Android switchers accounted for 30% of iPhone buyers in Q4, highest ratio recorded

Posted:
in iPhone edited October 2015
During Apple's quarterly conference call on Tuesday, CEO Tim Cook said 30 percent of iPhone buyers switched from Android during the fourth quarter, the highest ratio of "switchers" Apple has recorded in a single three-month period.




Cook specified that the 30 percent statistic applies to customers who upgraded from an Android device, not first-time buyers. He went on to say the switch rate was the largest recorded since Apple began tracking such statistics around three years ago.

Reasons for the minor exodus were not explored, but Apple has been aggressively targeting Android users as of late. For example, a trade in program launched in March targeted non-iOS devices, while Apple in June announced a dedicated "Move to iOS" app for migrating data from an Android device to iOS. The migration tool went live in the Android App Store last month, just in time for the iPhone 6s.

Looking forward, Cook believes an increasing number of Android users are likely to switch once eligible for a carrier upgrade which, when combined with new buyers, should drive strong first quarter 2016 sales.

"We have a very open field in front of us," Cook said of next quarter.

For the fourth quarter, Apple sold a record 48 million iPhones, a 22 percent year over year boost helped along by a 120 percent increase in Chinese sales.

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 14
    bluefire1bluefire1 Posts: 1,301member

    Shocking. Just shocking. 

  • Reply 2 of 14
    idreyidrey Posts: 647member
    It looks like bigger screen was a big factor for android adopters.
    Now that Apple has bigger screen they've level the playing field.
  • Reply 3 of 14
    dasanman69dasanman69 Posts: 13,002member
    idrey wrote: »
    It looks like bigger screen was a big factor for android adopters.
    Now that Apple has bigger screen they've level the playing field.

    What playing field? It's been tilted in Apple's favor for quite some time.
  • Reply 4 of 14
    brucemcbrucemc Posts: 1,541member
    This might be the biggest news out of the conference call today, but seems few care. This is solid evidence that Apple can continue to grow the iPhone base by pulling in from other platforms, not just new smartphone buyers or upgraders. Most of that 30% will stay with Apple, leading to future upgrades, other devices, setvices, etc.

    How many iPhone users move to Android?
  • Reply 5 of 14
    dasanman69dasanman69 Posts: 13,002member
    brucemc wrote: »
    This might be the biggest news out of the conference call today, but seems few care. This is solid evidence that Apple can continue to grow the iPhone base by pulling in from other platforms, not just new smartphone buyers or upgraders. Most of that 30% will stay with Apple, leading to future upgrades, other devices, setvices, etc.

    How many iPhone users move to Android?

    That pool isn't as big as you think it is. The majority of Android users don't buy a high end device.
  • Reply 6 of 14
    totaltotal Posts: 83member

    i can confirm this trend, my colleague was using company android phone, but then switched to personal rose colour iphone 6s suddenly and when i asked why such a change, she just told me her sister recommended it. And she seemed she did not care about different platform, that recommendation and colour and design was just enough reasons for switch :)

  • Reply 7 of 14
    matrix07matrix07 Posts: 1,993member

  • Reply 8 of 14
    radarthekatradarthekat Posts: 3,842moderator
    Take that, Android b!tches!
  • Reply 9 of 14
    gatorguygatorguy Posts: 24,176member
    Take that, Android b!tches!
    There's a very good discussion concerning switchers and why here:
    http://forums.androidcentral.com/samsung-galaxy-note-5/592657-aggravated-ios-android-back-forth.html

    One of the best things to note is they didn't need to use the word "bitches" or "trolls" even once. ;) Since we're supposed to be smarter than the average Android user why can't we (and you) have thoughtful discussions without name-calling and insults here when other products are mentioned? What does that say about us to new or casual visitors?
  • Reply 10 of 14
    Did they say anything about South America? This is anecdotal but the number of iPhones I see on the bus or at school has increased substantially since the iPhone 6 came out.
  • Reply 11 of 14
    "applies to customers who upgraded from an Android device"

    Upgraded? You mean "downgraded" right ;)
  • Reply 12 of 14
    dasanman69dasanman69 Posts: 13,002member
    gatorguy wrote: »
    Take that, Android b!tches!
    There's a very good discussion concerning switchers and why here:
    http://forums.androidcentral.com/samsung-galaxy-note-5/592657-aggravated-ios-android-back-forth.html

    One of the best things to note is they didn't need to use the word "bitches" or "trolls" even once. ;) Since we're supposed to be smarter than the average Android user why can't we (and you) have thoughtful discussions without name-calling and insults here when other products are mentioned? What does that say about us to new or casual visitors?

    People with some serious commitment issues in that thread. :lol:
  • Reply 13 of 14

    This number could be even higher if Apple offered to gift them all movies, tv shows, and music Android users bought from the Play Store. The most challenging thing when switching between either Android or iPhone is losing out on all the apps, movies, etc that one has bought. If Apple ate the cost of gifting the person switching over all their media from Google Play Store, I bet that number would be much higher.

     

    Apple could likewise eat into Google's Play Store by creating an iTunes app for Android that would let people who still want to use Android still be able to buy and watch/listen to movies, tv shows, and music on their Android device or their Mac/Windows computer.

     

    Im an Android user, but also a longtime Mac user. If I could have all of my iTunes movies and TV shows on my phone, Apple would be getting more money from me instead of Google getting money for movies (random side note, any movie or tv show you get on Google Play can be watched in YouTube. So for the things I have gotten through Google Play, I can still watch on my ATV through the YouTube app).

  • Reply 14 of 14
    dasanman69dasanman69 Posts: 13,002member
    This number could be even higher if Apple offered to gift them all movies, tv shows, and music Android users bought from the Play Store. The most challenging thing when switching between either Android or iPhone is losing out on all the apps, movies, etc that one has bought. If Apple ate the cost of gifting the person switching over all their media from Google Play Store, I bet that number would be much higher.

    Apple could likewise eat into Google's Play Store by creating an iTunes app for Android that would let people who still want to use Android still be able to buy and watch/listen to movies, tv shows, and music on their Android device or their Mac/Windows computer.

    Im an Android user, but also a longtime Mac user. If I could have all of my iTunes movies and TV shows on my phone, Apple would be getting more money from me instead of Google getting money for movies (random side note, any movie or tv show you get on Google Play can be watched in YouTube. So for the things I have gotten through Google Play, I can still watch on my ATV through the YouTube app).

    If I remember correctly they can get all the media they've purchased from Google via apps made by Google for iOS.
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