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

[Shanghaichica]

Apple's iOS never had the level of dominance worldwide that it has in the U.S.

According to Statcounter, its share of the global mobile OS market has been between approximately 18% and 29% over the last ten years. During that same period in the U.S., it's share has been as high a 62%.

Apple have strong market shares in Canada, The UK, Australia, Switzerland and Scandanavia.

 

[Shanghaichica]

I made the switch in 2013 with the 5s.

The reason I switched wasn't really the OS... or maybe it was in a way. The primary reason I switched from Android to iOS at the time was that iPhones seemed to have a much longer lifespan than the Android phones at the time.

At one point, you couldn't pay me to buy an iPhone but after about a 1.5 years of use, the Android phones became slow, laggy, and buggy. After 2 years, you were getting no updates and no support. To keep my Android phones for longer than 2 years, I had to suffer through the slowness, and the lag in response or feedback on the touchscreen. Meanwhile all my friends have their 2 year old iPhones that are moving smooth like butter. That's what made me really switch after resisting for years.

I'm not sure if that's a problem that Android phones still have.

Android phones have improved a lot and they are generally quite reliable now and can be used for many years. I switched back to ios in 2014 after 2 years away. In the 2 years I was on android I was having to upgrade every 4-5 months due to the hardware/software issues. When I upgrade my iphones is due to choice rather than defects.

 

[Shanghaichica]

This is the reason I'm an iPhone user. I decided years ago that the Apple ecosystem – all of it: iCloud, MacBooks, iPads, Watch, AppleTV – is an ecosystem that works well for me so I jumped in after years of Apple proving that that it could. It continues to work well and gets better year over year. What's the incentive for me to switch at this point? Basically none. Changing phones, or any piece of it, to Android breaks the integration with this ecosystem. As long as Apple continues to provide a useful ecosystem, I'm in.

The ecosystem was one of the main things that drew me back to the iphone. Even back in 2014 it was robust enough. I'd been putting up with buggy phones on android for 2 years, upgrading every 4-5 months to mitigate the bugs. Once Apple came out with the larger 6 plus there was not much hardware wise to keep me on android. However the final straw for me was that back then android devices just didn't talk to each other. I had a Samsung phone and a Samsung tablet and there was absolutely no advantage to owning them both. Even the bookmarks didn't sync in the Samsung browser, notes didn't sync in Samsung notes. The ecosystem has gone from strength to strength as the years have gone by and keep me on the iphone.

 

[I7guy]

Agree. Apple could make a bold(er) statement on privacy if they ended their default search engine agreement with Google.

Wish I could double disagree with this. Wouldn’t change a thing. But it’s a great talking point. Horses for courses.

 

[The-Real-Deal82]

There's just nothing special about having an iphone in the UK. Everyone and his dog has an iphone. Even people who are considered to be of a lower economical status (benefits) have iphones. They are very easy to obtain here.

Indeed. People on here from other countries don’t seem to believe us when we say things like this. It’s almost a stereotype here that those on benefits can often be seen to be sporting £200 Nike air max trainers and the latest iPhone because everything these days is easy to finance. I certainly see that sort of thing with mums and dads at the school gates who I know either don’t work or have minimum wage factory jobs. No offence to them as we all prioritise what we spend money on but the thought of the iPhone acting as a status symbol is rather laughable in 2022 IMO.

 

[webkit]

Are you guys quoting a devices sold number or are you quoting actually smartphone activity and usage? Devices sold is a proxy for the thing that counts (percentage of users and percentage of time spent using iOS versus Android OS).

I am quoting Statcounter data for mobile operating systems. They refer to it as "market share" but "usage share" is probably a more appropriate label. It's not specifically about device sales.

 

[webkit]

Apple have strong market shares in Canada, The UK, Australia, Switzerland and Scandanavia.

iOS also has a large share in Japan.

 

[DanVM]

I am pretty sure that if Apple were to do this, you would all be accusing them of abusing their platform control to screw over the competition.

The issue in this case is not platform control, but Apple privacy stance. Like I said before, the message they send about privacy is confusing, considering the business they have with Google, specifically their search engine by default in Apple devices. There are better options from a privacy POV.

