The US mobile phone industry is well established, with more than 100 million units sold annually for more than five straight years. However, sales growth has slowed, as the majority of consumers have already migrated from feature phones to smartphones, and now need additional impetus to upgrade.

Apple and Samsung dominate the smartphone market, while Google has made a little progress in the short period it has competed in the space. Brand loyalty is extremely high among both Apple and Samsung, and to a lesser extent even among LG owners, so brands will have a difficult time converting current owners to an alternate. Overcoming such strong brand loyalty is no small task, as brands will have need to offer a superior phone from a hardware perspective, but also have the software that provides ease of use and seamlessly integrates into consumers’ lives.

The introduction of 5G technology will be a new battlefront for brands to compete in, and since Apple won’t make a 5G phone until late 2020, challenging brands will have an opportunity to try to win over innovators and early adopters and establish themselves as the next big brand.

For the purposes of this Report, Mintel defines a mobile phone as any cellular phone, including smartphones and feature phones.

This Report builds on the analysis presented in Mobile Phones – US, June 2017, as well as the March 2016, February 2015, February 2014, and February 2013 Reports of the same title.