U.S. new smartphone sales in October remained broadly in line with prior years, as October typically marks the first full month following the latest iPhone launch. Upgrade cycles during these debut months tend to follow a consistent pattern, except in years when Apple introduces a major design overhaul. Overall smartphone sales were up just 1% compared to last October, while Apple posted a 3% increase in volumes over the same period. Demand for Apple’s higher-priced Pro and Pro Max models remained strong, fueled by carriers’ aggressive trade-in subsidies. With the Pro series now starting at $1,100 (up from $999 last year), Apple’s MSRP-based smartphone revenues climbed 8% year-over-year, driving a 7% increase in total MSRP-based revenue.
As in previous years, Samsung’s October performance was overshadowed by Apple, which dominated promotional activity alongside key Android rivals, Motorola and Google. Samsung’s volumes fell 7% versus October 2024, while Google surged 30% year-over-year on the strength of its Pixel 10 series. Despite this growth, Google Pixel remains a niche player, accounting for less than 5% of total smartphone market volume. Motorola, meanwhile, sustained its momentum, propelled by demand for sub-$200 5G smartphones. Motorola captured 25% of Android volume in October 2025, up from 22% in October 2024 and 18% the year before.