 

[alexandr]

The best phone ever made…

• Never becomes obsolete.
• No batterygate.
• Encourages kids to have real social contacts, instead of 999999 “friends”
• Enhances the creativity
• Costs almost nothing

and much more…

So it’s nothing that Apple would ever be able to invent, because it’s a non-leeching product.

It lacks a camera though

 

[ericwn]

Android already does CSAM to any photos synced to the cloud, pretty much most cloud photo hosting companies/servers are going to do this. Check this out https://www.missingkids.org/supportus/our-corporate-partners

Use Microsoft cloud services? Google cloud services? anything Meta related? what about TikTok? Ever upload any youtube videos? Upload to Reddit? Twitter? guess what CSAM was used there are plenty more and I don't think you fully understand how exactly CSAM works. Google probably has the most invasive version of CSAM given the most recent with a man sending an image(s) to his kids doctor for diagnosis. Just to give you a little more info though https://www.theverge.com/2022/8/21/...-csam-scanning-account-deletion-investigation
Google alone reported over 600,000 cases in 2021 alone.

This leads me to ask....If Apple does continue to implement CSAM what are you going to do? Where are you going to go? because unless it is back to a "dumb" phone or completely no social media or cloud based services besides personally hosted ones good luck

Eh, doesn’t the tech industry want to fight CSAM? The scanning and all these other privacy affecting things are steps they claim against CSAM spreading.

 

[Mrkevinfinnerty]

Wish I could double disagree with this. Wouldn’t change a thing. But it’s a great talking point. Horses for courses.

Well it would mean that they weren't selling their userbase to Google so it would change that.

 

[ericwn]

Well it would mean that they weren't selling their userbase to Google so it would change that.

Well put: anyone who wants to announce they’re all up for privacy shouldn’t be doing business with one of the world’s biggest data miners or an ad company.

 

[I7guy]

Well it would mean that they weren't selling their userbase to Google so it would change that.

Goggle being the most popular of search engines would probably see a lot of iOS safari traffic anyway. So not much would really change and apple might as well get paid for something that would happen anyway.

The argument has been put forth people won’t know the difference among search engines nor change the defaults. Imo, that is far from reality.

Ymmv.

 

[Abazigal]

The issue in this case is not platform control, but Apple privacy stance. Like I said before, the message they send about privacy is confusing, considering the business they have with Google, specifically their search engine by default in Apple devices. There are better options from a privacy POV.

Apple's stance on privacy has always been about giving users a choice as to whether they want to be tracked. That's why we have ATT, Sign In with Apple as well as the ability to hide our email addresses with iCloud+. People who wish to take this one step further have the option of weaning themselves off google's services by way of Maps, Siri, Safari+ad blockers, iCloud Drive and iCloud mail.

I have never found their messaging to be confusing, not least because I don't buy into the conspiracy theory that Apple's pro-privacy stance is nothing more than a marketing cover to sell ads and boost its services revenue. This is the narrative that disgruntled developers and competitors are trying to push in a bid to dismantle Apple's grip in the App Store, so they are free to sidestep iOS App Store rules and oversight.

I don't blame the competition for trying to paint Apple in the worst possible light, but I am disheartened to see iOS users buy into these blatant lies hook, line and sinker.

Rather, I choose to (rightfully) see the perspective of the average App Store consumer, and it's not hard to see how what Apple does is to my benefit as the end user. That's what a lot of the criticism surrounding the App Store gets wrong - Apple sells me an experience, and it stands to earn much more money by keeping its users satisfied and engaged with its ecosystem including App Store and privacy features like ATT, than from ads or from compromising my privacy.

 

[webkit]

Goggle being the most popular of search engines would probably see a lot of iOS safari traffic anyway. So not much would really change and apple might as well get paid for something that would happen anyway.

The argument has been put forth people won’t know the difference among search engines nor change the defaults. Imo, that is far from reality.

A variety of studies have shown that most users don't bother to change default settings on their devices. Google knows this which is a reason why they pay Apple so much to make Google search the default on Safari. Apple knows this as well.

