Report: Samsung Galaxy S5 Remains Most Popular Samsung Device in USA as of February 2017

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The Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8+ are finally reaching the hands of consumers, and thanks to a lot of positive press, the device will likely be a popular choice for mainstream consumers. Samsung’s flagships have had great success over the years, staying competitive despite mounting pressure from the likes of Huawei and Apple, and their phones make for an excellent option for users who want the best hardware on the market.

However, according to a report from Kantar World Panel, Samsung’s most popular device in the U.S.A. remains the Galaxy S5, surprisingly. As of February 2017, the Galaxy S5 represents 15.6% of active Samsung smartphones within the U.S. This is followed by the Galaxy S7 at 11.5% and the Galaxy S6 at 11.4%. The Galaxy S7 Edge accounted for 5.8%, which if combined with the S7 as they are part of the same generation, would propel the S7 and S7 Edge as the most popular Samsung devices.

The Galaxy S5’s popularity is surprising because this was one of the poorer performing flagship devices from Samsung in terms of total shipments. Samsung shipped only 12 million units in the first three months of its availability, which was even lower than the total shipments of the S4!

Kantar’s data also shows that about 28% of Samsung’s installed base upgraded to a new Samsung smartphone. Of that 28%, 52% opted for the Galaxy S7/S7 Edge, while 10% went for a Galaxy S6. The remainder chose between 48 devices to upgrade to, which shows that although the last flagship takes up most of the attention, Samsung’s offering in the U.S. remains very diverse and lucrative.

20% of Galaxy S7 owners said they planned to upgrade within a year, while 40% of S6 owners intended to do so and a good 55% of S5 owners intended to upgrade as well. This also means that 45% still want to keep their S5! To think that all these people prefer the functionality of the S5 over its infamous “band-aid back” form is certainly an interesting case study on consumer preference.

What are your thoughts on the Galaxy S5’s popularity? Do you still own and use a S5? What holds you back from upgrading? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!