Apple’s iPhone Xr was the best-selling smartphone in January

Smartphone sell-through in the US market fell 2.7% year-on-year (YoY) in January 2019 to 13.7 million units, according to the latest research from Counterpoint’s Market Pulse program. This is the 14th consecutive month of YoY decline in sales and the second successive year when sales were down on a YoY basis in January. 

However, Apple crept 1% higher in market share. Its sales mix shifted towards the iPhone Xr. Sufficiently large display and the lower price called out as major drivers, according to Counterpoint. The Xr was the top-selling smartphone in January, followed by the iPhone Xs Max, Samsung Galaxy Note 9, iPhone Xs, and Samsung Galaxy S9.

“There are a few reasons for the sluggishness of the US market in January. First, there were no flagship stockouts exiting 2018,” says Research Director Jeff Fieldhack. “There were near normal premium device channel inventories. On the prepaid side, the US government shutdown delayed the potential early tax season bump in sales. Prepaid and national retail tax season promotions were pushed from late January to mid-February. However, early indications suggest the prepaid bump was small in 2019.”