Strong iPhone performance helped US smartphone sales rise 8% year over year in 2023.

Counterpoint Research reports that Apple’s sales share reached 64% in the fourth quarter of 2023, its highest level since the fourth quarter of 2020.

Total smartphone shipments rose 8% year over year. Counterpoint linked this and iPhone growth to Apple’s recovery from factory disruptions caused by the previous year’s pandemic restrictions.

Counterpoint’s North America research director Jeff Fieldhack said Apple typically has a strong fourth quarter because of holiday demand for iPhone.

During 2023, Apple expanded in the prepaid market with older N-2 and N-3 models, offering iPhone 12 and iPhone 11 at low prices to increase its share of that segment.