The historic Q1 2026 earnings, where Apple registered a whopping $143.756 billion in revenue, were thanks to iPhone sales, which accounted for more than 50 percent of the aforementioned figure. With this massive growth, the company has extended its hold in the U.S. smartphone market for Q4 2025, with the iPhone 17 launch ensuring that no other competitor, including Samsung, can generate momentum to derail Apple’s success in the region.
U.S. smartphone market saw sales increase 1% year-over-year, with Apple’s share percentage increasing to an unrivaled 69%
Part of why Apple has dominated this region, according to Counterpoint Research, is thanks to the ‘elevated promotional activities’ from the major carriers AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon. AT&T recorded the highest Apple sales to date at 89 percent, with the iPhone 17 Pro Max being the top-seller for all three channels. Apple’s Q4 2025 market share increased by 4 percentage points, with the trillion-dollar giant now standing at an unyielding 69 percent, whereas Samsung’s market share declined to 13 percent for the quarter.
However, the Galaxy S26 lineup is just around the corner, meaning that the Korean giant can mount a small comeback in the U.S. to take some of that market away from Apple. Just like on previous occasions, Samsung is expected to offer attractive promotions and freebies to early adopters to get the ball rolling, not to mention having a head start later in the year when it unveils its new foldable flagships.
Apple isn’t expected to announce its new iPhone 18 family until Q3 2026, but with the iPhone 17e launch around the corner, the Cupertino firm can stabilize its growth for the next few months. As for the concerns about rising DRAM prices and how much consumers will have to fork over for the iPhone 18 series, TF International Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has commented that Apple should absorb these costs to gain an advantage amidst the chaos. Its Services division, which brought in $30.013 billion for the company’s fiscal Q1 2026, can easily cover those losses.
News Source: Counterpoint Research
About the author: Omar Sohail is a reporter and analyst for Wccftech's mobile section, specializing in the technology and business of the mobile industry. His expertise lies in the intricate hardware supply chain, covering developments in semiconductor manufacturing, chip lithography, and camera sensor technology.
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