent.
But in Japan, Apple emerged as the top brand when its share rose to 51 percent, way ahead of Sony, whose 17 percent share put it at No. 2.
Apple is expected to announce record iPhone sales during the recently concluded holiday quarter, bolstered no doubt by the iPhone 6 and the iPhone 6 Plus, on Tuesday, Jan. 27.
See also: After the holiday season, iOS 8 adoption rises to just 69 percent, An updated list of the merchants, cards and apps that accept Apple Pay, and Holiday iPhone, Mac sales could hit new records while iPad sales will continue to lag.
