More iPhone buyers switching from Android this year than in 2012
New research by Consumer Intelligence Research Partners, based on interviews of 400 new iPhone 5s and 5c buyers, indicates that an increasing proportion of Apple's customers are coming from Android compared to last year.
At the launch of iPhone 5 one year ago, about 16 percent of iPhone 5 buyers said they were upgrading from an Android phone, CIRP depicts in its chart (above). This year, at least 20 percent of new iPhone 5s and 5c buyers said they were moving from Android.
The increased percentage that's switching is also telling in that Apple sold significantly more new iPhones at this year's launch. The global market for phones is increasing, and the number of iPhone buyers getting their first phone was also up.
What's decreasing is the number of iPhone buyers moving up from a basic phone or from BlackBerry or some other smartphone platform, due to the fact that there are simply fewer people who still own a "non-smart," BlackBerry or other non-Android phones this year.
As Mike Levin, a Partner and Co-Founder of CIRP, stated in the firm's press release, "perhaps because of the declining base of non- smartphone owners, a smaller percentage of iPhone buyers upgraded from a basic or flip phone, compared to the year-ago launch."
Logically, the percentage of iOS buyers loyally returning for a new iPhone would necessarily rise in conjunction with the increases in Apple's market share as customer satisfaction levels also remain high.
But the percentage of increase among returning iPhone buyers is a little over 18 percent over last year; the percentage of new iPhone buyers coming from an Android legacy is up even more: 25 percent.
Specific to Apple and Samsung, the world's two largest smartphone vendors by a large margin, Apple's customers were more likely to come from BlackBerry, while a larger percentage of Samsung's buyers were coming from HTC and Nokia.
Overall, however, Apple was seeing a greater percentage of converts from Samsung (20 percent) than Samsung was seeing from previous iPhone buyers (just 7 percent).
Looking only at customers who had switched brands, one third of Apple's new customers had previously owned a Samsung device, but only 11 percent of Samsung's customers came from Apple.
CIRP also noted this fall that Apple's customers represented more young adults between 18-24 and 25-34, while Samsung attracted more middle age buyers aged 35-54 and significantly more seniors aged 55 to 64, as well as more customers with lower incomes.
The trend toward Apple and iOS is focused entirely at the high end of the smartphone market, because Apple does not participate in the "mass market" for low end phones priced significantly below $400.
Last week, a Samsung Mobile executive revealed that only about a third of the company's "smartphones" were premium models comparable in specification and utility to Apple's modern iPhone lineup.
Samsung's financial reports have also detailed that its smartphone shipment growth is coming entirely from mid and low end models, while global demand for its higher end Galaxy S and Note offerings remained flat despite the launch of the company's new flagship Note III premium phablet.
At the launch of iPhone 5 one year ago, about 16 percent of iPhone 5 buyers said they were upgrading from an Android phone, CIRP depicts in its chart (above). This year, at least 20 percent of new iPhone 5s and 5c buyers said they were moving from Android.
The increased percentage that's switching is also telling in that Apple sold significantly more new iPhones at this year's launch. The global market for phones is increasing, and the number of iPhone buyers getting their first phone was also up.
What's decreasing is the number of iPhone buyers moving up from a basic phone or from BlackBerry or some other smartphone platform, due to the fact that there are simply fewer people who still own a "non-smart," BlackBerry or other non-Android phones this year.
As Mike Levin, a Partner and Co-Founder of CIRP, stated in the firm's press release, "perhaps because of the declining base of non- smartphone owners, a smaller percentage of iPhone buyers upgraded from a basic or flip phone, compared to the year-ago launch."
Returning iOS users also up
CIRP's release emphasized a different aspect of the same data: that more iPhone buyers this year were already iPhone customers. That figure increased from 55 percent last year to 65 percent this year.Significantly more Android owners are moving to an iPhone than iPhone users are moving in the opposite directionLevin stated to AppleInsider via email that "this increase from 55% in 2012 is very meaningful, especially since it's really a fair comparison, of buyers in the two 30-day periods after the launch of the iPhone 5 and iPhone 5s/5c."
