How did Android devices replace the iPhone in the US?

According to the report in question, the reason for this may actually be the major difference in "upgrading" behavior between the two user groups.

iPHONE SALES ACCOUNTED FOR 39 PERCENT OF PHONES SOLD IN THE COUNTRY LAST QUARTER

According to a new report prepared by Consumer Intelligence Research Partners (CIRP), iPhone sales in the US accounted for 39 percent of the total number of smartphones sold in the country in the last quarter. This means that Android phones sold more than iPhones in the US. This could be considered a surprise, as other research firms have stated that Apple holds a dominant position in the US smartphone sector. However, this is not the most interesting part.

According to CIRP, the data shows that the way people use Android phones is different from the way they use iPhones, which explains why iPhones do not sell as much as Android smartphones.

According to data reported by Chip, only 10 percent of iPhone users switch to a new iPhone within a year, while 23 percent of Android smartphone users switch to a new Android phone in less than a year. Similarly, 61 percent of iPhone users keep their previous iPhones for more than two years, while only 43 percent of Android smartphone users kept their previous devices for more than two years. The research firm says there are two possible reasons why people hold onto an iPhone longer than an Android smartphone.

THERE ARE A FEW THEORIES

The first theory is that iPhones are generally more expensive than most Android phones, and therefore people hold onto iPhones for longer. Since Android smartphones, especially those outside the flagship category, are not as expensive as iPhones, people can switch to a new device more easily and more frequently.

The second theory is that Apple releases new iPhones only once a year. However, there is no such limit for Android smartphones. Different manufacturers continue to release new phones throughout the year. Because the frequency of new Android phones hitting the market is higher than that of iPhones, people switch to new Android smartphones more often.

According to CIRP, iPhones do not sell as much as Android smartphones for these two reasons.

While these theories make sense, there may be other reasons behind this phenomenon. On the other hand, it is worth noting that Samsung is currently the number one smartphone brand worldwide and was the brand that sold the most phones globally in the 3rd quarter of 2023 with a 20 percent market share.