Image: Kaspars Grinvalds/Shutterstock
Demand for the high-end iPhone X in China exceeded expectations.
Kantar has released its latest smartphone OS data, revealing a mixed performance for Apple iOS in the three-month period ending November 2017.
Despite the release of the iPhone 8, 8 Plus and premium iPhone X, Apple’s market share dropped by 0.6pc across the big five European markets to 23.9pc, and by 3.8pc in the US to 39.8pc.
Not all bad for Apple
Despite these market share drops in crucial territories, Kantar’s analysis is far from bad news for Apple as global director for Kantar Worldpanel ComTech, Dominic Sunnebo, explained: “On the surface Apple’s share figures for the three months to November struggle to impress, but taking into account the staged releases of the new iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus and iPhone X there are some strong performances.”
In Great Britain, Apple achieved its highest share in more than three years in the month of November, taking it to 49.4pc and easily regaining the number one spot from rival Samsung.
iPhone X demand is high in certain territories
The iPhone X was the best-selling model in Great Britain in November, with a 14.4pc share of sales. As the most expensive mass-market smartphone currently available, it remains to be seen how long it can maintain this momentum at its current hefty price point.
The iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus outsold the iPhone X in the US, but did round off the top three best-selling models in the month of November. The iPhone X was the top-selling smartphone in Japan in November, commanding an 18.2pc share.
China a major hotspot for Apple
In urban China, demand for the iPhone X has been unprecedented, said Sunnebo: “Apple is now back on form – iPhone X was the top-selling model in urban China in November, with a market share of 6pc.
“Unlike in Europe and the US, where the vast majority of new early iPhone X sales came from existing Apple smartphone owners, in urban China there are significant numbers of Huawei, Xiaomi and Samsung customers switching to the new iPhone models, which they deem a cut above the rest.”
Sunnebo noted that Samsung’s performance in this market was especially poor, with its share whittled down to a mere 2.2pc of the overall market.
France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, and Spain all saw Android remain the more popular OS for consumers in these markets.
The US was a more even split, with 59.4pc opting for Android and 43.6pc sticking with Apple, the remaining opting for Windows phones or other models.
Japan is the most balanced between Android and iOS, with 48.4pc of users on team Android, while 51.5pc prefer to use an iPhone.
iPhone X. Image: Kaspars Grinvalds/Shutterstock
