iPhone 4 and 3GS Rank as Best-Selling U.S. Smartphones

Research firm NPD today announced the release of its new Mobile Phone Track report for the second quarter of 2011, showing Android continuing to lead the U.S. smartphone market with 52% of new sales during the quarter. Apple's iPhone checked in with 29% of the market while Research in Motion's BlackBerry devices continued their free fall and garnered only 11% of the market.

iphone 3gs 4
SplatF pulls out one key detail from the full report, noting that not only is Apple's 14-month-old iPhone 4 continuing to lead the market in sales, but that the 8 GB iPhone 3GS takes the second spot in the rankings. The iPhone 3GS was introduced 26 months ago, and Apple kept the device around following last year's iPhone 4 introduction by dropping the capacity to 8 GB and offering it at a $99 price point for entry-level users. Pricing has since dropped to $49, with occasional deals bringing the price as low as free.

Here are the top five best-selling phones during Q2, via NPD’s Mobile Phone Track service:

1. Apple iPhone 4
2. Apple iPhone 3GS
3. HTC EVO 4G
4. HTC Inspire 4G
5. Samsung INTENSITYII

Apple has attempted to keep sales momentum for the iPhone 4 moving forward with the introduction of a CDMA version on Verizon and the much-delayed launch of a white version of the device earlier this year. But even as Apple has diverged from its usual annual cycle of iPhone releases by pushing the iPhone 5 out to September or October this year, the iPhone 4 and even the iPhone 3GS continue to top the charts in U.S. sales.

Related Forum: iPhone

Popular Stories

m1 chip slide

Five Years of Apple Silicon: M1 to M5 Performance Comparison

Monday November 10, 2025 1:08 pm PST by
Today marks the fifth anniversary of the Apple silicon chip that replaced Intel chips in Apple's Mac lineup. The first Apple silicon chip, the M1, was unveiled on November 10, 2020. The M1 debuted in the MacBook Air, Mac mini, and 13-inch MacBook Pro. The M1 chip was impressive when it launched, featuring the "world's fastest CPU core" and industry-leading performance per watt, and it's only ...
iOS 26

iOS 26.2 Available Next Month With These 8 New Features

Tuesday November 11, 2025 9:48 am PST by
Apple released the first iOS 26.2 beta last week. The upcoming update includes a handful of new features and changes on the iPhone, including a new Liquid Glass slider for the Lock Screen's clock, offline lyrics in Apple Music, and more. In a recent press release, Apple confirmed that iOS 26.2 will be released to all users in December, but it did not provide a specific release date....
All Screen iPhone 2027 Feature 1

Apple to Hide Selfie Camera Under Display of 20th Anniversary iPhone

Monday November 10, 2025 1:55 am PST by
Apple will conceal the front-facing camera under the screen of its 2027 iPhone, a Chinese leaker said today, corroborating reports that Apple's 20th anniversary iPhone will have no visible cutouts in the display. Weibo-based account Digital Chat Station said Apple's development of under-screen camera technology was progressing as planned for adoption in 2027, one year after it will...
iphone pocket%402x

Apple Debuts iPhone Pocket, a Limited Edition iPod Sock-Style Accessory

Tuesday November 11, 2025 1:23 am PST by
Apple has teamed up with Japanese fashion house ISSEY MIYAKE to launch iPhone Pocket, a 3D-knitted limited edition accessory designed to carry an iPhone, AirPods, and other everyday items. The accessory is like a stretchy pocket, not unlike an iPod Sock, but elongated to form a strap made of a ribbed, elastic textile that fully encloses an iPhone yet allows you to glimpse the display...
iphone air thinness

iPhone Air Sales Are So Bad That Apple's Delaying the Next-Generation Version

Monday November 10, 2025 11:41 am PST by
The thin, light iPhone Air sold so poorly that Apple has decided to delay the launch of the next-generation iPhone Air that was scheduled to come out alongside the iPhone 18 Pro, reports The Information. Apple initially planned to release a new iPhone Air in fall 2026, but now that's not going to happen. Since the iPhone Air launched in September, there have been reports of poor sales...
homepod mini colors

New HomePod Mini Coming Soon With These Features

Tuesday November 11, 2025 7:30 am PST by
Apple is expected to announce a new HomePod mini imminently, headlining with new chips. Here are all of the new features we're expecting. The second-generation HomePod mini is highly likely to contain a more up-to-date chip for more advanced computational audio and improved responsiveness. The current HomePod mini is equipped with the Apple Watch Series 5's S5 chip from 2019. Apple is likely ...
Early Black Friday Deals 1

The Best Early Black Friday Apple Deals on AirPods, Apple Watch, iPad, and More

Saturday November 8, 2025 6:16 am PST by
We're officially in the month of Black Friday, which will take place on Friday, November 28 in 2025. As always, this will be the best time of the year to shop for great deals, including popular Apple products like AirPods, iPad, Apple Watch, and more. In this article, the majority of the discounts will be found on Amazon. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When ...
Apple fitness plus feature

