iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c Tempting Fewer Early Upgraders

[alexgowers]

It's only because 24 month contracts are kicking in. Many people before with smart phones had 12 or 18 months, carriers now require 24 months to get their money back on high end handsets, so anyone wanting to upgrade to a new phone now is in a waiting game with their last android or iphone deal.

It's not rocket science to see that people are locked in to contracts more and more and there is not going to be the rushes we have seen in the past at launch apart from those that have waited.

I still don't understand apart from cash flow why anyone would want an android phone though, they aren't bad but they are frustratingly backward in their operation. It's things like being able to have two of the same icon on the home screen through to glitchy web browsing and mostly pentile screen that just make apple worth the money.

 

[Parasprite]

It's only because 24 month contracts are kicking in. Many people before with smart phones had 12 or 18 months, carriers now require 24 months to get their money back on high end handsets, so anyone wanting to upgrade to a new phone now is in a waiting game with their last android or iphone deal.

It's not rocket science to see that people are locked in to contracts more and more and there is not going to be the rushes we have seen in the past at launch apart from those that have waited.

I still don't understand apart from cash flow why anyone would want an android phone though, they aren't bad but they are frustratingly backward in their operation. It's things like being able to have two of the same icon on the home screen through to glitchy web browsing and mostly pentile screen that just make apple worth the money.

It's amazing how you managed to start off with reasonable speculation and went and ruined it.

I like iPhones and, in general, disliked using Android-based phones. However, satisfaction with an Phone running Android is not only dependent on which phone, but which carrier and version can have a huge impact on your experience (even barring the huge number of modifications you can make with rooting - look up MIUI, for instance).

 

[MacLC]

If you look at the graph, the number of people who upgraded from Android is much larger. It's people from "basic phone" and Blackberries that have gone down, which isn't surprising because there are a lot less people with either of those.

If anything, the real headline here is that more Android users are switching to iPhone with this upgrade than last year.

Good points on the Android part and fewer people with smart phones part. Nearly 100% of iPhone sales in 2007 were regular phone upgrades.

Another point is that this is a percentage. I would be curious to see this chart in total # of units shipped.

 

[Phyco126]

However, satisfaction with an Phone running Android is not only dependent on which phone, but which carrier and version can have a huge impact on your experience (even barring the huge number of modifications you can make with rooting - look up MIUI, for instance).

Truth, at least for me. Loved my Xperia Arc S, disliked the Galaxy S4, loved the Xperia Z and HTC One.

Still, I'll stick with my iPhone 5, which is probably the first phone I truly love with all my heart.

 

[512ke]

5S and 5C are selling incredibly well around the world.

This statistic means that Apple is gaining users that Android is losing.

That's life. Now it's Apple's turn to rise at Android's expense.

Boo hoo for Android.

And that is happening even before the impending China Mobile announcement.

 

[eecyclone]

I wasn't going to upgrade from my iPhone 5 to the 5S but I switched carriers and it made more sense to get the newest model than to get another iPhone 5 on my new carrier.

 

[Koolaid74]

A fair comparison would be against the % of iPhone 4 users who upgraded to the 4S. There will always be an increase in people upgrading from an "S" model to the next model(e.g. 3S to 4 or 4S to 5) because of the refreshed design.

 

[iSayuSay]

I'm on 4S and despite a bit sluggishness here and there from running iOS 7 on my phone I decide to hold on until the next release, iPhone 6 maybe?

No bigger screen, no buy for me (and by bigger I mean it also has to be wider, not just taller )

 

[kenwk]

There are three kinds of lies:
lies, damned lies, and statistics.

right on i was an auditors before and i can tell you number lies

 

[marioguarneros]

I will upgrade but just not as quickly as usual.

The lack of interest from iPhone 5 owners is likely due to the fact that the iPhone 5s and the iPhone 5c are somewhat minor updates that have not resulted in a change in form factor. The iPhone 5c in particular uses the same components found in the iPhone 5, and it is possible that continued iPhone 5s shortages have discouraged some iPhone 5 owners from upgrading to the latest model.

I own an iphone 5 and in my case this is wrong in two out of three accounts,

-I don't think they are minor upgrades, the camera improvements and the overall processing speed are already two major updates not to mention all the other welcome additions such as touch ID.

-I like that the form factor remains the same, I don't believe in this bulls**t that the phone needs to change form every 11 months for it to be an upgrade, plus that way I can reuse third party add-ons such as my olloclip instead of having to shell out for the new version every year.

I will be upgrading to the 5s later this year or in January when there will be no availability disappointments and when the phones have been thoroughly tested by the millions of early adopters, I have been a day one customer for the 3GS, the 4 and 5 and things didn't go that smooth with the 5 one (bought it unlocked from Glasgow's apple store and one month later became locked to Vodafone rendering useless for my line of work).

This time I am going to sit it out and use the cash I have available right now towards newly released photographic gear (I'm a professional photographer) or even towards the new Mac Pro, I am also waiting out on the situation with the iPad air, I will probably end up buying one in February or March when I have replenished my spending cash and I can be sure the screens and everything is up to standards, I don't upgrade iPads as often as iPhones so can't wait to swap my non retina iPad 2 for one of these blazing fast retina display iPad airs.

