Wireless consumers are loyal to their favorite mobile devices. They’re accustomed to either Android or Apple operating systems (OS) and they’re also particular about using certain models of smartphones. Everyone loves getting all the latest smartphone features, but which users are more likely to upgrade from their current device?
The Most Popular Devices
Android allows multiple manufacturers to use Android OS in their phones, so Android users have numerous smartphones to choose from made by a variety of brands. The Samsung Galaxy S smartphones have become increasingly popular since the first S was released in 2010. A new S-series model has been released each year from 2010 to 2017, ranging from the SII to the Samsung S8 Plus.
Apple users have one type of smartphone: the iPhone, first released in 2007. Like the S-series, there are several models to choose from since the original, ranging from the 3G to the iPhone 7 Plus. New iPhone models launched each year from 2007 to 2017.
The Verge notes the overall market share heavily favors Android phones because they are generally more affordable and have more options to choose from than Apple.
Android vs. Apple Users
A 2015 Gallup poll and a 2016 Fluent survey examined how often mobile users upgrade or replace their current smartphone.
The polls asked if users upgraded about once a year, about every two years, or only when their phone breaks or becomes obsolete.
In 2015, only 2% of both iPhone and Android users bought a new model every year. Yet, in 2016, results show 30% of both users upgraded their device on an annual basis.
Just more than half of Apple users purchased a new iPhone every other year in 2015, while 41% of Android users did the same. Both users upgraded every two years at about a 34% rate in 2016.
In 2015, more Android users (58%) only upgraded their devices when they stopped working. A good chunk of Apple users (47%) reported the same behavior. In 2016, the rate of waiting for a phone to break or become obsolete dropped to about 36% for both Android and Apple users.
Trick Question: Everyone Upgrades More
Based on the data from Gallup and Fluent, both Android and Apple users are upgrading their devices at about the same rate. These smartphone users also increased their frequency of upgrades on an annual basis. Only 2% of users upgraded annually in 2015 while 30% upgraded in 2016.
In summary, the best answer to the question may be that both Android and Apple users upgrade their phones at about the same rate and more frequently than previous years.
How often do you upgrade your phone? What is the main reason you decide to upgrade? Why do you think data shows both Android and Apple users updgrade their phones more often than in the past?
Feel free to leave your answers in the comments section below.