---
title: "Smartphone brands in the United States: Which are searched most?"
description: "Compare the phone brands people in the US buy. Share of Search among Apple iPhone, Google Pixel, Nothing, Samsung Galaxy, Nokia, OnePlus, Motorola, Sony and TCL, the smartphone brands Brandwave compares in the United States, using the same methodology, market, and reporting period. Branded searches tell you how often people look for a brand by name or related terms. Comparing these searches across competitors helps you see how popular each brand is over time."
canonical: "https://gobrandwave.com/demand/us/categories/us-smartphone-brands"
publisher: "Brandwave"
---

# Smartphone brands in the United States: Which are searched most?

Compare the phone brands people in the US buy. Share of Search among Apple iPhone, Google Pixel, Nothing, Samsung Galaxy, Nokia, OnePlus, Motorola, Sony and TCL, the smartphone brands Brandwave compares in the United States, using the same methodology, market, and reporting period. Branded searches tell you how often people look for a brand by name or related terms. Comparing these searches across competitors helps you see how popular each brand is over time.

## Key facts

- **Competitive set**: Smartphone brands
- **Market**: United States
- **Brands compared**: 9
- **Month measured**: Sep 2026
- **Highest Share of Search**: Apple iPhone, 77.4%

## Which brand is most popular in search among smartphone brands in the United States?

- In September 2026, Apple iPhone was the most searched among smartphone brands in the United States, with an estimated 3.4M branded searches, 77.4% of all searches for the nine we track.
- Google Pixel is in 2nd place, 69.9 percentage points behind at 7.6%.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Apple iPhone’s share of searches among smartphone brands in the United States increased from 61.1% to 77.4%.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Google Pixel’s share of searches among smartphone brands in the United States decreased from 14% to 7.6%.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Samsung Galaxy’s share of searches among smartphone brands in the United States decreased from 7.9% to 4.4%.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Nokia’s share of searches among smartphone brands in the United States decreased from 3.7% to 1.7%.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, OnePlus’ share of searches among smartphone brands in the United States decreased from 5.1% to 1.7%.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Nothing’s share of searches among smartphone brands in the United States peaked at 13.1% in June 2026 and was lowest at 3.9% in November 2025.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, OnePlus’ share of searches among smartphone brands in the United States peaked at 7.7% in November 2025 and was lowest at 1.7% in September 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Nothing rose from 4th to 3rd among smartphone brands in the United States.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Samsung Galaxy fell from 3rd to 4th among smartphone brands in the United States.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Nokia rose from 6th to 5th among smartphone brands in the United States.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, OnePlus fell from 5th to 6th among smartphone brands in the United States.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Motorola, Sony and TCL held steady: their share of searches among smartphone brands in the United States each moved less than 0.5 percentage points.

## Top smartphone brands in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews

In Brandwave's three ChatGPT questions and two Google AI Overviews, Apple iPhone, Google Pixel and Samsung Galaxy appeared every time. Samsung Galaxy was recommended most often, coming first in two out of five answers. Apple iPhone was second, and Google Pixel was third. Nokia, which ranked fifth in searches, was not mentioned at all.

Brands get a higher AI rank if they are mentioned earlier in the answers that list options.

| Brand | AI rank | ChatGPT answers that named it | Google AI Overviews that named it | All answers that named it |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Samsung Galaxy | 1st | 3 of 3 | 2 of 2 | 5 of 5 |
| Apple iPhone | 2nd | 3 of 3 | 2 of 2 | 5 of 5 |
| Google Pixel | 3rd | 3 of 3 | 2 of 2 | 5 of 5 |
| Motorola | 4th | 3 of 3 | 1 of 2 | 4 of 5 |
| OnePlus | 5th | 1 of 3 | 0 of 2 | 1 of 5 |
| Nothing | 6th | 0 of 3 | 1 of 2 | 1 of 5 |
| Nokia | Not ranked | 0 of 3 | 0 of 2 | 0 of 5 |
| Sony | Not ranked | 0 of 3 | 0 of 2 | 0 of 5 |
| TCL | Not ranked | 0 of 3 | 0 of 2 | 0 of 5 |

## Every AI answer about smartphone brands

- Asked ChatGPT "Which phone should I buy?": 1. Apple iPhone, 2. Samsung Galaxy, 3. Google Pixel, 4. Motorola
- Asked ChatGPT "What are the best smartphone brands?": 1. Samsung Galaxy, 2. OnePlus, 3. Motorola, 4. Google Pixel, 5. Apple iPhone
- Asked ChatGPT "What is the best phone for the money?": 1. Google Pixel, 2. Samsung Galaxy, 3. Apple iPhone, 4. Motorola
- Searched Google, AI Overview "smartphone": 1. Samsung Galaxy, 2. Google Pixel, 3. Apple iPhone, 4. Motorola, 5. Nothing
- Searched Google, AI Overview "best phone": 1. Apple iPhone, 2. Samsung Galaxy, 3. Google Pixel

Not named in any answer: Nokia, Sony and TCL.

