Google Pixel phones perform well in Japan and are grabbing iPhone market share

CTOnews.com Google's Pixel phone still has a low share of the smartphone market, but it is taking market share from the iPhone in Japan.

As in the U.S., Apple's iPhone dominates the Japanese market, with more than 50 percent market share. But that number is currently declining, and Google Pixel phone share is growing in the region.

According to Counterpoint Research, Google Pixel's share of the Japanese smartphone market reached 12% by the second quarter of 2023, compared with 2% in the second quarter of 2021. Meanwhile, Apple's iPhone market share fell from 58% to 46% over the same period.

According to reports, Japan has become the largest market for Google Pixel phones in the first quarter, when Pixel accounted for only 9% of the market.

CTOnews.com notes that Pixel isn't the only Android brand growing market share in Japan. Sharp's market share grew from 8% to 11%, and Sony's from 5% to 6%. Samsung maintained its 6% level, while Oppo dropped from 6% to 5%.

Google's success depends largely on its Pixel A series design, which includes the Pixel 6a and Pixel 7a. Counterpoint analyst Tom Kang said,"The iPhone is suffering from the weak yen, and Google is benefiting from it. "