According to a report from The NPD Group, Apple's iPhone 5 was the top selling phone during the final quarter of 2012, comprising 43 percent of all iPhone sales and accounting for nearly two thirds of all post-paid smartphone sales above $199.

npdgroupsmartphonesales
Samsung's Galaxy S III was the second most popular smartphone in Q4 2012, while Apple's iPhone 4S and iPhone 4 also sold well, taking the third and fourth spots on NPD's list of top-selling mobile phones in the U.S. The SIII's predecessor, the SII, was the fifth best selling phone during the holiday quarter.

A report earlier today from Strategy Analytics ranked Apple as the largest mobile phone vendor in the U.S. during Q4 2012, which is in accordance with NPD's data, which places Apple with 39 percent of overall smartphone sales, compared to Samsung's 30 percent.

npdsmartphonemarketshare
Combined, Apple and Samsung accounted for almost 70 percent of smartphone sales, with Motorola, HTC, and LG lagging behind.

Top Rated Comments

anzio Avatar
163 months ago
But... nobody wants to buy an iPhone, right? :rolleyes:
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Ventilatedbrain Avatar
163 months ago
BTW. After hearing all the rave about android .. I went out today and bought me a nexus 4 .. So far .. Yes the customisation is great and the UI is pure android with no lard .. But so far I'm really not digging the phone .. The touch response is choppy .. The battery life is as bad as my 4s and scrolling
Is no way as responsive as my beloved iOS .. Been an iPhone user since the 3G and has upgraded to 3GS and then to a 4s .. I know for
People who have been using its for a long time the interface may seem
Boring and repetitive .. But I can say this for sure .. I'm
So glad i didn't sell my 4s yet .. The nexus can't even handle PDFs which I
Use for work well .. I might have a different opinion in a few days .. But so far .. LONG LIVE IPHONE is all I can say :)
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
applesith Avatar
163 months ago
Analysts won't care.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
rman726 Avatar
163 months ago
I find it funny how 3, 4, and 5 aren't other top phones from other companies, but instead old products by Apple and Samsung. Sucks to be the other OEMs.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
OriginalMacRat Avatar
163 months ago
The thing I am (for whatever reason) most shocked about is the 57% of people buying a iPhone 4 or 4S still.

Still?

Apple was still selling the iPhone 3GS the day that the iPhone 5 was announced. After the announcement, it was taken off the online store, but was still on display and being sold in the retail stores until inventory ran out.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
M-O Avatar
163 months ago
Apple is DOOMED!

----------

But you have to remember they are also free with a 2 year contract for many carriers. Not everyone is willing/able to buy the most recent iteration. And if you're getting a free phone anyway--it might as well be an iPhone.
If you can afford $100/month for the two year contract, you should be able to afford a $200 iPhone 5.

total cost over two years-
iPhone 5: $2,600
iPhone 4s: $2,500
iPhone 4: $2,400

you essentially get a 8% discount for buying a 2 1/2 year old phone.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)

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