Samsung, not Apple, led the latest US smartphone sales spike

Between March 8 and 14, smartphone sales in the United States rose 24% week-on-week and 3% year-on-year. According to market watchers, Samsung, not Google or Apple, drove most of that growth.

Although iPhone 17e sales were up 15% year-on-year in its first three weeks, Samsung’s Galaxy S26 series performed better.

S26 lineup sales were 29% higher year-on-year over the same period, with the Galaxy S26 Ultra leading the charge. The Ultra alone accounted for nearly 71% of Galaxy S sales, up from 61% for the Galaxy S25 Ultra a year earlier.

Pre-orders for the Galaxy S26 series in the US were also stronger this year, rising nearly 25% year-on-year across all channels. Some retailers, including Best Buy, saw pre-order volumes double compared to the previous generation.

In the United States, the unlocked Galaxy S26 starts at $899 at Samsung’s online store before trade-ins and discounts, though both the base and Plus models are currently $100 off.

The Galaxy S26 Ultra starts at $1,299 and quickly became a fan favorite. One key draw is the new Privacy Display.

The new Ultra is the first phone to use this Samsung Display technology. It works by using two sets of pixels, one of which is masked.

When the feature is enabled, these pixels narrow viewing angles significantly, helping prevent shoulder surfing. It is a surprisingly common phenomenon according to a recent study.

You can check out the Privacy Display in action in our review video below.