If Apple wanted to make a bold statement on privacy, tracking, etc., they would pick a search engine like DDG. This would also definitely make a difference in Safari to Google search engine traffic. However, Apple won't do that because they know DDG is not in a position to be able to come close to paying what Google does.

Apple is selling their Safari user base to Google.

 

[I7guy]

A variety of studies have shown that most users don't bother to change default settings on their devices. Google knows this which is a reason why they pay Apple so much to make Google search the default on Safari. Apple knows this as well.

Citation. Do these same studies know if users type in google dot con in the browser or tegu use the google app? This goes back to my comment about MR posters believing users being so dumb they don’t the difference among the search engines.

If Apple wanted to make a bold statement on privacy, tracking, etc., they would pick a search engine like DDG.

Doesn’t change the way the internet works.

This would also definitely make a difference in Safari to Google search engine traffic. However, Apple won't do that because they know DDG is not in a position to be able to come close to paying what Google does.

Why should apple get paid for what users would do anyway, imo.

Apple is selling their Safari user base to Google.

The safari user base is giving it away to google willingly.

 

[DanVM]

Apple's stance on privacy has always been about giving users a choice as to whether they want to be tracked. That's why we have ATT, Sign In with Apple as well as the ability to hide our email addresses with iCloud+. People who wish to take this one step further have the option of weaning themselves off google's services by way of Maps, Siri, Safari+ad blockers, iCloud Drive and iCloud mail.

I have never found their messaging to be confusing, not least because I don't buy into the conspiracy theory that Apple's pro-privacy stance is nothing more than a marketing cover to sell ads and boost its services revenue. This is the narrative that disgruntled developers and competitors are trying to push in a bid to dismantle Apple's grip in the App Store, so they are free to sidestep iOS App Store rules and oversight.

I don't blame the competition for trying to paint Apple in the worst possible light, but I am disheartened to see iOS users buy into these blatant lies hook, line and sinker.

Rather, I choose to (rightfully) see the perspective of the average App Store consumer, and it's not hard to see how what Apple does is to my benefit as the end user. That's what a lot of the criticism surrounding the App Store gets wrong - Apple sells me an experience, and it stands to earn much more money by keeping its users satisfied and engaged with its ecosystem including App Store and privacy features like ATT, than from ads or from compromising my privacy.

In this case, the issue is not choice, but who is Apple is making business with, considering Google privacy reputation. There are better options for a search engine from a privacy POV.

 

[mandopicker101]

In the end, people are disappointed by the slow rate of Android updates on most Android phones outside of the Google Pixel models. At least with an iPhone, you get timely updates for several years (if I still had my old iPhone X, it would get the iOS 16.0 update).

This is what clinched my decision to switch sides - perfectly capable mid range Android device (RealMe 6) dropped within 18 months while security updates were sparse. Not that I’m desperate for every feature, just a secure-ish phone. The failing charge port offered the final push. Running a lightly used iPhone 11 and it slays the Android (on paper the more powerful device). Ain’t never going back…

 

[webkit]

Citation. Do these same studies know if users type in google dot con in the browser or tegu use the google app? This goes back to my comment about MR posters believing users being so dumb they don’t the difference among the search engines.

Do a web search and you'll find a variety of articles about user behavior regarding default settings on devices and how most don't change them.

This isn't about people not knowing about different search engines, it's about people not bothering or caring to change the default or figuring out how to do so. It's also about some feeling that the default settings must be there for a reason and therefore choose to stick with them. This is a reason why Google pays Apple and others so much to be the default search on their products. They know it drives traffic to Google.

Doesn’t change the way the internet works.

It changes user behavior. Again, most people tend to stick with default settings and when a particular search engine is set as the default, it increases usage of that search engine. This is a reason Google pays Apple and others so much to be the default search on their products.

Why should apple get paid for what users would do anyway, imo.

Apple gets paid because people tend not to change default settings on their devices and having a particular search engine as the default (Google in this case) can be very lucrative. If people were going to use Google search anyway, as you've suggested, Google wouldn't be paying out all of that money.

The safari user base is giving it away to google willingly.

Willingly or not, Apple setting Google as the default search on Safari drives significant traffic to Google. If Apple set DDG as the default, it would drive significant traffic to DDG but they don't do that because DDG isn't in a position to pay Apple nearly as much as Google.

