Why Android users have been switching to iPhone in greater numbers
Over the last ten years, there has been a growing trend of Android users moving to iPhones, and it's not just because of iMessage.
Here's why Android users switch to iPhone
A previous report from Consumer Intelligence Research Partners (CIRP) in May found that Android users have been steadily switching to the iPhone in the past decade, and this rate has fluctuated between 10% and 15% in recent years, with a slight upward trend observed in the past few quarters.
The most recent data now unveils the diverse factors behind the transition of Android users to the iPhone. Surveys among iPhone buyers who previously owned an Android smartphone revealed four broad patterns in their decision to switch.
Among those who switched from Android to iPhone, 26% did so because they were attracted to the features of the new operating system or the hardware of the iPhone. For instance, it allowed them to use exclusive apps, connect with specific accessories like AirPods and Apple Watch, or take advantage of features unavailable on their Android smartphone.
Reasons for switching from Android to iOS
A smaller portion of switchers, at 15%, mentioned cost as a deciding factor. Considering the generally higher average prices of iPhones compared to Android models, these users found deals that allowed them to switch at a lower expense than purchasing another Android phone, or at least at a lower cost than they initially expected to spend when switching to an iPhone.
Approximately 6% indicated that they switched to have access to the same apps as their family and friends. Specifically, these switchers were interested in utilizing iMessage, FaceTime, and the capabilities of file and photo sharing.
Although Apple's "walled garden" is often cited as a significant reason iPhone users remain loyal to the brand, it does not appear to hold the same importance in attracting new iPhone buyers. However, after moving to iPhone, they may discover that the interconnected system of software, services, and hardware within the Apple ecosystem could be an influential factor for them to remain with the brand.
Read on AppleInsider
Here's why Android users switch to iPhone
A previous report from Consumer Intelligence Research Partners (CIRP) in May found that Android users have been steadily switching to the iPhone in the past decade, and this rate has fluctuated between 10% and 15% in recent years, with a slight upward trend observed in the past few quarters.
The most recent data now unveils the diverse factors behind the transition of Android users to the iPhone. Surveys among iPhone buyers who previously owned an Android smartphone revealed four broad patterns in their decision to switch.
- Previous phone issues: Their previous Android phone failed to meet their needs due to aging, requiring repairs, or having deficiencies that impacted their overall user experience.
- Desire for new phone features: They sought more features in their smartphone, such as an improved camera, expanded accessory choices, or a more user-friendly interface.
- Cost considerations: They found that acquiring a new iPhone was more affordable than expected or compared to a similar Android smartphone.
- Community connectivity: They wanted a smartphone that seamlessly integrates with their family and friends, including using iMessage and FaceTime on the iOS platform.
Among those who switched from Android to iPhone, 26% did so because they were attracted to the features of the new operating system or the hardware of the iPhone. For instance, it allowed them to use exclusive apps, connect with specific accessories like AirPods and Apple Watch, or take advantage of features unavailable on their Android smartphone.
Reasons for switching from Android to iOS
A smaller portion of switchers, at 15%, mentioned cost as a deciding factor. Considering the generally higher average prices of iPhones compared to Android models, these users found deals that allowed them to switch at a lower expense than purchasing another Android phone, or at least at a lower cost than they initially expected to spend when switching to an iPhone.
Approximately 6% indicated that they switched to have access to the same apps as their family and friends. Specifically, these switchers were interested in utilizing iMessage, FaceTime, and the capabilities of file and photo sharing.
Although Apple's "walled garden" is often cited as a significant reason iPhone users remain loyal to the brand, it does not appear to hold the same importance in attracting new iPhone buyers. However, after moving to iPhone, they may discover that the interconnected system of software, services, and hardware within the Apple ecosystem could be an influential factor for them to remain with the brand.
Read on AppleInsider
Comments
The reason people switch to the iPhone is because their friends use iPhones and they don’t want to be the dork on the outside looking in. Any android users should be switching to the iPhone if they are concerned about privacy and security, but I doubt that much of a consideration for hard-core Android users.
Some notable things that occur to me are Samsung's attempts to copy Apple Watch, AirPods, and Apple Pay. Are there other examples that folks think are important?
The cliché that you get what you pay for seems to be true many school districts across the land have been suckered into buying those cheap Google Android Chromebooks, which offer a seemingly good price upfront, but in the end the only thing you get is is being bitten in the ass, going cheap upfront, hardly ever works, unless you like buying things every two years, ie a cheap PC computer/laptop with no resale value, a cheap computer monitor, or back in the day a VHS recorder.
Also intriguing was cost being the third most-mentioned reason for switching. Despite list prices that are often aligned with iPhone, the major Android phone mfgrs offer deals that practically give the phones away, which is why Apple has most recently earned about 80% of all global phone profits, while Samsung, Google, etc, fight over scraps of the 20% profits that remain.
