Nearly a quarter of current iPhone users already plan to buy Apple’s next smartphone — even before they know what new features it will bring. That’s the most surprising finding from a new poll, which also shows demand for iPhone upgrades has stabilized at a high level.
Heavy demand for an unannounced product shows trust in Apple. That’s welcome, as the company’s reputation has slipped a bit.
Photo: Loop Ventures
This is just interest in upgrading to the replacement for the iPhone 8 and iPhone X. Results for people upgrading from older models to the 2017 ones are tabulated below.
The market analysis company also pointed out: “The data over the past two years suggests annual iPhone growth will settle into a more predictable 1-5% range.”
Apple’s latest and greatest
Over half of iPhone users planning to upgrade are already looking ahead to the device still on Apple’s drawing board. Not everyone is so forward-thinking, though. Nearly 30 percent have their eye on the iPhone 8, while almost 20 percent want an iPhone X.
Photo: Loop Ventures
The latest iPhones came out last fall, and their replacements aren’t expected for about six more months. At this point, there are no trustworthy rumors about what Apple is planning. Much of the current discussion about them is debate on whether Apple was right to remove the Home button from the iPhone X and replace it with a screen cutout.
Apple’s reputation isn’t quite what it once was
Apple used to be one of the world’s most admired companies, but it has slipped lately. In the latest Harris Poll Reputation Quotient, the company went from 5th place to 29th. It was also recently judged to have lower charisma than many other brands. Still, Apple ranked first for brand intimacy among millennials.
And strong interest in upgrading is always good news for any company.
