While Samsung sold the most handsets, Apple remained the top vendor of U.S. smartphones, claiming 37 percent of smartphones sold outside of the variety of Android and Windows Mobile licensees that Counterpoint analyzed.

Apple accounted for the largest share of smartphones for three of the top four U.S. mobile carriers: 52 percent at AT&T, 51 percent at Verizon Wireless, and 36 percent at Sprint, while taking the second place spot behind Samsung on the more value-oriented T-Mobile/Metro PCS with 24 percent.