We're getting all the activation numbers around iPhone sales at the major carriers. Yesterday, AT&T and Apple announced sales numbers. Today we look at Verizon Wireless and Sprint which both slowed. Which may leave an opening for sales of the Samsung Galaxy S 4 which will be released in the next few weeks.
Verizon Wireless activated 4 million iPhones over the first three months of 2013, 2.2 million fewer than the 6.2 million it sold between September and December 2012. Total smartphones sold were 7.2 million making the iPhone share at 55% down from 63% in the last quarter on 2012. In the last quarter of 2012 Verizon had 9.8 million new smartphone activations of which 6.2 million were iPhones. Verizon smartphone penetration in Q1 2013 is at 61%.
Meanwhile Sprint's iPhone sales were called "flat." Sprint sold 5 million smartphones with 1.5 million iPhones included (30%). In the fourth quarter of last year it sold 2.2(36%) million iPhones out of 6.1 mllion smartphones.
Analysts previously noted that Samsung heavily promoted and discounted the larger Samsung Galaxy S III, making it cost less than the iPhone 5.
According to Kantar Worldpanel Android sales were 51.2% in the three months ending in February. The top carrier to sell Android was Sprint attributed to huge discounts on Samsung Galaxy smartphones and tablets
"Samsung’s success may be attributed to the fact that they are strong across market factors – from having a widely distributed product across carriers and retailers through to strong marketing and in-store sales training initiatives. Samsung has all the successful elements from brand availability, discounts (seen to be driving growth for carriers such as Sprint) and the right placement across retailers, which is why we continue to see Samsung grow in the market." said analyst Mary-Ann Parlato.
In the first quarter of this year Apple sold 37.4 million iPhones and 19.5 million iPads. Apple sold 35.1 million iPhones and 11.8 million iPads in the same quarter last year.
In the fourth quarter of 2012 Apple sold a record 47.8 million iPhones and 22.9 million iPads during the quarter.
Apple reported its first quarterly profit decline in a decade, due to lower-cost iPad minis and emerging markets, especially China, have been buying the iPhone 4, which Apple sells at a lower price.