iPhone 4 and 3GS Continued to Lead U.S. Smartphone Sales in Q3

While the sheer number of available Android devices has resulted in the platform surpassing Apple's iOS in popularity, Apple's limited portfolio of devices remained popular even as customers looked forward to updated hardware that arrived last month in the form of the iPhone 4S. According to NPD, the iPhone 4 and 3GS continued to hold the top two positions in U.S. smartphone sales during the third quarter, leading a series of Android phones in the rankings.
Led by continued steady sales for Apple’s iPhones, the top five best-selling mobile phone handsets in Q3 were as follows:
1. Apple iPhone 4
2. Apple iPhone 3GS
3. HTC EVO 4G
4. Motorola Droid 3
5. Samsung Intensity II
The ranking follows an identical showing for Apple during the second quarter, despite the iPhone 4 having been introduced in June 2010 and the iPhone 3GS launch dating all the way back to June 2009.
Even with the introduction of the iPhone 4S last month, Apple is continuing to sell the iPhone 4 and iPhone 3GS as low-end devices, with an 8 GB iPhone 4 being offered for $99 on contract at all three major U.S. iPhone carriers and AT&T offering the 8 GB iPhone 3GS for free on contract.
Popular Stories
We are still waiting for the iOS 26.3 Release Candidate to come out, so the first iOS 26.4 beta is likely still at least a week or two away. Following beta testing, iOS 26.4 will likely be released to the general public in March or April.
Below, we have recapped known or rumored iOS 26.3 and iOS 26.4 features so far.
iOS 26.3
iPhone to Android Transfer Tool
iOS 26.3 makes it easier...
The calendar has turned to February, and a new report indicates that Apple's next product launch is "imminent," in the form of new MacBook Pro models.
"All signs point to an imminent launch of next-generation MacBook Pros that retain the current form factor but deliver faster chips," Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said on Sunday. "I'm told the new models — code-named J714 and J716 — are slated...
In 2022, Apple introduced a new Apple Home architecture that is "more reliable and efficient," and the deadline to upgrade and avoid issues is fast approaching.
In an email this week, Apple gave customers a final reminder to upgrade their Home app by February 10, 2026. Apple says users who do not upgrade may experience issues with accessories and automations, or lose access to their smart...
Last year, Apple launched CarPlay Ultra, the long-awaited next-generation version of its CarPlay software system for vehicles. Nearly nine months later, CarPlay Ultra is still limited to Aston Martin's latest luxury vehicles, but that should change fairly soon.
In May 2025, Apple said many other vehicle brands planned to offer CarPlay Ultra, including Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis.
In his Powe...
Apple's first foldable iPhone will feature relocated volume buttons, an all-black camera plateau, a smaller Dynamic Island, and more, according to design leaks from a known Weibo leaker.
The user known as "Instant Digital" today claimed to share several key details about the design of the foldable iPhone:
The volume buttons will be located on the top edge of the device, aligned to the...