Brands are listed in the order each answer named them. The answers were collected in United States on October 26, 2026.

## Compare search popularity between leading brands

- [Apple iPhone vs Google Pixel: compare search popularity](/demand/us/compare/google-pixel-vs-iphone): 77.4% against 7.6% Share of Search.
- [Apple iPhone vs Nothing: compare search popularity](/demand/us/compare/iphone-vs-nothing): 77.4% against 5.7% Share of Search.
- [Apple iPhone vs Samsung Galaxy: compare search popularity](/demand/us/compare/iphone-vs-samsung-galaxy): 77.4% against 4.4% Share of Search.
- [Google Pixel vs Nothing: compare search popularity](/demand/us/compare/google-pixel-vs-nothing): 7.6% against 5.7% Share of Search.
- [Google Pixel vs Samsung Galaxy: compare search popularity](/demand/us/compare/google-pixel-vs-samsung-galaxy): 7.6% against 4.4% Share of Search.
- [Nothing vs Samsung Galaxy: compare search popularity](/demand/us/compare/nothing-vs-samsung-galaxy): 5.7% against 4.4% Share of Search.

## How did search popularity change for United States smartphone brands in September 2026?

- In September 2026, Apple iPhone gained share of searches among smartphone brands in the United States, from 68.8% to 77.4%.
- In September 2026, Nothing lost share of searches among smartphone brands in the United States, from 9.2% to 5.7%.
- In September 2026, Google Pixel lost share of searches among smartphone brands in the United States, from 10.3% to 7.6%.
- In September 2026, OnePlus lost share of searches among smartphone brands in the United States, from 2.6% to 1.7%.
- In September 2026, Samsung Galaxy lost share of searches among smartphone brands in the United States, from 5.2% to 4.4%.
- In September 2026, Nokia rose from 6th to 5th among smartphone brands in the United States.
- Estimated monthly branded searches for TCL in the United States rose 22.3% over 12 measured months, from 14.8K to 18.1K in September 2026.
- Estimated monthly branded searches for Motorola in the United States rose 22.1% over 12 measured months, from 22.2K to 27.1K in September 2026.

## Share of Search ranking

| Rank | Brand | Share of Search | Estimated monthly branded searches | Change vs prior month | Owned by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | Apple iPhone | 77.4% | 3.4M | +49.6% | Apple |
| 2 | Google Pixel | 7.6% | 328K | -1.8% | Google |
| 3 | Nothing | 5.7% | 246K | -18.3% | Nothing |
| 4 | Samsung Galaxy | 4.4% | 192K | +14.3% | Samsung |
| 5 | Nokia | 1.7% | 74K | +22.3% | Nokia |
| 6 | OnePlus | 1.7% | 72.6K | -15.7% | OnePlus |
| 7 | Motorola | 0.63% | 27.1K | 0.0% | Motorola |
| 8 | Sony | 0.42% | 18.1K | -18.5% | Sony |
| 9 | TCL | 0.42% | 18.1K | 0.0% | TCL |