Logically, the percentage of iOS buyers loyally returning for a new iPhone would necessarily rise in conjunction with the increases in Apple's market share as customer satisfaction levels also remain high.
But the percentage of increase among returning iPhone buyers is a little over 18 percent over last year; the percentage of new iPhone buyers coming from an Android legacy is up even more: 25 percent.
Once bitten twice iPhone
CIRP's latest study reflects the firm's earlier findings from this fall reporting that significantly more Android owners are moving to an iPhone than iPhone users are moving in the opposite direction.Specific to Apple and Samsung, the world's two largest smartphone vendors by a large margin, Apple's customers were more likely to come from BlackBerry, while a larger percentage of Samsung's buyers were coming from HTC and Nokia.
Overall, however, Apple was seeing a greater percentage of converts from Samsung (20 percent) than Samsung was seeing from previous iPhone buyers (just 7 percent).
Looking only at customers who had switched brands, one third of Apple's new customers had previously owned a Samsung device, but only 11 percent of Samsung's customers came from Apple.
CIRP also noted this fall that Apple's customers represented more young adults between 18-24 and 25-34, while Samsung attracted more middle age buyers aged 35-54 and significantly more seniors aged 55 to 64, as well as more customers with lower incomes.
The trend toward Apple and iOS is focused entirely at the high end of the smartphone market, because Apple does not participate in the "mass market" for low end phones priced significantly below $400.
Last week, a Samsung Mobile executive revealed that only about a third of the company's "smartphones" were premium models comparable in specification and utility to Apple's modern iPhone lineup.
Samsung's financial reports have also detailed that its smartphone shipment growth is coming entirely from mid and low end models, while global demand for its higher end Galaxy S and Note offerings remained flat despite the launch of the company's new flagship Note III premium phablet.
Comments
Let me guess: you are an Android user, yes?
Articles like these usually attract non-iPhone users so I'd like to hear what it is that makes people switch from Samsung to Apple.
Can you explain what makes Android Hell to use? For the uninformed, like me. Thanks.
Edit. After reading various Android sites I understand why one would describe it as Hell. So no need to respond, unless you want to get something off your chest.
Apple will get stronger and stronger. The questions are: Can they grow faster? The industry is outgrowing them, but does it matter? Could they make a better iPhone if they followed a few current trends (like a bigger screen)? What are the developers saying about the current market? What are their feelings about Android Vs iOS?
Those are the questions. Personally, I think that Apple is doing an amazing job (better than everybody else) but they could be in an even better position if they were a little more flexible. Web browsing is better on a big screen. Watching videos is better on a big screen. Playing games is better on a big screen. Reading and editing documents on the go is better on a big screen.
But they do not "need" to do it. If the last 15 years are a good indication, they know what they are doing. Having said that, the focus on margins doesn't make sense.
Also, iOS devices have longer term support from Apple and higher resale value ($100+) if you want to upgrade your device.
I'm one of the Android users switching to Apple. Bottom line is Android can fool you into buying the hype but after 2 years of HELL I'm glad to be on iOS.
Hey, welcome to an ecosystem that makes sense.
Sample too small, probably taken here on US. Here the iphone is considered as "cool" phone.
I don't see many users downgrading from a FULL HD premium smartphone to a tiny non-HD smartphone like the iphone, it's just not a smart choice.
However, always there are people who do not necessarily make smart decisions.
Sample too small, probably taken here on US. Here the iphone is considered as "cool" phone.
I don't see many users downgrading from a FULL HD premium smartphone to a tiny non-HD smartphone like the iphone, it's just not a smart choice.
However, always there are people who do not necessarily make smart decisions.
Isn't that irrelevant since only 1 or 2 screens (HTC one and LG G2) are seen as "on pair" with the one used on the iPhone 5s and c?
