Android defectors are flocking to Apple, but not thanks to the iPhone 15
The terrifying ferocity of the Android vs iPhone debate might make you think no one ever switches sides. But according to a new report, that’s far from the case — in fact, a surprisingly high percentage of new iPhone owners last month were people who had switched from Android.
According to new data from CIRP (Consumer Intelligence Research Partners), in June 2024, a whopping 17% of iPhone buyers in the U.S. came from Android. As the report states, that was “the highest level of Android-to-iOS switching among iPhone buyers” in the “last few quarters.”
While that may sound like a flag-waving moment for Apple fans, it may not be as positive for the iPhone as it sounds. As CIRP notes, this high percentage of Android switchers is a reflection of the difficulty Apple is having convincing existing iPhone owners to upgrade.
a separate report This month, it turned out that the iPhone 15 series is not selling as well as the previous new iPhone series. In the second quarter of 2024, iPhone 15 models were only 67% of total iPhone sales (compared to 79% for the iPhone 14 series in the corresponding quarter of 2023).
That’s also a reflection of which models Android switchers are choosing. Instead of the iPhone 15, Android switchers have mostly opted for the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus, followed by the iPhone 13 and iPhone SE.
This is not so surprising when you look at the reasons Why Android Fans Are Switching to iPhones—In the survey, 53% said this was due to “issues with previous phones,” while 15% said it was due to lower cost (in other words, they could spend less on a new iPhone than they expected or less than they would have to for a comparable Android phone).
It seems like older iPhones are the best choice for many Android switchers and iPhone upgraders, even though the iPhone Pro Max is now the most popular smartphone in the world…
What’s wrong with the iPhone 15?
Apple tried hard to broaden the appeal of the base iPhone 15 last year. As we noted in our iPhone 15 review, “for the first time in a long time, Apple’s most affordable new iPhone doesn’t feel a million miles removed from the flagship.”
For buyers, however, it also doesn’t feel far enough removed from the iPhone 14 to justify the cost. Last month, 15% of new iPhones sold were iPhone 14 models, with the newer iPhone 15 coming in at just 19% (and the 15 Plus only falling 8%). The iPhone 15 Pro Max was the most popular model at 22% of iPhone sales, but it still outsold the iPhone 14 and 13 series combined (28% of the pie).
Apple’s announcement of AI in June could leave the iPhone 15 lineup even further out in the cold. Apple’s AI features are only compatible with the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max, so if you don’t care about AI, you might as well just grab an iPhone 14 model or earlier, as many Android defectors do. But if you do want a future-proof Apple phone, you might be better off waiting for the iPhone 16 for now.
It’s clear that AI and Apple Intelligence are now the main upgrade features for Apple and Samsung. But with few tangible AI benefits today, current flagship phones are in a tough spot – and many are instead opting for the value of earlier flagships, which arrived before smartphone technology reached its current plateau.
As the CIRP report notes, “these older phones are cheaper and have fewer advanced features, and they appear to appeal primarily to former Android owners.” But that’s also a sign of the iPhone 15’s relatively weak appeal, as “the consistency and urgency of those upgrading iPhone owners is at a seemingly low ebb.”
