Samsung snags top smartphone spot from Apple

iPhone SE with Galaxy S7

iPhone SE couldn’t stop a Samsung takeover. Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Android

Glowing reviews for the Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge have been translated into stellar sales for Samsung.

The South Korean company’s latest handsets have been so successful this year that they’ve helped it overtake Apple to become number one smartphone maker in the U.S.

Samsung’s smartphone sales have sunk in recent years, giving Apple a chance to break away with its lead on the back of hugely successful iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus — its first smartphones with large displays. But boy, have those tables turned in 2016.

Now Apple’s iPhone sales are falling as fans await a more exciting upgrade, and Samsung couldn’t have wished for a better start for its Galaxy S7 series.

According to the latest data from Counterpoint Research, Samsung had claimed a 28.8 percent share of the U.S. smartphone market as of March, firmly claiming the number one spot, while Apple’s share dropped to 23 percent.

LG managed to claim third place with a 17.1 percent share, which is even more impressive when you consider its new G5 didn’t go on sale in the U.S. until April 1. ZTE landed in fourth with a 6.6 percent share, and Alcatel made up the top five with a 4.5 percent share.

Apple will be hoping that it can reclaim the number one spot before the end of 2016 with the launch of the iPhone 7 series this fall. But while some rumors suggest it will be a major upgrade, many others warn it will be another iPhone 6 clone with mostly internal improvements.

It sounds like 2017 will be a much more spectacular year for iPhone fans, with Apple reportedly planning a massive, “all-glass” redesign that could usher in its first OLED smartphone displays.