BOSTON and NEW YORK and SAN DIEGO, April 8, 2019 /PRNewswire/ — Over one-third of consumers who bought the Google Pixel 3 and the OnePlus 6T, during Q4 2018, were previous Samsung owners, according to Counterpoint Research’s US Smartphone Churn Tracker. Less than one in five people who bought either device was a previous Apple user. In Q4 2018, Google Pixel accounted for 7.3% of Verizon’s total sales while the OnePlus 6T made up 2.4% of T-Mobile’s total sales.
Despite the initial sales success, the Pixel 3 has been ineffective in converting a larger share of iPhone users to Android. Conversely, 6T sales declined in Q1 2019 in spite of the strong Q4 2018 start.
About the Pixel smartphones, Jeff Fieldhack, Research Director at Counterpoint Research said, “Google invested a lot of marketing money during Q4 2018 resulting in strong sales of the Google Pixel 3 lineup at Verizon. Over half of all new Pixel 3 owners came from Samsung. The Pixel was built to lead Android innovation and sway the iOS base over to Android. Over 80% of volumes are coming from its Android partners and is probably seen as a disappointment.”
Elaborating on the OnePlus 6T, Maurice Klaehne, Research Analyst at Counterpoint Research added, “When the 6T was announced for T-Mobile, at a sub-US$600 price point, consumers flocked to the device. Many users upgraded their older Samsung J2 Prime and Galaxy S7 phones. In addition, close to 70% of previous Apple users had an iPhone 7 or older. However, in Q1 2019 we are seeing sales weaken for the device. Older Apple and Samsung flagships have been discounted that provide similar value to price now.”
Fieldhack added, “Both the Pixel and 6T show that there is room to innovate in the market. With 5G at our doorstep, there are additional opportunities to stand out in the market and make a compelling value offering for consumers.”
This is an excerpt from our smartphone churn tracker service across different geographies providing highly detailed insights and analysis.
