Apple's U.S. iPhone User Base Overtook Android in June Quarter, Now Accounts for More Than Half of All Smartphones

[MacRumors]

Apple's iPhones have overtaken Android devices to account for more than half of all smartphones used in the United States, according to data from Counterpoint Research (via Financial Times).

The active installed base of iPhones passed the 50% landmark in the quarter ending in June, while around 150 other mobile brands using Google's Android operating system, led by Samsung and Lenovo, accounted for the rest.

"Operating systems are like religions — never significant changes. But over the past four years the flow has consistently been Android to iOS," said Counterpoint's research director, Jeff Fieldhack. "This is a big milestone that we could see replicated in other affluent countries across the globe."

Compared to annual sales, the active installed base is an even more significant competitive marker representing Apple's slow burn in the smartphone market, as it takes into account users brought into the Apple ecosystem through the used phone market as well as those who use iPhones that were purchased years ago.

Android phones appeared on the market in 2008, a year after the iPhone debuted, and overtook the iOS-installed base in 2010, according to NPD group. In the three years previous, phone sales were dominated by the likes of Nokia, Motorola, Windows, and Blackberry.

The iPhone has made Apple the largest company in the world, with a market capitalization of $2.5 trillion. In 2020, the installed global base for iPhones surpassed 1 billion devices. CEO Tim Cook recently said that Apple had "set a June quarter record for switchers," or consumers leaving Android for iOS.

Apple will unveil the next-generation iPhone 14 series at its "Far Out" media event on Wednesday, September 7, where it is also expected to debut the Apple Watch Series 8. We are expecting a 6.1-inch ‌iPhone 14‌, a 6.7-inch iPhone Max, a 6.1-inch iPhone 14 Pro, and a 6.7-inch ‌iPhone 14 Pro‌ Max. There will be no 5.4-inch ‌iPhone‌ "mini" this year, with Apple instead opting for larger devices.

Article Link: Apple's U.S. iPhone User Base Overtook Android in June Quarter, Now Accounts for More Than Half of All Smartphones

 

[Bodhitree]

Just goes to show that people who have money think that build quality and privacy are worth spending on.

 

[3530025]

Just goes to show that people who have money think that build quality and privacy are worth spending on.

Yeah. Privacy. Talk about planned CSAM and rumours about ads coming in.

If anything, it shows power of marketing, which Google totally lacks and fails on.

 

[contacos]

Just goes to show that people who have money think that build quality and privacy are worth spending on.

I was going to say that Americans are more likely to buy stuff they can’t afford on credit compared to other markets. You also have this nice „Up“ model, that doesn’t exist in most countries

 

[femike]

I'm not a fan of either Android or iOS. Both are not private in any way from US Gov agencies and departments and approved corporations. But iOS does have, at the moment, more protection against independent scammers than Android.

 

[winxmac]

Too many android variations/skins vs iOS consistency and the time it takes for android vs iOS devices to depreciate

 

[Wildkraut]

There is the monopoly , antitrust is coming for you, Tim.

 

[Saturn1217]

I’m one of those switchers. I really wish android had gotten their act together. Particularly Google and their Pixel line.

The Android OS is fantastic from a UI/UX perspective. But the hardware it runs on is always not quite as good. Not as reliable. And long term support is always kinda crap. By year 3 with my Pixel 3XL the experience was not good (UI crashes when running intensive stuff like Google maps). And always in the back of my mind I had to worry about the phone just not turning on one day as happened to many others. AND Google dropped OS support for my phone at the 3 year mark even though I bought it directly from them.

I was just done. I’m hoping Google eventually figures out their new tensor chips but I refuse to keep waiting in hopes that the next pixel will finally be THE ONE. They’ll have to prove that they can produce hardware of the same caliber as this fantastic iPhone 13 Pro Max first before I come back.

 

[Wanted797]

This won’t go well for anti trust arguments to open up the app market.

But it does prove people are willing to pay more for a walled garden.

 

[0815]

Yeah. Privacy. Talk about planned CSAM and rumours about ads coming in.

If anything, it shows power of marketing, which Google totally lacks and fails on.

CSAM … you mean like google who recently locked two users out of ALL their google services (triggered by automatically by their picture scanning software) because they were sending pictures of the private parts of their kids to their doctor, as requested by the doctor? Google even refuses to reenable the accounts again even though law enforcement cleared the users of any wrong doing ???

Ads … as long as they don‘t spy on my, track me and sell my data for other purposes, I‘m ok for it

And google does not lack any marketing … they just have a bad history that people finally take notice of

 

[Eldaerenth Faexidor]

I know there are a lot of haters but I find iOS a very pleasant operating system. It’s so reliable. Hopefully Apple will keep their game up regarding privacy and security.

 

[Wildkraut]

I was going to say that Americans are more likely to buy stuff they can’t afford on credit compared to other markets. You also have this nice „Up“ model, that doesn’t exist in most countries

Yep, there is always that credit card that paybacks the other credit card 🤣, and 10 years later they wonder why they’re begging in Skid Row.

That’s the American Express to poverty, always one paycheck away from homelessness.
Someday they’ll also realize that despite it being called ApplePay, it’s not Apple that pays.