Merci.
https://inxi.wordpress.com/2009/01/29/the-bitterness-of-poor-quality-remains-long-after-the-sweetness-of-low-price-is-forgotten-benjamin-franklin/
I appreciate the article but often I think people over tout Apple's appeal over the fact that affordability is a huge barrier to entry in most the world for Apple products.
I am also curious about the used/new status of switchers.
If anyone has that information I'd be interested in seeing the breakdown.
Only 6% say they do it for "community connections", the don't want to be in the out-group reason. 53% do it because they didn't like the experience of their prior phones, and 23% said they did it for the iPhone's features, including its accessory ecosystem. So, your perceptions are likely wrong about the market, and your self-selected group may just be in that 6% slice of the survey.
90% of the market are just tech agnostic people where their needs are really fundamental type aspects of the user experience: easy to use, accessories, service and support, etc. Having easy-to-use service is a huge and unheralded feature of the iPhone that market analysts don't really talk about.
I currently own a 11 Pro iPhone and a 12.9 iPad Pro, both are four years old this fall, and they show every signs of lasting another three years for example.
Marketing means nothing if you can’t live up to a certain level of quality, and the Android Ecosystem is lacking when it comes to a complete solution in the smart phone/tablet area, and Chromebooks? They are just a very clever way to gather information for Google. It’s actually quite brilliant like having Eric Emerson Schmidt on the Board of Directors at Apple.
A valid source is one that cites the specific quote as linked to a specific document (e.g. "from Poor Richard's Almanac, 1739" or "Ben Franklin's Autobiography, 3rd chapter, 2nd paragraph").
This aphorism appears to be one that stands on its own merits, but someone some time ago attached Ben Franklin's name to it in order to lend it weight and the false quote keeps getting repeated as true. This happens all the time (usually in a meme, attaching the spurious quote to a founding father, George Carlin, famous person, etc.)
The aphorism holds true, but the quote is not Ben Franklin's.
On video, Apple is famous for shipping onboard storage options that for most people are inadequate for quality video.
Photo camera technology is far more appealing to the vast majority of users and Apple has been years behind the pack for a while now and, despite catching up in some areas, remains behind.
Cameras, not performance, is what has kept the smartphone segment moving for the last six years.
Here’s something from an iPhone user on a new Android phone:
"Three words: best. camera. Ever."
https://www.laptopmag.com/features/i-took-the-huawei-p60-pro-with-me-to-munich-why-its-better-than-my-iphone-14-pro
Let's not even talk about the absolutely stunning design and material build of that one (every one of which is unique):
https://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/huawei-p60-pro-rococo-pearl-design-shows-up-apple-samsung/
It is behind (and has been for years) on charging and battery technology. Wired or otherwise.
While much has been said about SoCs, even here it left much to be desired with the sole exception of pure performance which happens to be something even iPhone users don't really perceive anyway.
I cannot remember the last time anyone complained about speed on a flagship phone.
Marketing is an essential point. It always has been. For Apple and everyone else.
And Apple isn't alone in the 'whole package' thing either.
If this survey is limited to the US market it might carry some (but ultimately little) weight.
It is claimed that Apple here (in Spain) recorded a 41% YoY drop for Q1 unit sales. That probably has a lot to do with pricing and marketing can only do so much.
So, the attraction of Apple is good fundamental design and good service. People pay a premium for that. That's marketing. Advertising is really the art of telling people about your product and services. Obviously, they are good at that too, but the product has to live up to its ad copy for it to be successfully sustained.
In general terms, it seems that that lead remains but has been cut drastically with some Android phones even having capabilities that surpass the iPhone but I would consider those to be in niche situations.
We've reached a point where most users probably won't notice much of a difference anymore.
Something that has consistently surprised me with newer iPhone/Android video comparisons is the audio quality. The iPhone seems to have very harsh ambiental sound reproduction with things like wind and traffic noise.
On the wider question of Android cameras, the 'unhappy facts' have long been with the iPhone camera. Apple users would point to the photo 'quality' and simply ignore the elephant in the room: versatility.
No flagship phone camera is going to produce bad results in good light and without challenging conditions but in too many situations over the last six years, the iPhone simply hasn't been able to take the photo in the first place. The results were simply that bad or just impossible.
Way back in 2017 Huawei wanted to pit its Mate 10 against the iPhone X on a photo expedition to Alaska (the Mate 10 was set for a major US launch). They came back with zero iPhone photos because the iPhone battery couldn't handle the cold and the phone would shut down.
Portrait Mode was released, but in beta for a year, and if the phone decided there wasn't enough light on hand it wouldn't let you press the shutter button.
Many iPhone users are now salivating over the periscope lens supposedly coming to just one iPhone model this year. Something Huawei brought to market years ago.
The exact same thing happened with low light photography when the industry put its focus on that. Tri-cameras. Noise. Wide angle low light. Sensor technologies. Variable aperture etc.
