iPhone dominated the U.S. smartphone market in 2021

What you need to know

• The iPhone was by far the most popular smartphone in the United States last year.
• Apple led the industry with a market share as high as 56% in the fourth quarter of 2021.
• The iPhone 13 helped the company reach new heights in terms of market share.

The iPhone continues to dominate the smartphone market in the United States.

According to new data from analytics firm Counterpoint Research, iPhone's market share in the country reached as high as fifty-six percent in the fourth quarter of 2021. The lowest market share Apple had in the United States last year was 47% in the third quarter which is still a commanding lead ahead of other brands.

The closest another brand got to Apple was Samsung who, in the third quarter, reached a market share of thirty-four percent. That quickly went away when Apple released the iPhone 13 in the fourth quarter which drove new sales and shot Apple's market share to the highest it was last year.

According to the report's highlights, Apple grew sixty-seven percent quarter over quarter, a huge increase while other brands like Samsung declined due to supply chain issues.

• Smartphone shipments grew 10% YoY and 30% QoQ in Q4 2021 as the new Apple iPhone 13 launched, filling channels with its latest premium devices for the holiday season.
• In the premium segment, although Apple grew 67% QoQ due to the new launch, Samsung declined -11% QoQ as it could not replenish its S21 series fast enough which also resulted in a decline in market share, down to 22%.
• Lenovo (Motorola) once again grew to 12% market share with the help of devices such as the Moto G Pure, which is the first major MediaTek device for the OEM in the US market.

So, what's next for the iPhone? Apple is rumored to be holding an event in March where it will announce a new iPhone SE with 5G connectivity. The event is also expected to feature a new generation of iPad Air as well as one new Mac.