It isn't downgrading at all since every other component (and the phone itself) is so superior. It's a game of trade-offs about better build quality, performance, design and ecosystem Vs a bigger screen.
I switch back and forth between iPhone and Android phones. Sometimes I really love the iPhone's size, and there are a couple of apps that are super helpful, and my kid likes the games on iPhone better. But high end Android phones are so versatile and have so much more utility. Depending on what I am doing dictates which platform is better. Why can't they just get married and have a super-awesome baby? Dang it!
Could you explain?
That, plus he's obviously never taken a course in basic statistics.
First off I bough an Android Tablet about 2 years ago. POS. Total POS. After 12 months I got no updates. Many of my apps no longer worked, ton of my apps crashed, and the apps look like crap since they were phone apps blown up. The touch screen was unresponsive, cpu slow as hell, tons of lag. Basically it was such a horrible user experience. Just got the iPad Air. I'm in heaven. This is what a tablet suppose to be.
Got my Android phone about 12 months ago. Same story. I was stuck on an old version of Android. Apps crashed constantly. Some apps don't even open. CPU is slow, TONS OF LAG. Build quality is a joke. Basically the same experience as my Android tablet except shrunken down. Got an 5S a week ago. Amazing. I'll never go back to Android. I don't care how much more 'expensive' Apple is. I put expensive in quotes because after factoring in resale value, user experience, time saved, ect it ain't more expensive.
I see posts like this and often wonder what the heck you were using for a phone. My first smartphone was a Droid X by Motorola when it was first released back in 2010. The iPhone wasn't an option as I was on Verizon and who the hell knew if it was ever coming. The Droid X was amazing phone and it never failed me in the two years I had it. When my two years were up I figured I'd give the iPhone a shot as it was my initial choice for a smartphone. It took some getting use to coming from Android, but after playing with the phone I could see why people loved it. I obviously ended up staying with the iPhone but my Android experience was a good one.
That is what I got from Android sites, as well as occasionally holding someone's Android phone or tablet. First thing to notice is the UI, it's personal taste, obviously, and I don't like it. Then I scroll and open an app: lag. Big time lag, even on one year old models. Which must be the software, I presume. The hardware is all up to speed nowadays I'd think.
You should put that in your sig.
Isn't that irrelevant since only 1 or 2 screens (HTC one and LG G2) are seen as "on pair" with the one used on the iPhone 5s and c?
It isn't downgrading at all since every other component (and the phone itself) is so superior. It's a game of trade-offs about better build quality, performance, design and ecosystem Vs a bigger screen.
Could you explain?
Well, right now I have an iPhone 5s and a Sony Xperia Z Ultra, which has a 6.4" screen. Because of the big screen I make fewer errors in typing because I can see the entirety of my message easier, and I can remote desktop into any computer and have a mini, yet fully functional desktop computer in my hand - and Android has bluetooth mouse control, allowing it to provide a more desktop like experience. Apart from physical differences, on Android there is a shared file system that allows any app to be a handler for any file type. I can also default any compatible app to handle whatever function I choose. For example, any email app or map app when clicking on email addresses or addresses on the Internet. Android is also more efficient in handling cross-application tasks across a broader range of functions. For example, if I take a picture and want to edit it in Snapseed, on iOS I have to take the picture, press the home button, load Snapseed, load the photo, and then edit. On Android, I can be pretty much in any camera app and send the photo to Snapseed and start editing directly. There are many MANY benefits like these and I could go on.
I am not bashing iPhone here, I like both systems and go back and forth constantly, usually about 6 times a year as I get frustrated with the others' platform or want to experience the latest and greatest of each. I understand why Apple has setup iOS/iPhone the way it has. I am responding to a question.
Each OS has its user base. Samsung is the winner among older users, Apple among younger users.
That doesn't seem right; knowledge and experience comes with age; I think you mean it the other way around.
Got a Mac yet?