Fewer iPhone 6/6 Plus Buyers Shift From Android

Previous Phone of iPhone Buyers Within 30 Days of 2014 iPhone Launch

Android Owners Buy More Expensive iPhones

Consumer Intelligence Research Partners (CIRP), today released analysis of the results from its research on Apple, Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) after the launch of the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus on September 19, 2014.

CIRP finds that a smaller percentage of iPhone buyers came from the Google Android platform after the September 2014 launch, relative to the percentage coming from Android after the September 2013 launch. After the most recent launch, 12 percent of iPhone buyers reported having an Android phone, compared to 23 percent after the September 2013 launch.

The vast majority of new iPhone buyers were already iPhone owners. Current iPhone owners accounted for over 80 percent of buyers after this launch, compared to less than 65 percent after the iPhone 5S and 5C launch in September 2013. Android owners accounted for a much smaller share of buyers immediately after this year's iPhone launch, and with smartphones so prevalent in the US, we also saw a smaller percentage of iPhone buyers moving from basic phones.

Android owners did buy more expensive iPhones, relative to the previous launch. At the September 2014 launch, 85 percent of iPhone buyers that previously owned an Android phone bought the new iPhone 6 or 6 Plus. In contrast, at the September 2013 launch, 52 percent of iPhone buyers that previously owned an Android phone bought the then-new iPhone 5S.

iPhone Model Bought by Android Owners In 30 Days After iPhone Launch

Former Android owners were attracted to the iPhone flagship models in greater proportion than last year's launch. The addition of the flagship premium iPhone 6 Plus accentuated that improvement. If we look at the price points of the iPhones that Android owners bought, this year 59 percent of them bought the $649 unsubsidized price iPhone 6 compared to only 52 percent who bought the new similarly priced iPhone 5S in the same period last year. In addition, another 26 percent of former Android owners bought the $749 unsubsidized price iPhone 6 Plus.

Historically, former Android owners gravitated to the lower priced iPhone models. Following this year's iPhone launch, only 15 percent of former Android owners bought the legacy 5S and 5C, compared to 47 percent for the lower priced 5C and 4S following the 2013 launch.

Android owners, many of whom already had experience with phones with larger screen phones, were drawn to the 5.5 inch iPhone 6 Plus. 31 percent of former Android owners who bought an iPhone opted for the 6 Plus compared to only 25 percent of existing iPhone owners who chose the larger format flagship phone.

CIRP bases its findings on its survey of 300 US Apple customers, surveyed from October 18-November 4, 2014, that purchased an iPhone in the 30 days following the September 19, 2014 launch of the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus models. For additional information, please contact CIRP.