Google’s Pixel sales are down, Samsung’s Galaxy sales are up, and the US smartphone market keeps sliding

Summary

• Google Pixel shipments have fallen below a 2% share of the US market in Q1 2024, while Samsung continues to thrive, with its Galaxy S24 series being a key driver for growth.
• Contrary to Google’s decline, Samsung saw a 4% increase in market share, crediting new Galaxy AI features for attracting customers and boosting sales.
• Overall smartphone sales continue to slide, but Android flagships like those from Samsung appear to be gaining ground in the US.

Whether you intend to hang onto your phone for as long as possible or you prefer to upgrade annually, manufacturers are almost expected to release a new series of flagships every year. That being said, the price of these devices continues to rise, prompting many customers to make the most of what they already own. Now, new statistics indicate that phone shipments are falling in the US, and Google may be seeing that trend reflected in Pixel sales.

Counterpoint Research has published new data suggesting that phone shipments in the US have dropped 8 percent year-over-year in the first quarter of 2024. While the research firm did not specifically cite Google’s numbers for Q1 2024, the company’s phone sales made up 2 percent of the margin reported during the same period last year. However, it was consolidated with TCL sales in the first quarter of 2024, with both companies reporting small numbers – this suggests that Pixel shipment numbers have dipped below that 2 percent threshold.

Samsung remains above the fray

Samsung was an outlier in the data compiled by Counterpoint Research. In Q1 2024, the company saw its market share of US phone sales grow to 31 percent. This is notably an increase from the 27 percent recorded in the same period last year. The researchers behind the report cited the Galaxy S24 series as a key driver for the company. Despite its flagship pricing, it seemed that consumers were still willing to invest in the phone.

These numbers may not be a complete surprise to those who heard about Samsung’s Q1 2024 earnings. Consolidated revenue for the company came in at around $51 billion, and the company credited its S24 series at the time. Specifically, it seems that the flagship line’s new Galaxy AI features are drawing interest from consumers. Compared to the first three weeks after the Galaxy S23 series launched, Galaxy S24 sales rose 8 percent in the three weeks following its release. In the US, in particular, sales increased by 14 percent. Although Apple’s iPhone is still fairly dominant in the US, Android flagships seem to finally be making a dent in its stronghold.