According to recent research published by Strategy Analytics’ Smartphone Model Tracker (SMT) service, Samsung’s new 5G-enabled Galaxy S20 series models were topping the charts of 5G smartphones in the United States in the first quarter of 2020. Although both Samsung and LG had 5G models available in the US already in April 2019, the shipment volumes were tiny back then. With the launch of key models like the S20+ 5G, S20 Ultra 5G, and S20 5G in cooperation with major operators Verizon and AT&T, Samsung’s 5G shipments reached more than 3 million units in the US in Q1’20, a figure unrivalled by any other smartphone vendor. Non -5G models of the S20 series are not offered by major operators or retailers at all, making the question of buying a 5G-enabled phone or not irrelevant for the buyers of Samsung’s S20 series.

Although it was Apple that dominated the charts in the US with the iPhone 11 series models, the lack of 5G still for the most part of this year is setting the vendor apart from Samsung. Apple’s new iPhone SE (2020), not yet available in Q1, is also non-5G, but given the price-sensitive focus of the device, that was to be expected. Flagship models are also more important in the US than mid-range offerings, particularly so for Apple. Hence, Apple’s new 5G smartphone line-up is direly needed.

Interested in the shipments, market share, wholesale pricing, and specs of the top-50 best-selling smartphones in the United States or Canada? Clients of our Smartphone Model Tracker (SMT) service can get these, and many other types of data here.