The iPhone 7 rules the U.S. smartphone market although Android is the most popular operating system, reveals new market research from Kantar WorldPanel.
Apple's iPhone 7 proved to be the best-selling smartphone in the United States in the third quarter of this year, selling better than rival Samsung Galaxy S7 despite launching a few months later.
The latest stats from Kantar show the iPhone 7 ranks top, accounting for 10.6 percent of all new smartphone sales in the United States. The iPhone 6s and Samsung Galaxy S7 follow on the second and third positions, while the larger iPhone 7 Plus ranks fourth with a 5.3 percent market share.
Combined, the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus sales make up 15.9 percent of the entire U.S. smartphone market sales for the third quarter of 2016.
No Headphone Jack, No Problem
When Apple first launched the iPhone 7, it stirred quite some controversy because it completely removed the headphone jack, forcing users to buy adapters or rely on wireless headphones. Some users even drilled holes into their new iPhone 7 smartphone, thinking it was a secret hack to find that elusive headphone jack.
Many were disappointed by this change and criticized Apple for going down this route, but it turns out that the lack of a headphone jack was not such a big problem after all, judging by the sales numbers.
"The lack of the headphone jack has proved to be a non-issue for US iPhone consumers, as iPhone 7 was the top selling device in the three months ending October 2016, achieving 10.6% of smartphone sales, despite not being available for the full three month period," Kantar reports.
The iPhone also tops holiday wish lists as the most wanted gift this holiday season, which means the iPhone 7 market share should keep soaring in the fourth quarter. The recently released Mophie Juice Pack Air cases for the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus should further boost the smartphones' appeal, as they bring wireless charging into the mix.
Google Pixel Catching Up
Another strong contender seems to be the Google Pixel, judging by Kantar's stats. The Google Pixel just went on sale recently, and it was available for just a few days in the third quarter, yet it still managed to grab a 0.5 percent share of the U.S. market.
With a slice of the market so early on, the Google Pixel is shaping up as a hit smartphone, and the fourth quarter sales results will likely prove it.