Future of Apple Fitness+ 'Under Review'

Sunday November 9, 2025 5:30 am PST by
The future of Apple Fitness+ is "under review" amid a reorganization of the service, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. In the latest edition of his "Power On" newsletter, Gurman said that Apple Fitness+ remains one of the company's "weakest digital offerings." The service apparently suffers from high churn and little revenue. Nevertheless, Fitness+ has a small, loyal fanbase that...
iphone black friday gold

The Best Early Black Friday iPhone Deals

Monday November 10, 2025 10:18 am PST by
Cellular carriers have always offered big savings on the newest iPhone models during the holidays, and Black Friday 2025 sales have kicked off at AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, and more. Right now we're tracking notable offers on the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max, and iPhone Air. For even more savings, keep an eye on older models during the holiday shopping season. Note: MacRumors is...
2024 iPhone Boxes Feature

Apple Adjusts Trade-In Values for iPhones, iPads, Macs, and More

Thursday November 6, 2025 11:12 am PST by
Apple today updated its trade-in values for select iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Watch models. Trade-ins can be completed on Apple's website, or at an Apple Store. The charts below provide an overview of Apple's current and previous trade-in values in the U.S., according to its website. Maximum values for most devices either decreased or saw no change, but the iPad Air received a slight bump. ...

Top Rated Comments

Small White Car Avatar
186 months ago
This should serve as a wakeup call to all the folks who claim Apple "needs to" or "must" include whatever their favorite piece of technology is. The fact that the 3GS outsells all those super-charged devices is amazing, yes, but not surprising when you examine people's actual needs and their decision making process.

The threads around here arguing over things like different types of screen technology are fun and all, but it just doesn't matter that much.
Score: 32 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Constable Odo Avatar
186 months ago
This should serve as a wakeup call to all the folks who claim Apple "needs to" or "must" include whatever their favorite piece of technology is. The fact that the 3GS outsells all those super-charged devices is amazing, yes, but not surprising when you examine people's actual needs and their decision making process.

The threads around here arguing over things like different types of screen technology are fun and all, but it just doesn't matter that much.

The consumer market has always been consumer-driven, not tech-head-driven. Those tech-head jackasses are always claiming that consumers need this and that and they're not even close. Most consumers are happy to use the same devices for years as long as it works well for them. I would never want to run a business to keep tech-heads happy. They always want the latest crap no matter how problematic it might be or how high the costs are.

Tech-heads are always upset that the iPhone doesn't have the latest stuff. Apple's iPhone can't compete against Android smartphones that come out every few weeks using the most recent tech. The production volume is completely different for Apple. They need to plan for tens of millions of iPhones, not tens of thousands like most of these Android smartphone production runs use.

Consumers' average needs are most important in designing a product, not cutting-edge tech. Consumers need an overall well-working product more than some flashy but flaky device. Tech-heads probably comprise about 1% of the consumer population and hardly matter at all when it comes to sales.

Tech-heads are just too g-damn picky for consumer business needs. :mad:
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
linuxcooldude Avatar
186 months ago
Android continuing to lead the U.S. smartphone market with 52% of new sales during the quarter. Apple's iPhone checked in with 29% of the market

Android is not a smartphone, its an operating system. Show me an Android phone that is out selling the iphone. Tired of this inaccurate statement.
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Santabean2000 Avatar
186 months ago
Staggering really. Old tech beating out on new... Must be hard for the others to stomach. And goes to show thatbpeople want the full package/walled garden ease and simplicity.
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
*LTD* Avatar
186 months ago
well still only one source of iOS compared to everyone who wants the Android is split among multiple devices.
Which is why it's so impressive.


I will stand by the fact that I believe iPhone4 is massively over priced and 3GS is over priced as well.
You can stand by it and still be wrong.

Apple charges what the market will bear and what consumers are willing to pay.

If iPhone4 was any thing other than the iPhone at this point it would be $99 on contract at most but chances are it would be at the $50 price point and the 3GS would be free.
People are paying
But the iPhone 4 is the iPhone - with everything it offers and represents. It can't be anything other than that.

If you don't have an iPhone . . . you don't have an iPhone. We're seeing just how true that is.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Consultant Avatar
186 months ago
This should serve as a wakeup call to all the folks who claim Apple "needs to" or "must" include whatever their favorite piece of technology is. The fact that the 3GS outsells all those super-charged devices is amazing, yes, but not surprising when you examine people's actual needs and their decision making process.

The threads around here arguing over things like different types of screen technology are fun and all, but it just doesn't matter that much.

Well, Apple isn't going after the basement feature nerd market. ;)

Instead Apple customers knows that features =/= usability.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)