Google isn't stupid. They know that getting browsers to set them as the default search drives traffic to Google and that's why they pay out all of that money. Apple is selling their Safari user base to Google.

 

[I7guy]

Do a web search and you'll find a variety of articles about user behavior regarding default settings on devices and how most don't change them.

How many users download the google app or type in google dotcom from any browser? Your the one who brought it up so it’s incumbent on you to provide a citation, unless it’s an opinion.

This isn't about people not knowing about different search engines, it's about people not bothering or caring to change the default or figuring out how to do so. It's also about some feeling that the default settings must be there for a reason and therefore choose to stick with them. This is a reason why Google pays Apple and others so much to be the default search on their products. They know it drives traffic to Google.

While there are a lot of technically illliterate people there are also a lot of technically literate. People who can change defaults. The same people who may get into a car and adjust the seats and mirrors. Google is getting paid for something, imo, a lot of people would do anyway. DDG is great but people know, it’s not a panacea of search results.

It changes user behavior. Again, most people tend to stick with default settings and when a particular search engine is set as the default, it increases usage of that search engine.

If there are a billion iphones active are you saying 500m don’t bother the change default settings? Can you cite that fact (oid)?

This is a reason Google pays Apple and others so much to be the default search on their products.

One reason is to keep the brand going. Why does coca-cola the most popular drink in the world advertise at half-time?

Apple gets paid because people tend not to change default settings on their devices and having a particular search engine as the default (Google in this case) can be very lucrative.

Up above you said “most” people. That implies 500m or more. Something I highly doubt. I’m sure at some point in time people who get a new iphone or (new to them) will change some settings or get some help changing some settings.

If people were going to use Google search anyway, as you've suggested, Google wouldn't be paying out all of that money.

The same reason coca-cola advertises during half-time.

Willingly or not, Apple setting Google as the default search on Safari drives significant traffic to Google.

I agree, but not all by default. There’s the app, multiple browsers etc.

If Apple set DDG as the default, it would drive significant traffic to DDG but they don't do that because DDG isn't in a position to pay Apple nearly as much as Google.

DDG isn’t also as good, so there is that.

Google isn't stupid. They know that getting browsers to set them as the default search drives traffic to Google and that's why they pay out all of that money. Apple is selling their Safari user base to Google.

Apple isn’t selling anything, users are giving it away willingly.

 

[webkit]

How many users download the google app or type in google dotcom from any browser? Your the one who brought it up so it’s incumbent on you to provide a citation, unless it’s an opinion.

Safari has a significant share (approximately 53%) of the mobile browser market in the U.S. This is a reason why Google pays Apple so much to be the default search on Safari.

While there are a lot of technically illliterate people there are also a lot of technically literate. People who can change defaults. The same people who may get into a car and adjust the seats and mirrors. Google is getting paid for something, imo, a lot of people would do anyway. DDG is great but people know, it’s not a panacea of search results.

People can change their defaults but most don't. This is a reason why Google pays Apple so much to be the default search on Safari.

If there are a billion iphones active are you saying 500m don’t bother the change default settings? Can you cite that fact (oid)?

Do a web search and you'll find a variety of articles about user behavior regarding default settings on devices and how most don't change them. Add to that Safari's significant share (approximately 53%) of the mobile browser market in the U.S. This is a reason why Google pays Apple so much to be the default search on Safari.

One reason is to keep the brand going. Why does coca-cola the most popular drink in the world advertise at half-time?

To keep brand going, drive traffic to Google, help Google try to maintain or increase its dominance in search, etc. Yes, Apple is getting paid to help Google out in many ways. It's a very lucrative agreement.

Up above you said “most” people. That implies 500m or more. Something I highly doubt. I’m sure at some point in time people who get a new iphone or (new to them) will change some settings or get some help changing some settings.

"Most" as in percentage, according to various articles/studies about user behavior regarding default settings.

The same reason coca-cola advertises during half-time.

That's reminder or image advertising which is not really the same thing as paying to be positioned as the default.

I agree, but not all by default. There’s the app, multiple browsers etc.