I load RAW images to it and do quick mock up edits to show clients and for quick social media promotions so the speed improvements will be very welcomed.

"upgrade" from Android is a big word. "switch" from Android is more politically correct.
I've just "upgraded" from Ios 7 to Android 4.4 doesn't sound bad to your ears?

I have a friend that ditched his OLDER Android Galaxy and UPGRADED to an iPhone 5s, funny enough he still also carries a Blackberry because of his employer.

I don't think is "politically incorrect" (like someone commented) to describe it as an upgrade it would be the same if we said someone upgraded from an old iphone to the new android; see? No problem. =)

 

[topmounter]

Duh, everyone is waiting for the iPhone6 w/ jumbotron screen. If you already have an iP5 then the iP5s is pretty much meh.

 

[terraphantm]

Is this even a representative sampling ?

400 is pretty decent

 

[B4U]

Because I am still stuck on the $h!++y contract that at&t now won't let us upgrade before the 24 months are actually up...They CHANGED the contract while we had already signed...
Therefore I cannot upgrade this December anyway, so just dumped them the $849 + tax and got the 5s now.
They (at&t) are digging their own grave. I am going to jump ship as soon as the contract is up!

 

[ThunderSkunk]

They've been stuck on the same design for going on what, 4 years?

Build a phone that is to phones what this is to mice:

No way the design team that came up with that thinks the iPhone 4/4s/5/5s is the pinnacle of device design.

 

[0098386]

apple is doomed

Jokey "Apple is doomed rolleyes" comment,

 

[SvK]

this story is misleading.

There are people who are on a "s" upgrade cycle and people who are on a "non s" upgrade cycle. I would argue that most Long time iphone users, skip 1 generation before replacing. Most plans dictate this anyway in order to purchase for 199.00.

 

[jav6454]

While this is an interesting read, it is important to note that a 400 person survey is not significant nor representative in any way; specially in the US. You need something like (at minimum) 100k person poll to have anything that can be considered significant or that will have a meaning.

 

[satchmo]

I'm in the same boat.

You know the next iPhone is going to be huge!!
I mean both in sales and size. The pent up demand for a larger screen which have everyone upgrading.

Just as retina was the biggest request for the iPad mini, I'd venture to guess a larger screen is the most asked feature to have on the the iPhone.

For those who prefer the current size, I'm sure the 5s will still be offered.

I'm on 4S and despite a bit sluggishness here and there from running iOS 7 on my phone I decide to hold on until the next release, iPhone 6 maybe?

No bigger screen, no buy for me (and by bigger I mean it also has to be wider, not just taller )

 

[libertysat]

I have been an Apple user since the System 7 days

I once had a Droid - until Verizon finally got the iphone - it was a decent phone

I definitely like iOS much better, but

I really want to buy made in USA when I have the choice
If Apple doesn't make some major headway into more US assembly in next couple years when my iP5S goes off contract I might have to replace it with an American made google phone...
hope not

 

[ownamac]

Interesting statistics, and not surprising given the oldest models have a larger feature/performance disparity and the most recent model provides fewer reasons to upgrade.

 

[cwt1nospam]

They've been stuck on the same design for going on what, 4 years?

Build a phone that is to phones what this is to mice:

Image

No way the design team that came up with that thinks the iPhone 4/4s/5/5s is the pinnacle of device design.

Uh, I'm pretty sure Jonathan Ive had something to do with both.

 

[cjmillsnun]

Its pretty acurate from my POV. Ive have an iPhone since the 1st gen, 5S is a joke from a 5. Im now using an Lg G2 and love it.

If the 6 is a REAL worthwhile update ill probably move back but only if the screen size increases!

In what way is the 5S a joke from the 5?

It's a very solid S update IMO

The S updates have always been about having the same form factor with an increase in speed and some kind of update to the camera.

So that 5S is twice as fast as the 5 and is 64 Bit. Speed update - check.

The camera is still 8MP but has been upgraded with better low light performance, slow mo and a flash that gives a better tone based on the lighting situation in use. Camera update - check.

 

[JoeG4]

lol now that I finally have an iPhone it's time the platform started losing users in droves and lost the coolness factor.

 

[cjmillsnun]

They've been stuck on the same design for going on what, 4 years?

Build a phone that is to phones what this is to mice:

Image

No way the design team that came up with that thinks the iPhone 4/4s/5/5s is the pinnacle of device design.

I loathe the Magic Mouse. It is one of the most uncomfortable mice I've used. It looks good, but in this case, ergonomics should take precedence over good looks.

 

[shadow puppet]

this story is misleading.

There are people who are on a "s" upgrade cycle and people who are on a "non s" upgrade cycle. I would argue that most Long time iphone users, skip 1 generation before replacing. Most plans dictate this anyway in order to purchase for 199.00.

Agree about plans and contracts. But not everyone follows the "s" or any planned upgrade path.

I began with a 3GS and used it until the latest OS was going to slow it to a crawl. Then went to the 5 which was quite a jump. The retina alone blew my socks off. But I feel no need to go out and get the 5s just because it's here or has the touch ID. I want to get my money's worth, do not want to break contract and there's enough crap in our landfills without me contributing by having to have the latest & greatest. I used the money saved from not being an early adopter to buy my first ipad. Works for me. YMMV.