The US smartphone market in Q2 2025 was outlined by aggressive and diversified promotional methods, totaling 4,567 new offers throughout 14 promotion sorts.
Commerce-in presents, bundle offers, and complimentary subscriptions remained the dominant techniques, signaling an industry-wide pivot towards value-added incentives designed to spice up client engagement and loyalty. Samsung and Apple led gadget promotions, with 2,286 and 1,372 presents respectively, underscoring their entrenched dominance.
Q2 service aggressive dynamics
Verizon emerged as probably the most lively promoter, launching 963 campaigns throughout ten methods. Its aggressive trade-in packages, together with the standout provide of a free Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge with any gadget trade-in on limitless plans, highlighted a push to simplify eligibility and maximise perceived worth. Accent bundling—akin to Ray-Ban Meta Glasses—strengthened Verizon’s ecosystem attraction. Verizon’s three-year value assure bolstered its stability narrative, though it confronted a internet lack of 50,000 postpaid subscribers regardless of a +2.3% YoY income acquire.
AT&T adopted with 742 promotions, focusing closely on retention by clear trade-in phrases. Its report $1,320 low cost on the Motorola razr extremely (2025) set a high-value benchmark. Tiered incentives tied to gadget storage and bundled equipment focused ARPU development. Whereas AT&T added 401,000 postpaid traces and achieved +3% mobility income development, pay as you go churn rose sharply to 2.64%, reflecting aggressive headwinds. T-Cellular’s 656 promotions mirrored a layered incentive technique tied intently to its new Expertise Extra and Expertise Past plans, backed by a five-year value assure. By providing gadget credit exceeding $1,000 for trade-ins in any situation, T-Cellular drove premium plan adoption and posted 830,000 postpaid internet provides—the strongest amongst nationwide carriers. Samsung gadgets dominated its promotional combine (407 presents), reinforcing the model’s premium gadget pull.
Supply: GlobalData Pricing and Promotions, Handset Promotions US, April to June 2025
Cable MVNO momentum
Cable MVNOs continued to increase their market footprint by aggressive, focused promotions. Spectrum launched 46 premium-focused presents—63% requiring trade-ins—fueling 500,000 new cell traces and +25% YoY service income development. Xfinity Cellular doubled its quarterly promotions to 244, leveraging an $830 trade-in credit score on flagship gadgets and simplifying its plan lineup to drive 378,000 new traces. Optimum Cellular tripled promotions to 88, 89% of which featured Apple gadgets, reaching a 42% YoY enhance in whole traces and boosting cross-service adoption from 4.7% to six.8%.
Q2 strategic implications
The quarter’s exercise highlighted three converging traits:
- Relaxed Commerce-in Circumstances – Acceptance of gadgets in “any situation” and growth of high-value incentives to non-premium plans is decreasing the barrier to switching suppliers. It will probably speed up churn except retention parity is maintained for current clients.
- Value Assurance as a Differentiator – Multi-year value ensures from Verizon and T-Cellular are addressing rising value considerations, however carriers should refine assure language to keep away from undermining belief.
- Cable MVNO Ascendancy – Spectrum, Xfinity, and Optimum are leveraging convergence methods and premium Android/iOS promotions to seize share from conventional carriers, aided by deep broadband buyer penetration.
Outlook
With cable MVNOs accelerating their development and nationwide carriers tying promotions extra tightly to premium plans, aggressive depth will stay elevated.
Samsung’s commanding promotion share positions it to maintain market management if it continues aggressive trade-in valuations and deep channel integration. Carriers should steadiness acquisition efforts with churn mitigation, particularly as relaxed trade-in guidelines and broadband-mobile bundling reshape buyer expectations.