Of course not "all" but it's a significant number. This is a reason why Google pays Apple so much to be the default search on Safari.

Apple isn’t selling anything, users are giving it away willingly.

Apple is absolutely selling something. They are selling the default search position on Safari to Google for billions per year.

 

[Mrkevinfinnerty]

Apple isn’t selling anything, users are giving it away willingly.

Maybe they believed this ...

 

[I7guy]

Safari has a significant share (approximately 53%) of the mobile browser market in the U.S. This is a reason why Google pays Apple so much to be the default search on Safari.

So just because of the mobile browsing market share, not switching the defaults.

People can change their defaults but most don't. This is a reason why Google pays Apple so much to be the default search on Safari.

Citation. Or I understand it's your opinion. Or that users download the google app or type google dotcom into any browser.

Do a web search and you'll find a variety of articles about user behavior regarding default settings on devices and how most don't change them. Add to that Safari's significant share (approximately 53%) of the mobile browser market in the U.S. This is a reason why Google pays Apple so much to be the default search on Safari.

It's you who postulated that most (>50%, which means about 500m users) don't change defaults. That's a very big universe to defend.

To keep brand going, drive traffic to Google, help Google try to maintain or increase its dominance in search, etc. Yes, Apple is getting paid to help Google out in many ways. It's a very lucrative agreement.

Sure. Google being the most popular search engine https://www.searchenginejournal.com/seo-guide/meet-search-engines/ is paying apple for what users would do anyway. It's very good for Apply.

"Most" as in percentage, according to various articles/studies about user behavior regarding default settings.

Again citation.

That's reminder or image advertising which is not really the same thing as paying to be positioned as the default.

The adverts are to make coca-cola the defacto soft drink.

Of course not "all" but it's a significant number. This is a reason why Google pays Apple so much to be the default search on Safari.

It's you whose postulated that "most" users don't change defaults. I quote why does the biggest soft drink manufacturer in the world have to advertise on the half-time.

Apple is absolutely selling something. They are selling the default search position on Safari to Google for billions per year.

Every time a user searches via the app or types in google dotcom into the browser, or is happy with google as the default and doesn't change it, they are giving away their own information.

 

[I7guy]

Maybe they believed this ...


[...]

Thought that had more to do with PII such as: name, birthday, ss#, cc info etc and less about what you search externally or what tower your phone is connected to, etc?

 

[webkit]

So just because of the mobile browsing market share, not switching the defaults.

Obviously, it's both. Not switching defaults combined with Safari's 53% U.S. mobile browser share makes the Apple/Google agreement particularly significant and why Google is willing to pay Apple so much. Much more than, for example, they pay Mozilla.

Citation. Or I understand it's your opinion. Or that users download the google app or type google dotcom into any browser.

It is not my "opinion." If you do a search for user behavior regarding default settings, you will find articles.

It's you who postulated that most (>50%, which means about 500m users) don't change defaults. That's a very big universe to defend.

Again, I was referring to articles about user behavior regarding default settings. I assume you are capable of doing a search and finding articles on user behavior regarding default settings.

Sure. Google being the most popular search engine https://www.searchenginejournal.com/seo-guide/meet-search-engines/ is paying apple for what users would do anyway. It's very good for Apply.

Yes, Apple is getting paid handsomely to send Safari traffic to Google. Google is not paying Apple that much because "not much would really change and apple might as well get paid for something that would happen anyway" (as you stated previously), they are paying Apple that much because it does have impact.

Again citation.

I assume you are capable of doing a search and finding articles on user behavior regarding default settings.

The adverts are to make coca-cola the defacto soft drink.
It's you whose postulated that "most" users don't change defaults. I quote why does the biggest soft drink manufacturer in the world have to advertise on the half-time.

Again, that's reminder or image advertising which is not really the same thing as paying to be positioned as the default.

Every time a user searches via the app or types in google dotcom into the browser, or is happy with google as the default and doesn't change it, they are giving away their own information.

And Apple is absolutely selling something. They are selling the default search position on Safari to Google for billions per year. If "Apple isn't selling anything" (as you stated previously), then what is Google paying billions for?