Source: Counterpoint Research

In our Primary Research practice, we have conducted a comprehensive smartphone survey, gaining critical insights about Apple users across four key Apple markets – US, China, UK and India – with a strong sample size of 4,000.

Key Analyst Takeaways:

•    Replacement rates across iPhone users: One of the main findings is that Pro iPhone users are likely to replace their iPhones much faster than base iPhone users. Pro users hold on to their phones for an average of 2.75 years, while non-Pro users use the device for an average of 3.15 years.

•    Premiumization driving Pro users: Premiumization is one of the biggest contributors to iPhones' increasing revenue share YoY. This trend is likely to continue for the next 2-3 years, pushed by emerging markets like India and Southeast Asia.

•    Reverse diffusion: Of all the Pro model owners, 45% claim to be innovators. They tend to buy Apple’s newest tech around the launch date and must have the newest Pro iPhone at the earliest. An additional 25% claim to be early adopters who are opinion leaders. This explains why Pro model users are increasingly looking to upgrade more frequently.

•    Maturing iPhone users: As iPhone users get mature after repeatedly buying iPhone models, they are highly likely to upgrade to a Pro version at one point, looking to be high on the Apple experience curve by getting to use the latest and greatest features faster than before.

•    Impact on secondary smartphone market: With a bigger Pro model volume being sold across main markets, the Pro series supply in the secondary markets over the next 2-3 years is bound to increase, providing a respite from the supply problems being faced by the refurbishment sector globally.

•    Growing switches to iPhone: Apple continues to witness Android users switching to iOS. 48% of the iPhone owners participating in the survey previously owned an Android phone.

•    Samsung, Google biggest losers in Android-to-iOS switching: With an increasing number of switchers coming from premium Android phones, brands like Samsung and Google are the biggest losers. Over the next two years, Samsung might witness a shift in its S-series base if the switching continues at this rate. That is why brands like Samsung, OnePlus and vivo are integrating GenAI features and top-notch specifications to create differentiation in premium segments.

This report is part of Counterpoint Research Market Lens Service, which covers our primary research expertize throughout the technology ecosystem from chips to devices to services both quantitatively and qualitatively.

Counterpoint Research Market Lens encapsulates

Source: Counterpoint Research