## Historical estimated branded-search demand

| Month | Brand | Estimated monthly branded searches | Share of Search | Rank |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Oct 2025 | Apple iPhone | 1.2M | 61.1% | 1 |
| Oct 2025 | Google Pixel | 279K | 14% | 2 |
| Oct 2025 | Samsung Galaxy | 157K | 7.9% | 3 |
| Oct 2025 | Nothing | 110K | 5.5% | 4 |
| Oct 2025 | OnePlus | 103K | 5.1% | 5 |
| Oct 2025 | Nokia | 74K | 3.7% | 6 |
| Oct 2025 | Motorola | 22.2K | 1.1% | 7 |
| Oct 2025 | Sony | 18.1K | 0.91% | 8 |
| Oct 2025 | TCL | 14.8K | 0.74% | 9 |
| Nov 2025 | Apple iPhone | 1.5M | 64% | 1 |
| Nov 2025 | Google Pixel | 287K | 12.2% | 2 |
| Nov 2025 | OnePlus | 180K | 7.7% | 3 |
| Nov 2025 | Samsung Galaxy | 162K | 6.9% | 4 |
| Nov 2025 | Nothing | 90.5K | 3.9% | 5 |
| Nov 2025 | Nokia | 74K | 3.2% | 6 |
| Nov 2025 | Motorola | 22.2K | 0.95% | 7 |
| Nov 2025 | Sony | 14.8K | 0.63% | 8 |
| Nov 2025 | TCL | 14.8K | 0.63% | 9 |
| Dec 2025 | Apple iPhone | 1.5M | 65.1% | 1 |
| Dec 2025 | Google Pixel | 273K | 11.9% | 2 |
| Dec 2025 | Samsung Galaxy | 162K | 7% | 3 |
| Dec 2025 | OnePlus | 147K | 6.4% | 4 |
| Dec 2025 | Nothing | 110K | 4.8% | 5 |
| Dec 2025 | Nokia | 60.5K | 2.6% | 6 |
| Dec 2025 | Motorola | 22.2K | 0.96% | 7 |
| Dec 2025 | Sony | 14.8K | 0.64% | 8 |
| Dec 2025 | TCL | 14.8K | 0.64% | 9 |
| Jan 2026 | Apple iPhone | 1.2M | 64.6% | 1 |
| Jan 2026 | Google Pixel | 187K | 9.9% | 2 |
| Jan 2026 | Samsung Galaxy | 137K | 7.3% | 3 |
| Jan 2026 | OnePlus | 122K | 6.5% | 4 |
| Jan 2026 | Nothing | 110K | 5.8% | 5 |
| Jan 2026 | Nokia | 60.5K | 3.2% | 6 |
| Jan 2026 | Motorola | 22.2K | 1.2% | 7 |
| Jan 2026 | Sony | 14.8K | 0.78% | 8 |
| Jan 2026 | TCL | 14.8K | 0.78% | 9 |
| Feb 2026 | Apple iPhone | 1.2M | 66.3% | 1 |
| Feb 2026 | Google Pixel | 187K | 10.2% | 2 |
| Feb 2026 | Samsung Galaxy | 132K | 7.2% | 3 |
| Feb 2026 | Nothing | 110K | 6% | 4 |
| Feb 2026 | OnePlus | 83.9K | 4.6% | 5 |
| Feb 2026 | Nokia | 60.5K | 3.3% | 6 |
| Feb 2026 | Motorola | 18.1K | 0.98% | 7 |
| Feb 2026 | Sony | 14.8K | 0.8% | 8 |
| Feb 2026 | TCL | 12.1K | 0.66% | 9 |
| Mar 2026 | Apple iPhone | 1.2M | 62.6% | 1 |
| Mar 2026 | Google Pixel | 223K | 11.4% | 2 |
| Mar 2026 | Nothing | 165K | 8.5% | 3 |
| Mar 2026 | Samsung Galaxy | 132K | 6.8% | 4 |
| Mar 2026 | OnePlus | 100K | 5.1% | 5 |
| Mar 2026 | Nokia | 60.5K | 3.1% | 6 |
| Mar 2026 | Motorola | 22.2K | 1.1% | 7 |
| Mar 2026 | Sony | 14.8K | 0.76% | 8 |
| Mar 2026 | TCL | 12.1K | 0.62% | 9 |
| Apr 2026 | Apple iPhone | 1.2M | 66.1% | 1 |
| Apr 2026 | Google Pixel | 187K | 10.1% | 2 |
| Apr 2026 | Samsung Galaxy | 132K | 7.2% | 3 |
| Apr 2026 | Nothing | 110K | 6% | 4 |
| Apr 2026 | OnePlus | 83.9K | 4.5% | 5 |
| Apr 2026 | Nokia | 60.5K | 3.3% | 6 |
| Apr 2026 | Motorola | 22.2K | 1.2% | 7 |
| Apr 2026 | Sony | 14.8K | 0.8% | 8 |
| Apr 2026 | TCL | 14.8K | 0.8% | 9 |
| May 2026 | Apple iPhone | 1.2M | 64.1% | 1 |
| May 2026 | Google Pixel | 187K | 9.8% | 2 |
| May 2026 | Nothing | 165K | 8.7% | 3 |
| May 2026 | Samsung Galaxy | 128K | 6.7% | 4 |
| May 2026 | OnePlus | 83.9K | 4.4% | 5 |
| May 2026 | Nokia | 60.5K | 3.2% | 6 |
| May 2026 | Motorola | 22.2K | 1.2% | 7 |
| May 2026 | Sony | 22.2K | 1.2% | 8 |
| May 2026 | TCL | 14.8K | 0.78% | 9 |
| Jun 2026 | Apple iPhone | 1.5M | 65.4% | 1 |
| Jun 2026 | Nothing | 301K | 13.1% | 2 |
| Jun 2026 | Google Pixel | 187K | 8.2% | 3 |
| Jun 2026 | Samsung Galaxy | 132K | 5.8% | 4 |
| Jun 2026 | OnePlus | 72.6K | 3.2% | 5 |
| Jun 2026 | Nokia | 49.5K | 2.2% | 6 |
| Jun 2026 | Motorola | 22.2K | 0.97% | 7 |
| Jun 2026 | Sony | 14.8K | 0.65% | 8 |
| Jun 2026 | TCL | 14.8K | 0.65% | 9 |
| Jul 2026 | Apple iPhone | 1.8M | 68.4% | 1 |
| Jul 2026 | Nothing | 246K | 9.2% | 2 |
| Jul 2026 | Google Pixel | 228K | 8.5% | 3 |
| Jul 2026 | Samsung Galaxy | 157K | 5.9% | 4 |
| Jul 2026 | OnePlus | 103K | 3.8% | 5 |
| Jul 2026 | Nokia | 60.5K | 2.3% | 6 |
| Jul 2026 | Motorola | 22.2K | 0.83% | 7 |
| Jul 2026 | Sony | 14.8K | 0.55% | 8 |
| Jul 2026 | TCL | 14.8K | 0.55% | 9 |
| Aug 2026 | Apple iPhone | 2.2M | 68.8% | 1 |
| Aug 2026 | Google Pixel | 334K | 10.3% | 2 |
| Aug 2026 | Nothing | 301K | 9.2% | 3 |
| Aug 2026 | Samsung Galaxy | 168K | 5.2% | 4 |
| Aug 2026 | OnePlus | 86.1K | 2.6% | 5 |
| Aug 2026 | Nokia | 60.5K | 1.9% | 6 |
| Aug 2026 | Motorola | 27.1K | 0.83% | 7 |
| Aug 2026 | Sony | 22.2K | 0.68% | 8 |
| Aug 2026 | TCL | 18.1K | 0.56% | 9 |
| Sep 2026 | Apple iPhone | 3.4M | 77.4% | 1 |
| Sep 2026 | Google Pixel | 328K | 7.6% | 2 |
| Sep 2026 | Nothing | 246K | 5.7% | 3 |
| Sep 2026 | Samsung Galaxy | 192K | 4.4% | 4 |
| Sep 2026 | Nokia | 74K | 1.7% | 5 |
| Sep 2026 | OnePlus | 72.6K | 1.7% | 6 |
| Sep 2026 | Motorola | 27.1K | 0.63% | 7 |
| Sep 2026 | Sony | 18.1K | 0.42% | 8 |
| Sep 2026 | TCL | 18.1K | 0.42% | 9 |

