Samsung Galaxy S5 challenges iPhone 5s for the title of Britain’s most popular mobile
The Samsung Galaxy S5 – which went on sale in early April – has gone straight into the chart as the UK’s third most popular phone according to the uSwitch.com Mobile Tracker, which is based on live searches, pre-orders and sales.
The Galaxy S5’s early popularity suggests it could well be an iPhone 5S killer, despite the fact Apple’s flagship phone has been sitting tight at the top as Britain’s most popular mobile for the past seven consecutive months.
And there’s competition from other tech giants too. After months of favouring primarily Apple and Samsung, the British public appears to be getting more adventurous. The HTC One M8 has gone straight into the mobile chart at number five, while the other new kid on the block –Sony’s Xperia Z2 – is currently in 10th place. Lauded for its crisp display, waterproof and dustproof body and super-sharp 4K video, the Xperia Z2 is around £5 per month cheaper than the M8 and the Galaxy S5.
Cheaper still is the Google Nexus 5, which was launched in late 2013, and has had a late resurgence. Currently in 9th place, it’s one of the cheapest smartphones in the chart, costing from £21 per month including a free handset. The Nexus boasts an improved camera, five-inch HD screen, and is easily upgradable to the latest ‘KitKat’ version of Android. For the snap happy, there’s a Photo Sphere mode that creates 360-degree images.
The most expensive smartphones in the chart are the Samsung Galaxy S5 and the HTC One M8, at £33 per month including free handset.
Number one handset – Apple’s iPhone 5S is the number one phone in April
New entries – Samsung Galaxy S5 in 3rd place, HTC One M8 in 5th place, and the Google Nexus 5 in 9th place
Biggest losers – Biggest losers – the Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini, HTC One, Sony Xperia Z1 and Z1 Compact have all dropped out of the top 10 chart since last month
Top Ten Handsets for April – correct on 30 April, 2014
# Handset
1 Apple iPhone 5S
2 Apple iPhone 5C
3 Samsung Galaxy S5
4 Samsung Galaxy S4
5 HTC One M8
6 Apple iPhone 4S
7 Samsung Galaxy Note 3
8 Samsung Galaxy S3
9 Google Nexus 5
10 Sony Xperia Z2
Ernest Doku, telecoms expert at uSwitch.com, says: “A bevy of high-profile flagship mobile launches have encouraged Brits to make bolder buying decisions. It’s no longer about being Team Apple or Team Samsung when there are such robust offerings from the likes of HTC, Sony and even Google themselves.
“The belated popularity of Google’s Nexus 5 proves that dropping prices works a treat. This is a solid Android smartphone with a very attractive price tag and specs we’d expect to see in a much more expensive handset.
“As predicted, the HTC One M8 has entered the charts attracting savvy shoppers looking for a premium device without the costly outlay, and the feature-packed Xperia Z2 looks like another success story for Sony.
“May will see manufacturer efforts continue in earnest, starting with the launch of Huawei’s Huawei Ascend P7 series which has already seen some early positive buzz. It’ll be exciting to see whether the Chinese manufacturer can make further inroads into the UK market.”