iPhone 5 Helps Apple Topple Android In US Smartphone Market

The iPhone 5 has helped Apple grapple past Android in the US smartphone market after a few months of the Google OS phones outselling iOS.

Smartphone sales data gathered by Kantar Worldpanel ComTech suggests that 48.1 percent of all smartphones sold in the US in the past 12 weeks were iPhones, reports CNN Money.

Apple has both the iPhone 5 to thank to toppling Android in the US as well as consumers who already owned an iPhone and wanted to upgrade. While cumulative Android sales have been outpacing iPhones since 2012, Apple often gains back some ground when it releases a new smartphone.

Apple was likely able to gain back the top US smartphone market spot by building a device with a larger screen that is still compatible with all previous iOS applications. Of all the iPhone purchases in the 12-week period, 62 percent were from people upgrading from older iPhones.

But iPhone 5 sales in the US don’t reflect other countries, according to the data. Kantar Worldpanel ComTech writes:

“Apple’s rise in the US has not been replicated in quite the same way across Europe where Android still takes the lead, accounting for 73.9% of sales in Germany and 81.7% in Spain.”

The Christian Post notes that Android was able to achieve 46.7 percent of the market share. Dominic Sunnebo, the global consumer insight director with Kantar, stated:

“The last time we saw iOS overtake Android in the US was when the iPhone 4S was released and Apple managed to retain its lead for three consecutive periods. This time we predict that Apple will beat its previous high of 49.3 percent and achieve its highest ever share of the US smartphone market within the next two periods.”

While they enjoy letting the iPhone 5 catapult them to the top of the US smartphone market, Apple will continue its legal battles with Samsung.