Just like Apple last year, Samsung this year had three models, instead of two, by launching the Galaxy S10e, Galaxy S10, and Galaxy S10+. That, in and of itself, gave Samsung the opportunity to raise its sales numbers by having more models at more price points as options for potential customers. No wonder that, according to Counterpoint, first week Galaxy S10 sales surpassed Galaxy S9 sales in the US by 16 percent.

The research compares the March 8–14, 2019 period with March 16–22, 2018. It also confirms what we’ve already known, that the Galaxy S10+ was the best-selling of the three phones in the line-up, accounting for 50% of all sales. The numbers more or less match those made public by Samsung during the pre-order period.

The US is a key market for Samsung as this is where the majority of its premium smartphones are sold. The S10e is not cannibalizing older models like the S8 or the S9. It is actually helping Samsung gain share — Jeff Fieldhack, Research Director at Counterpoint Research

Still, despite the research stating that Samsung “may reclaim the top spot in the US market for the first time since June 2017“, the graph below can go either way, with both Samsung and Apple starting off February with a two percent bump over 2018.