These situations basically mean the iPhone just cannot match the competition because the hardware just isn't (or wasn't) there.
Let's not forget that Apple has made great strides over the last two years, though. There is no denying that.
However, take a look at what the P60 Pro can do with periscope macro photography (without needing to get super close) and the results are staggering.
"After all, Huawei pioneered a lot of the tech in the best Android phones and best iPhones out now, so it wouldn't surprise us if the P60 Pro ends up being a crystal ball into the smartphone camera tech of tomorrow."
"All the images taken above were captured on the periscope telephoto camera, with its nearest focus distance of around 10cm. This unlocks a new type of photography on a smartphone, and for the first time in our week of reviewing a phone, it made the periscope camera our most-used camera."
https://www.digitalcameraworld.com/reviews/huawei-p60-pro-review-a-mobile-photography-revelation
https://www.canalys.com/newsroom/europe-smartphone-market-q1-2023
Quoting the relevant parts:
“Western Europe's smartphone market faced a continued slump in Q1 2023, dropping 13% to 23.7 million units of shipments, as challenging economic conditions drove lower consumer demand and extended purchasing cycles.”
“Samsung claimed the top spot in Q1 2023 with a 35% market share, despite a fall of 16% year-on-year. Samsung’s top-performing models were the newly launched S23 Ultra, S23 and A14 models, along with last year’s A53 and A33…. According to Canalys estimates, in Q1 2023, Samsung’s ASP rose by 11%, resulting in a 6% decline in the total value of devices shipped. Samsung has invested heavily in brand and product advertising, as well as in MDFs and co-marketing initiatives with operators and retail chains to strengthen its presence.”
”These investments are also targeted at challenging Apple, which grew its market share to 33%. Apple’s shipments this quarter grew by 1% compared to Q1 2022, driven by the sale of iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max devices. According to Canalys Consumer Insights research, Apple remains the most resilient vendor in Western Europe, supported by the most loyal user base in the region combined with high popularity among switchers.”
“Xiaomi defended third place with a 15% market share, despite a 17% year-on-year decline. Xiaomi's performance was driven by its Redmi and Redmi Note models, with Spain, Italy and Germany being its key markets. Xiaomi remains focused on the low-to-mid-range segment, which helps it to sustain its ranking ahead of other Chinese vendors. Xiaomi has focused on profitability, with a smaller sales team focused on key operators and retail chains.
OPPO and TCL completed the top five, with each taking a 3% market share, declining 53% and increasing 19% year-on-year respectively. ”
Note Xiaomi had only 15%, less than half of Apple unit sales (and much less revenues due to significantly lower ASP’s), and OPPO and TCL at 3% each unit sales (regardless of YOY gain or loss) were literally one tenth of Apple’s iPhone unit sales.
If remaining sales made up for losses in specific market the gains were minimal even if revenues were up.
That's a product of a challenging economic climate and applies to everyone of course.
The normal first wave of constriction is users holding onto their phones for longer. I think that problem is more acute for iPhone users due to the far wider offerings at all price points for Android devices.
Then there is the balancing act of installments vs upfront payments. Installments can work as long as you can convince the purchaser (marketing again) to buy into a multi year deal (and your financer is willing to underwrite the risk) but there is a point where people start living month to month, especially with our mortgage situation (Euribor and UK interest rates for example) and the general cost of living increase.
Then there is the question of the phones themselves. Are they attractive/compelling enough? New iPhones with last years processors for example.
As mentioned, Samsung is targeting the high end segment in the EU and Huawei is doing the same in China. One key advantage for Apple is the 'protection' it receives on home turf. No Huawei to deal with etc and Samsung being a little lacklustre. It's possible that Google may step up to the plate there but they still seem to be finding their feet on the hardware side.
I did a quick Google on Spain. I don't know where I read the original claims but it was quite commented on at the time locally.
This popped up but I don't know if it is relevant to the point. It is in English though:
https://voonze.com/apple-sinks-in-spain-its-iphones-no-longer-sell/?amp=1
Here in Spain we are expecting problems on disposable income levels. Since last year all rail travel has been basically free and for some major cities public transport costs have been heavily discounted. Laws have been rushed through parliament to 'protect' home owners (at least to some degree). These moves can give consumers a false sense of buoyancy even in very rough waters. Now we have a snap general election for July and if there is a political switch I'd say a lot of the protective measures will be lifted in preference of the dreaded 'austerity' measures. We can argue if those measures are the way to go or not but we know they will be on the table.
I wouldn't like to say how austerity measures might impact Apple’s bottom line but we know Apple’s response: discounting (direct or indirect). That's a nice option to have, no doubt.
Lower growth coupled with high inflation (aka UK situation) is something the smartphone industry would rather avoid on a wide scale. We might be at a tipping point. China abandoned it's zero Covid policy and seems to be on the mend. Then again, geopolitical issues are also distorting the technology industry at large.