## What is being compared

- **Apple iPhone**: Measured on the search term “iphone”.
- **Google Pixel**: Measured on the search terms “google pixel” and “pixel phone”, summed into one figure.
- **Motorola**: Measured on the search term “motorola phone”.
- **Nokia**: Measured on the search term “nokia phone”.
- **Nothing**: Measured on the search term “nothing phone”.
- **OnePlus**: Measured on the search terms “oneplus” and “oneplus phone”, summed into one figure.
- **Samsung Galaxy**: Measured on the search terms “samsung galaxy phone” and “samsung phone”, summed into one figure.
- **Sony**: Measured on the search term “sony xperia”.
- **TCL**: Measured on the search term “tcl phone”.

- [Apple iPhone](/demand/us/brands/iphone)
- [Google Pixel](/demand/us/brands/google-pixel)
- [Motorola](/demand/us/brands/motorola)
- [Nokia](/demand/us/brands/nokia-phones)
- [Nothing](/demand/us/brands/nothing)
- [OnePlus](/demand/us/brands/oneplus)
- [Samsung Galaxy](/demand/us/brands/samsung-galaxy)
- [Sony](/demand/us/brands/sony)
- [TCL](/demand/us/brands/tcl)

## Methodology

- [How is the Brand Demand Index measured?](/demand/methodology): Where the figures come from, what they compare, and how they may be reused.

## Frequently asked questions

### Which brand is most popular in search among smartphone brands in the United States?

In September 2026, Apple iPhone was the most searched among smartphone brands in the United States, with an estimated 3.4M branded searches, 77.4% of all searches for the nine we track.

## Cite this page

Brandwave. "Smartphone brands in the United States: Which are searched most?". https://gobrandwave.com/demand/us/categories/us-smartphone-brands

This page is also available as HTML at https://gobrandwave.com/demand/us/categories/us-smartphone-brands. Brandwave publishes an index of its Markdown pages at https://gobrandwave.com/llms.txt.