Samsung released positive financial results on July 7, 2017. They forecasted record earnings for the second quarter of 2017. A good portion of Samsung’s success came from their semiconductor unit. But they are also seeing a rebound in their smartphone business. The positive reception of the Samsung Galaxy S8 is driving the smartphone turnaround. The question is, how positive is this reception?
Samsung Galaxy S8 is Now 30th Most Popular Smartphone
We have previously tracked the S8 release here and here. With our MOVR (Mobile Overview Report) data, we can analyze real-time usage information that shows the % of market share for any specific device model. As of July 9, 2017, the Samsung Galaxy S8 had 0.68% market share. This makes it the 30th most popular device (in the USA). Likewise, the Samsung S8+ (a larger screen) had 0.53% market share and was the 36th most popular device.
Samsung Flagship Models Declining Slightly
Looking at the graph below, you can see the impressive install base of Samsung flagship devices – ranging from the S5 (released 2014) to the S7. The S5 and S6 models have experienced a decline in usage since the launch of the Samsung Galaxy S8. This indicates that some customers have upgraded to the newer Samsung Galaxy S8 model. However, the increase of 0.68% by S8, plus the 0.53% by S8+ growth does not compensate for the -2.7% decline in the S5, S6, and S7 models. The net decline in all flagship Samsung devices is -1.5%
Net Decrease in All Samsung Smartphones Market Share
However, is Samsung retaining or growing its overall market share? And is it retaining customers in its flagship model, or are customers downgrading to its mid-range or budget phones?
Looking at all Samsung models in the USA, the drop is -1.48%. Most of this decline is from their flagship Galaxy line, not their mid-range phones.
But Samsung is not alone. Let’s not sound the alarm too loudly. Apple over the same period experienced a similar decline of -1.91%. And it is still only 2 months into the Samsung Galaxy S8 launch. Given the number of Samsung users with phones over 2 years old, the upgrade path appears abundant for the S8.
You can learn more by subscribing to our quarterly MOVR report.
