Apple's US iPhone Activations Reach Six-Year Low: Durability, Lack of Revolutionary Features Driving Market Share Decline

New York, New York, USA United States of America
Apple's share of new iPhone activations decreases from 40% to 33% over the past year
Apple's US iPhone activations reach six-year low
Factors contributing to decline in iPhone sales: increase in durability and expense, slowdown in revolutionary features, transparent phone purchase plans
Apple's US iPhone Activations Reach Six-Year Low: Durability, Lack of Revolutionary Features Driving Market Share Decline

According to recent reports by Consumer Intelligence Research Partners (CIRP), iPhone activations in the US have reached a six-year low, with Apple's share of new iPhone activations decreasing from 40% to 33% over the past year. The decline in iPhone sales as a percentage of all new activations can be attributed to several factors, including an increase in iPhone quality and durability, a slowdown in the pace of revolutionary new features, and more transparent phone purchase plans that have encouraged buyers to hold onto their old phones for longer.

Historically, Apple's share of US smartphone activations has been much higher than 33%, with the company holding steady at around 40% market share for most of 2023. However, the trend towards more durable and expensive smartphones, combined with a decline in new features that justify upgrades, has led to a shift away from Apple's high market shares.

Apple tends to introduce new iPhones around September, leading to a concentration of new activations in the fourth and first quarters. This year's iPhone 16 is expected to be no exception, with rumors suggesting that it will come in multiple new colors and potentially ditch physical buttons altogether. However, conflicting reports on the features of the upcoming flagship lineup have left some analysts predicting a decline in Apple's iPhone shipments for the entire year.

Despite these challenges, Apple remains committed to delivering high-quality products that meet the needs and desires of its customers. The company continues to invest in research and development, with a focus on innovation and user experience. Only time will tell how these efforts will translate into sales figures and market share numbers in the coming quarters.

Sources: Consumer Intelligence Research Partners (CIRP), 9to5Mac, WCCFtech


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Confidence

90%

Doubts
  • Are there any conflicting reports on the features of the upcoming iPhone 16?
  • Is Apple's commitment to delivering high-quality products enough to reverse the trend in declining market share?

Sources

78%

The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
(Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

iPhone Activation Percentage Drops To Lowest In Years, New Report Suggests That Buyers Are Waiting Longe…

WCCF Tech News Publication House Omar Sohail Thursday, 25 April 2024 08:25
  • Unique Points
    • iPhone sales as a percentage of all new activations have fallen from 40% to 33% over the past four quarters.
    • Apple tends to introduce new iPhones around September, leading to a concentration of new activations in the fourth and first quarters.
  • Accuracy
    • Apple’s iPhone market share for U.S. activations has dropped to 33%, the lowest in years.
    • Android smartphone makers now command two-thirds of the market share of activations due to affordability.
    • Many customers may be waiting for the iPhone 16 series release.
  • Deception (30%)
    The article makes several deceptive statements and uses emotional manipulation to engage readers. The author implies that the drop in iPhone activations is solely due to improved durability and slower feature escalation, but fails to mention other potential factors such as economic conditions or competition from other smartphone manufacturers. This selective reporting creates a misleading narrative for the reader. Additionally, the article uses sensational language like 'dramatically dropped' and 'lowest in years' to manipulate emotions and grab attention.
    • Apple’s iPhone market share for the number of activations in the U.S. has dropped drastically, with new data revealing that the figure used to hover around an unrivaled 40 percent. Now, it has dropped to 33 percent, making it the lowest number in years.
    • However, it is important to note that many devices running Google’s mobile operating system are highly affordable compared to iPhones, and that is one of the few reasons Apple’s product activations have lowered.
  • Fallacies (85%)
    The article contains a few informal fallacies and appeals to authority. It also uses inflammatory rhetoric.
    • . . . weak iPhone demand could be the culprit, . . .
  • Bias (95%)
    The author expresses a bias towards Apple and its competitors by implying that the drop in iPhone activations is primarily due to tough competition from Android smartphone makers and their affordability. The author also makes assumptions about the upcoming iPhone 16 series without providing any evidence or quotes from reliable sources.
    • Assuming Apple can offer the same price while delivering on the features front during the official launch later this year, it might result in those activation percentages picking up in the next few quarters.
      • It is important to note that many devices running Google’s mobile operating system are highly affordable compared to iPhones, and that is one of the few reasons Apple’s product activations have lowered.
      • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
        None Found At Time Of Publication
      • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
        None Found At Time Of Publication

      92%

      The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
      (Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

