Apple iPhone vs Samsung Galaxy:Which is more popular?
In September 2026, Apple iPhone had more branded searches than Samsung Galaxy among smartphone brands in the United States. Apple iPhone had about 3.4 million branded searches, while Samsung Galaxy had 192,000. Apple iPhone made up 77.4% of all smartphone brand searches we track, and Samsung Galaxy accounted for 4.4%. When we asked ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews about smartphone brands, both Apple iPhone and Samsung Galaxy appeared in all five answers. Samsung Galaxy was mentioned before Apple iPhone in three out of five answers.
Who do people search for more?
Apple iPhone, about 17 searches for every 1 for Samsung Galaxy
Who does AI mention more?
Both are mentioned in every answer we collected.
Who does AI recommend more?
Samsung Galaxy, named ahead of Apple iPhone in 3 of 5 answers
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Top smartphone brands in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews
In three ChatGPT questions and two Google AI Overviews, both Apple iPhone and Samsung Galaxy showed up in all five answers. Samsung Galaxy was listed before Apple iPhone in three of them.
Most recommended by AI
Brands get a higher ranking if they are mentioned earlier in the answers.
- Samsung Galaxy1st
- Apple iPhone2nd
Google Pixel3rd
Motorola4th
OnePlus5th
Nothing6th
Nokia–
Sony–
TCL–
Mentioned by AI
Each dot is one answer, filled in when that answer mentions the brand.
- Apple iPhone5 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
- Google Pixel5 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
- Samsung Galaxy5 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
- Motorola4 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
- Nothing1 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
- OnePlus1 of 5Named in 1 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
- Nokia0 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
- Sony0 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
- TCL0 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
See every answer about smartphone brands
5 answers
Asked ChatGPT
“Which phone should I buy?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What are the best smartphone brands?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What is the best phone for the money?”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“smartphone”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“best phone”
Brands are shown in the order each answer named them. The survey took place in United States on October 26, 2026.
Is Apple iPhone or Samsung Galaxy more popular in search?
This chart shows how often people search Google for Apple iPhone and Samsung Galaxy by name. Each line represents a brand's share of searches for all nine smartphone brands we track, month by month, from searches in United States.
Share of searches by month for Apple iPhone, Samsung Galaxy. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of searches table
| Month | Apple iPhone | Google Pixel | Nothing | Samsung Galaxy | Nokia | OnePlus | Motorola | Sony | TCL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 61.1% | 14% | 5.5% | 7.9% | 3.7% | 5.1% | 1.1% | 0.91% | 0.74% |
| Nov 2025 | 64% | 12.2% | 3.9% | 6.9% | 3.2% | 7.7% | 0.95% | 0.63% | 0.63% |
| Dec 2025 | 65.1% | 11.9% | 4.8% | 7% | 2.6% | 6.4% | 0.96% | 0.64% | 0.64% |
| Jan 2026 | 64.6% | 9.9% | 5.8% | 7.3% | 3.2% | 6.5% | 1.2% | 0.78% | 0.78% |
| Feb 2026 | 66.3% | 10.2% | 6% | 7.2% | 3.3% | 4.6% | 0.98% | 0.8% | 0.66% |
| Mar 2026 | 62.6% | 11.4% | 8.5% | 6.8% | 3.1% | 5.1% | 1.1% | 0.76% | 0.62% |
| Apr 2026 | 66.1% | 10.1% | 6% | 7.2% | 3.3% | 4.5% | 1.2% | 0.8% | 0.8% |
| May 2026 | 64.1% | 9.8% | 8.7% | 6.7% | 3.2% | 4.4% | 1.2% | 1.2% | 0.78% |
| Jun 2026 | 65.4% | 8.2% | 13.1% | 5.8% | 2.2% | 3.2% | 0.97% | 0.65% | 0.65% |
| Jul 2026 | 68.4% | 8.5% | 9.2% | 5.9% | 2.3% | 3.8% | 0.83% | 0.55% | 0.55% |
| Aug 2026 | 68.8% | 10.3% | 9.2% | 5.2% | 1.9% | 2.6% | 0.83% | 0.68% | 0.56% |
| Sep 2026 | 77.4% | 7.6% | 5.7% | 4.4% | 1.7% | 1.7% | 0.63% | 0.42% | 0.42% |
How has the Apple iPhone and Samsung Galaxy comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- Apple iPhone was ahead of Samsung Galaxy in every measured month of the 12 months ending September 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Apple iPhone’s share of searches among smartphone brands in the United States moved from 61.1% to 77.4%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 1.2M to 3.4M.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Samsung Galaxy’s share of searches among smartphone brands in the United States moved from 7.9% to 4.4%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 157K to 192K.
How did search popularity change for United States smartphone brands in September 2026?
2 changes
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, Samsung Galaxy lost share of searches among smartphone brands in the United States, from 5.2% to 4.4%.
How are branded searches counted?
3 search terms
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Apple iPhone’s and Samsung Galaxy’s names. When viewed over time, estimated search volumes for these branded terms can be used to understand whether interest in the brands is growing, holding steady, or fading.
Apple iPhone
1 branded search term
- iphone
Samsung Galaxy
2 branded search terms
- samsung galaxy phone
- samsung phone
Other head-to-heads among smartphone brands
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