The iPhone SE was a “bright spot” for Apple in a quarter that otherwise saw a drop in sales from all smartphone makers, according to a new report.
According to new sales estimate data from Counterpoint Research on Monday, the volume of smartphone sales in the US decreased 25% year-over-year in the second quarter of 2020. iPhone sales at Apple in the US They fell 23% in the same period.
Among smartphone brands in the US, Apple and Samsung were able to better maintain their sales volume than other manufacturers. For Apple, this is largely due to the success of the iPhone SE, data from Counterpoint Research suggests.
“Apple’s volumes grew during the quarter and were especially helped by the volumes of the iPhone SE. The device has been successful and has sold above expectations on the prepaid and postpaid channels,” said Jeff Field Hack, Director of Research. North America from Counterpoint.
Several factors helped iPhone SE boost Apple sales during the quarter, including the reopening of retail channels in the US and subsequent promotional offerings from stores like Walmart, Metro and Boost.
The device also appears to be attracting Android switches, as Counterpoint estimates that 26% of iPhone SE users moved from an Android device. According to Fieldhack, that’s higher than the normal rate of change from Android to iOS.
Buyers upgrading from an older device also represent a significant portion of iPhone SE shoppers, as 30% of customers upgrade from an iPhone 6s or earlier.
Similarly, Counterpoint controls indicate that iPhone SE sales cannot cannibalize the drop in the “iPhone 12” line, due to the fact that “iPhone SE buyers are more pragmatic about price, less concerned about 5G , and the smallest screen is not considered an obstacle. ”
The research firm also notes that smartphone sales from May to June actually grew week-on-week, and that June 2020 sales were higher than in the same month last year. According to Counterpoint, that suggests that the smartphone market is beginning to recover from the impacts of the coronavirus.
Earlier Monday, data from Consumer Intelligence Research Partners indicated that the iPhone SE accounted for nearly a fifth of all available first-quarter iPhone purchases.
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