      A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

      iPhone activation market share hits new low as Android dominates

      9to5Mac Michael Potuck Wednesday, 24 April 2024 16:29
      • Unique Points
        • CIRP attributes the decline in iPhone activations to an increase in iPhone quality and a decline in new features.
      • Accuracy
        • Two out of three new smartphone activations in the US are Android devices.
        • iPhone sales as a percentage of all new activations have fallen from 40% to 33% over the past four quarters.
        • Apple tends to introduce new iPhones around September, leading to a concentration of new activations in the fourth and first quarters.
      • Deception (100%)
        None Found At Time Of Publication
      • Fallacies (85%)
        The article contains an informal fallacy - anecdotal evidence. It also uses inflammatory rhetoric and appeals to authority.
        • . . . the metric peaked at 40% for Q1 and Q2 in 2023 with Apple seeing a decline to 33% of new smartphone activations in the US as of Q1 2024, says CIRP.
        • CIRP believes that an increase in iPhone quality over the last few years along with a decline in new features has contributed to the decline.
        • Per CIRP’s data, Apple hasn’t seen numbers that low since 2017.
      • Bias (100%)
        None Found At Time Of Publication
      • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
        None Found At Time Of Publication
      • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
        None Found At Time Of Publication

      97%

      The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
      (Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

      A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

      Apple iPhone Sales Hit 6-Year Low As Percentage Of New Activations

      Forbes Magazine John Koetsier Thursday, 25 April 2024 00:00
      • Unique Points
        • iPhone sales as a percentage of all new activations have fallen from 40% to 33% over the past four quarters.
        • The average age of iPhone owners’ previous phones is increasing, with more upgrading from three-year-old devices last year compared to 2019.
      • Accuracy
        • Apple’s share of new smartphone activations in the US has dropped to a six-year low of 33%.
        • Many customers may be waiting for the iPhone 16 series release.
      • Deception (100%)
        None Found At Time Of Publication
      • Fallacies (100%)
        None Found At Time Of Publication
      • Bias (100%)
        None Found At Time Of Publication
      • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
        None Found At Time Of Publication
      • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
        None Found At Time Of Publication

      95%

      The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
      (Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

      A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

      CIRP: iPhone activations in the US fall to 33% of all smartphones

      GSMarena - Mobile Devices and Technology News Unknown Peter Thursday, 25 April 2024 19:32
      • Unique Points
        • iPhone activations in the US have dropped to 33% of all smartphone activations in the beginning of 2024
        • For most of 2023, Apple held steady at around 40% market share
        • The share of iPhone activations began to slip at the end of 2023
        • CIRP reports that six years ago, there were other operating systems besides Android and iOS in the market
      • Accuracy
        • Apple’s iPhone market share for U.S. activations has dropped to 33%, the lowest in years.
        • Apple’s share of new smartphone activations in the US has dropped to a six-year low of 33%.
      • Deception (100%)
        None Found At Time Of Publication
      • Fallacies (85%)
        The article contains an appeal to authority and a generalization about the smartphone market. It also uses a dichotomous depiction of the market as being dominated by either iOS or Android with no mention of other past competitors.
        • . . . Apple held steady at around 40% for most of 2023, but its share began to slip at the end of the year and is now down to 33% at the beginning of 2024.
        • CIRP compares this to six years ago when it wasn’t just an Android-iOS duopoly, but Windows Phone and even BlackBerry OS devices were still hanging on.
        • The move away from carrier-subsidized phones has also encouraged buyers to hold onto their old phones for longer.
      • Bias (100%)
        None Found At Time Of Publication
      • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
        None Found At Time Of Publication
      • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
        None Found At Time Of Publication

      98%

      The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
      (Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

      A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

      Android Bosses iPhone in Smartphone Activation Market Share

      Nanoleaf Skylight Smarter Kit Tim Hardwick Thursday, 25 April 2024 00:00
      • Unique Points
        • New iPhone activations in the US market have reached a six-year low, according to a report by Consumer Intelligence Research Partners (CIRP).
        • Apple’s share of new iPhone activations decreased from 40% to 33% over the past year.
        • Consumers are holding onto their devices for longer due to transparent buying plans, impacting iPhone sales more significantly than those of Android devices.
      • Accuracy
        • Historically, around one-third of new smartphone activations were from iPhones when competitors like Blackberry and Windows phones were prevalent.
      • Deception (100%)
        None Found At Time Of Publication
      • Fallacies (100%)
        None Found At Time Of Publication
      • Bias (100%)
        None Found At Time Of Publication
      • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
        None Found At Time Of Publication
      • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
        None Found At Time Of Publication