iPhone 5s Top-Selling Smartphone at All U.S. Carriers, iPhone 5c Takes Third

The iPhone was the top-selling smartphone at AT&T, Verizon, Sprint and T-Mobile for September, October and November of this year, according to Canaccord Genuity analyst T. Michael Walkley (via AppleInsider). We previously covered Walkley's September numbers.

The iPhone 5s, which came out in the second half of September, has proved extremely popular with customers and has only recently gotten close to a supply/demand balance.

Carrier Sales

Before the iPhone 5s and 5c's release, Apple, Samsung, HTC, Nokia, Sony, and Motorola all had handsets enjoying top-three sales at at least one of America's big four carriers. Apple's September announcement pushed all but Samsung out of the picture and relegated the South Korean conglomerate's Galaxy S4 to the runner-up position across the board.

Apple has maintained a significant edge outside of the U.S. as well, even before the long-anticipated launch of the company's devices on China Mobile, the world's largest wireless carrier. The iPhone 5s was "by far the top selling smartphone...at most channels where the smartphone launched globally," Walkley notes.

Samsung's Galaxy S 4, the iPhone's chief competitor, now holds second place across all carriers with the iPhone 5c coming in third. Closer to the launch of the 5c and 5s, the 5c held second place at AT&T and Sprint.

Last year, the numbers were similar, although with different phone models. NPD claimed the iPhone 5 was the best-selling model of Q4 2012, followed by the Samsung Galaxy S III, and then the iPhone 4s and iPhone 4 models.

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Top Rated Comments

Rogifan Avatar
151 months ago
Wow, so the 5c can't even outsell the Galaxy S4? Failure.

Or rather, good product, wrong price.

Why should Apple's mid-tier phone be outselling Samsung's flagship device?
Score: 20 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Small White Car Avatar
151 months ago

I know Apple want to maintain their margins, and they're obviously doing that, but the more they cling to that strategy the more they are seeing market share slip away. You can only continue down that path for so long... eventually it will reach a tipping point where the best app developers don't bother developing for iOS anymore (or, at least, treat it as a second class platform).

Why will developers bother with iOS once Android has 80% (90%? 95%?) market share?
Every new survey or study I read says that iOS users still lead other platforms in terms of how much they use their devices to buy apps, buy products, browse the web, and pay for services.

Each. (http://news.cnet.com/8301-13579_3-57595060-37/ipad-web-traffic-share-hits-84-percent-says-ad-network/) And every (http://www.cnn.com/2013/12/06/tech/mobile/ios-android-mobile-shopping/). Single (http://www.cultofandroid.com/30048/ios-users-are-30-more-likely-to-buy-stuff-via-device-than-android-users/). One (http://www.forbes.com/sites/ayoomojola/2013/09/26/ios-is-for-revenue-android-is-for-ads/).

These are the things developers care about.

And you're asking me to believe that the opposite is happening? That all of these articles are the end of an era, and things are turning around now? By all means, provide your own proof. Until then, I think you're crazy.
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Dulcimer Avatar
151 months ago
Even with something positive, someone is negative :confused:

I saw the other positive comments; I had to provide a balance :p
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Branskins Avatar
151 months ago
And elsewhere around the world, where the price is significantly higher, the iPhone lags in sales.

Even with something positive, someone is negative :confused:
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Dulcimer Avatar
151 months ago
And elsewhere around the world, where the price is significantly higher, the iPhone lags in sales.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
osofast240sx Avatar
151 months ago
The S4 is a better phone than the 5C.
but the 5c has a better overall user experience!
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)