Google’s Pixel market share reaches historic high in the US

Google has been in the smartphone hardware business for a long time — first with its enthusiast-focused Nexus brand, and more recently with its in-house Pixel lineup of handsets. Unfortunately, the company has struggled to break into the mainstream, historically hovering around a 5% market share in its domestic US market.

With the high-profile launch of Google’s latest Pixel 9 series of devices, the tides appear to be turning, if only in the short term finally. A new report from StatCounter suggests that Google’s North American market share rose from 4.76% in September 2024, up to a much healthier 12.9% in October 2024.

Statcounter’s Mobile Vendor Market Share chart doesn’t rely on physical unit shipments or sales to track its estimates, but rather it analyzes which consumer devices are being used to access various websites across the web. As such, it’s important to take these measurements with a grain of salt to leave room for a margin of error.

Google’s Pixel strategy is looking up

The company’s aggressive push into the hardware space appears to be paying off

Statcounter

Starting with the original Pixel and Pixel XL handsets in 2016, Google has been aggressively attempting to solidify a foothold within the US smartphone hardware market. 9 years into this Pixel experiment, it’s become clear that dethroning the Apple and Samsung duopoly is a downright Herculean task.

That being said, Google’s massive marketing budget, as well as its deep research and development capabilities, appear to be finally paying off. Recent reports indicate that the company’s Pixel 9 launch has crushed its quarterly sales record, with Counterpoint Research stating that Google “recorded their highest ever quarterly volumes” in Q3 of 2024.

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The latest findings from Statcounter suggest that Google has now surpassed both Motorola and OnePlus in US Android market share, which is a major feat if accurate. Competition within the Android space is fierce, and both of these aforementioned OEMs have developed strong roots in the US market over the course of many years.

The positive reception to the search giant’s Pixel 9 series can’t be understated, either — the company has arguably crafted a lineup of smartphones that live up to the hype, which hasn’t always been the case in previous generations of Pixel hardware. Whether or not Google’s newfound Pixel success is an anomaly, or whether it will continue to grow in market share in the months and years to come, is something Pocket-lint will be tracking closely.

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  Google Pixel 9

  Pixel 9 features a 6.3-inch display and a familiar design. It supports the addition of a 48-megapixel ultrawide lens to its rear camera array alongside Google Gemini and AI features.

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  Pixel 9 Pro

  The Pixel 9 Pro brings a new squared-off design, the Tensor G4 chip, and new AI features like Pixel Screenshots to Google’s flagship smartphone line. It’s available starting September 4th.

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  Pixel 9 Pro XL

  The Pixel 9 Pro XL is Google’s first pass at an iPhone 15 Pro Max-style giant smartphone, with a Tensor G4 and new AI features like Pixel Screenshots. It’s available on August 22nd.

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  Pixel 9 Pro Fold

  Google’s Pixel 9 Pro Fold aims to solve the original Pixel Fold’s key issues thanks to its thinner and lighter design, Tensor G4 chip and more fluid hinge.