Galaxy S7 Cracks Top 5 for the Quarter in the US

NEW YORK, NY--(Marketwired - May 11, 2016) - The latest sales data from Kantar Worldpanel ComTech for the three months ending in March 2016 shows that the Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge became immediate hits among US consumers, capturing 5.8% of Q1 2016 smartphone sales. The Galaxy S7 was the fifth best-selling phone in the US during the first quarter of 2016, despite being available only for the last few weeks of the period. As a comparison, its predecessor, the Galaxy S6, was the tenth best-selling smartphone (3.2%), after its launch during the three months ending in April 2015.

"When the Galaxy S7 was announced at the end of February 2016, we wrote that this new model addressed most of the shortcomings of the Galaxy S6, most notably the lack of removable storage, while also improving camera quality and overall speed," said Lauren Guenveur, mobile analyst for Kantar Worldpanel ComTech.

Among Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge buyers who made purchases in March, the leading decision driver was battery life, with 53.5% citing that as the main reason for their choice. The battery on the S7 is larger than on previous iterations, and is capable of fast, wireless charging to 50% of capacity in 30 minutes, the first Samsung device to ship with that feature in the box.

The superior quality of the camera was also an important motivator for S7 buyers -- specifically, for 50.9% of them versus 33.5% of overall smartphone customers for the period. S7 buyers also prioritized storage capacity on the phone at 36.5% versus 17.8% for all buyers, and processor speed at 39.8% versus 23.9% of all buyers.

"With strong sales in the first few weeks due to heavy promotions across carriers and independent retailers, we expect the Galaxy S7 to become the best-selling phone in Q2 2016," Guenveur added. "The Galaxy S6 was never able to capture the top spot, remaining the second best-selling phone behind the iPhone 6, and then the iPhone 6s."

Recent OS Global Market Data

There was robust market performance for the Android OS in general during this period, both in the US and around the world. This included solid gains in the EU5 (Great Britain, Germany, France, Italy, and Spain), where Android's market share was up 7.1% points to 75.6%. In the US, Android share increased 7.3% points to 65.5%, and in China, it rose nearly 6% points to over 77%.

"Android's higher share in the US came from increased sales by ecosystem partners Samsung, Motorola, and LG, while growth for Android in the EU5 was the strongest in more than two years," Guenveur said. "Among Android-based device makers in China, Huawei saw the greatest share increase during this period. Globally, much of the rise in Android business came from a migration of buyers from Windows phones, with Windows users moving rapidly into different ecosystems."

The Samsung Galaxy S7 did extremely well in the US, but the Galaxy S6 was popular too, due to price reductions during the lead-up to the S7's release. Motorola experienced improved sales, particularly with Verizon, and grew to 9.8% of the smartphone market, up from 6.9% a year previously.

For more on the Galaxy S7's performance in the US, see Lauren Guenveur's blog post:
www.kantarworldpanel.com/global/News/Galaxy-S7-cracks-top-5-for-the-quarter

To view complete global OS data and an optional PDF file, please visit:
www.kantarworldpanel.com/global/News/Android-Share-Growth-is-Highest-in-EU5-in-Over-Two-Years

About Kantar Worldpanel
Kantar Worldpanel is the global expert in shoppers' behavior.

Through continuous monitoring, advanced analytics, and tailored solutions, Kantar Worldpanel inspires successful decisions by brand owners, retailers, market analysts, and government organizations globally. With over 60 years' experience, a team of 3,500, and services covering 60 countries directly or through partners, Kantar Worldpanel turns purchase behavior into competitive advantage in markets as diverse as FMCG, impulse products, fashion, baby, telecommunications and entertainment, among many others.

Kantar Worldpanel is part of the Kantar Group, one of the world's largest insight, information, and consultancy networks. The Kantar Group is the data investment management division of WPP.

For further information, please visit: www.kantarworldpanel.com
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