 

[CEmajr]

This shows that when cost is less of a factor that most people will choose iPhone. In the US most phones are now sold with 0% APR carrier financing, so many consumers can walk into a store and get the latest iPhone by only paying the sales tax upfront.

 

[Paddle1]

Back-to-back Android vs iOS flame war baiting articles (especially the previous one). I get scared to even look at the comments on these.

 

[Mad Man]

I’m one of those switchers. I really wish android had gotten their act together. Particularly Google and their Pixel line.

The Android OS is fantastic from a UI/UX perspective. But the hardware it runs on is always not quite as good. Not as reliable. And long term support is always kinda crap. By year 3 with my Pixel 3XL the experience was not good (UI crashes when running intensive stuff like Google maps). And always in the back of my mind I had to worry about the phone just not turning on one day as happened to many others. AND Google dropped OS support for my phone at the 3 year mark even though I bought it directly from them.

I was just done. I’m hoping Google eventually figures out their new tensor chips but I refuse to keep waiting in hopes that the next pixel will finally be THE ONE. They’ll have to prove that they can produce hardware of the same caliber as this fantastic iPhone 13 Pro Max first before I come back.

As a mobile developer, I have a drawer full of Android devices from most manufactures and many iOS devices …

Android has some nice UI features but is super inconsistent across brands. Also its scary what developers can do an Android which is blocked on iOS for user protection (Android got better in that respect over the years, but still lacks and there are still too many old Android versions out there.

Another issue is how long it often takes to get the latest Android OS for some devices - if you can get it at all. If you don‘t upgrade the hardware every few years, you are stuck on old Android OS missing out on many new features (and new privacy protection that is slowly added)

And yes, Android hardware is in general not good - shocked that Google has such s*** hardware, they should be the once showing everyone else how to do it right.

So I get why people switch to iOS

 

[3530025]

CSAM … you mean like google who recently locked two users out of ALL their google services (triggered by automatically by their picture scanning software) because they were sending pictures of the private parts of their kids to their doctor, as requested by the doctor? Google even refuses to reenable the accounts again even though law enforcement cleared the users of any wrong doing ???

But Google does not put privacy as their advantage. Everyone knows that's actually Google's biggest con, heck it's even point of many Apple marketing campaigns. So it's nonsense to argue with that. Google is not privacy friendly, quite the opposite, everyone knows that, Google does not honor privacy as their advantage. Apple on the other side is all about privacy - but only in the marketing. In the reality, it seems more and more like a smoke screen.

Ads … as long as they don‘t spy on my, track me and sell my data for other purposes, I‘m ok for it

Ads - they always track. Non-targeted ads are not a thing in the IT nowadays.

And google does not lack any marketing … they just have a bad history that people finally take notice of

Incorrect. Google Pixel's/Android marketing is a joke.

 

[xxray]

On our way to eradicating green bubbles! Hooray!

 

[LeeW]

I was going to say that Americans are more likely to buy stuff they can’t afford on credit compared to other markets.

Absolutely this. Take away the ability to purchase an iPhone on credit and sales would crash.

 

[Leon Ze Professional]

For us non Americans it would have been nice if Macrumors could have given us a percentage breakdown for the Android segment in order to gauge the popularity of other brands?

I guess Samsung is feeling the heat hence their recent dig at Apple over there claimed lack of innovation.

 

[MajorFubar]

Funny how this is such a contrast to ROTW.
Worldwide Apple have long since lost their dominance: less than 28% according to Statcounter, with Android basically ruling the roost by a huge margin.

 

[MathersMahmood]

Both platforms have their clear strengths and weaknesses. The best thing for us as users at the end of the day is the competition that pushes both platforms to be better.

 

[MVMNT]

Meanwhile, Android devices possibly account for more than half of the mobile e-waste

 

[ian87w]

I was going to say that Americans are more likely to buy stuff they can’t afford on credit compared to other markets. You also have this nice „Up“ model, that doesn’t exist in most countries

The US MSRP of iPhones are highly competitive. This is in contrast with iPhone prices anywhere else outside the US where it is at least 20-40% more than the US MSRP, thus making its value proposition a bit tougher to swallow. Add on with most iOS features are US centric. Further on, many Android OEMs like Samsung, Xiaomi, and the BBK group have assembling factories in many emerging markets so they can offer their products at much cheaper prices, while Apple doesn't.

Furthermore, carriers in the US are aggressively selling phones. For a lay person who can get phones for free or just $100 or $200 upfront or even BOGO, the choice is easy, might as well get an iPhone with the Apple brand than some random Android.

So this numbers are hardly surprising, while globally, iPhone remains a minority.

 

[Red Oak]

iPhone use with US teenagers is 75%+. This is where the iPhone installed based share is heading over the arc of time

 

[MVMNT]

Both platforms have their clear strengths and weaknesses. The best thing for us as users at the end of the day is the competition that pushes both platforms to be better.

It's just one's an entire product, OS and services ecosystem from one company, whereas the other is an OS that drives multiple companies' offerings that are also all battling it out in the same space.