Cell Phone Brand Loyalty Survey 2019
Research

iPhone vs Android – Cell Phone Brand Loyalty Survey 2019

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Last updated June 5, 2020

How loyal are users to their current smartphone brand?

 

SURVEY INTRODUCTION

It’s that time of year again when manufacturers launch all their latest phones and product innovations. We have seen the Samsung Note 10 & 10+ launch this month to a positive response. The highly anticipated iPhone 11 is due to be launched in September and the Google Pixel 4 is likely to launch the month after.

Over recent weeks there has been some negative press about how the new iPhone 11 when launched next month is expected by some to be ‘underwhelming’. Some experts in the media claim the new iPhone will offer a disappointingly minor step up from previous models. Many also claim the new iPhone 11 is not expected to have 5G which means that 5G is unlikely to be available on an iPhone until 2020, which contrasts with its main Android rivals such as Samsung that already have 5G phones available.

With all this in mind are Apple users still brand loyal? Or are many set to move away from the brand when they next upgrade?

We decided to find out by asking REAL smartphone users in the US how many intend to switch to a different brand when they next upgrade their phone, and if so WHY. Our Smartphone Brand Loyalty Survey 2019 shows the data of how happy customers are with their current brand of smartphone across all the major brands including Apple, Samsung, LG, Google and more.

The short answer to the above question – iPhone users are very brand loyal and over 90% intend to buy another iPhone when they next upgrade!

Read on for more…

SellCell surveyed 2066 smartphone users in the US between the ages of 18 and 60. Survey conducted August 2019 (See below for more information about the data and methodology)

 

 

SURVEY HIGHLIGHTS

iPhone Users Samsung Users
  • Over 90% (90.5%) of iPhone users intend to buy another iPhone when they next upgrade
  • Less than 10% (9.5%) intend switching to a different brand
  • Samsung users are similarly loyal with 86% intending to buy another Samsung phone when they next upgrade
  • Only 14% intending on switching to a different brand
  • 79% of iPhone users are happy with their brand of phone, see no reason to switch to a different brand or prefer to stick with what they know
  • 87% of Samsung phone users are happy with their brand of phone, see no reason to switch to a different brand or prefer to stick with what they know
  • 21% of iPhone users might be tempted to switch if they weren’t too tied into the Apple Ecosystem or it wasn’t so much hassle changing operating system from iOS to Android
  • 13% of Samsung phone users might be tempted to switch if they weren’t too tied into the Google/Android Ecosystem or it wasn’t so much hassle changing operating system
Of the 10% of iPhone users that intend to switch to a different brand next time they upgrade these are the Top 3 reasons:
  1. Other brands offer better technology eg. Screen, camera, battery, etc. (49% of this group)
  2. Other brands offer better value for money (17% of this group)
  3. Just fancy a change (14% of this group)
 Of the 14% of Samsung users that intend to switch to a different brand next time they upgrade these are the Top 3 reasons:
  1. Other brands offer better technology eg. Screen, camera, battery, etc. (29% of this group)
  2. Just fancy a change (26% of this group)
  3. Other brands offer better value for money (24% of this group)
  • 5G appears to be not as important as many suggest. Of the above 10% of iPhone users intending to switch from iPhone to a different brand, only 12% cited lack of 5G as a reason
  
  • Motorola and LG owners are some of the most likely to switch brands, with circa 40% of existing users stating that they will be looking to move when they upgrade
  • Google phone owners are similarly loyal like Apple and Samsung users with 84% intending to buy another Google phone when they next upgrade

 

 

SURVEY FINDINGS

iPHONE USERS

1.) We asked iPhone users, when you next upgrade your phone do you intend to stay with your current brand or switch to a different brand?

KEY FINDINGS:

  • 90.5% of iPhone users intend to buy another iPhone when they next upgrade
  • Only 9.5% intend switching to a different brand
iPhone Users - When you change your phone do you intend on staying with your current brand or switching to a different brand?

 

2.) We asked iPhone users the main reason why they intend to stay with their current brand of phone and not switch to another brand

KEY FINDINGS:

  • The majority of iPhone users (53%) like their brand of phone best and don’t want to change (interestingly this is exactly the same percentage as Samsung users below!)
  • 79% of iPhone users are happy with their brand of phone, see no reason to switch to a different brand or prefer to stick with what they know (Answers 2,4 & 5 combined)
  • Data suggests 21% of users might be tempted to switch if they weren’t too tied into the Apple Ecosystem or it wasn’t so much hassle changing operating system from iOS to Android (Answers 1 & 3 combined)
iPhone Users - What is the main reason you intend to stay with your current brand of phone and not switch to a different brand when you next upgrade?

 

3.) We asked the 9.5% of current iPhone users that intended to switch when they next upgraded the main reasons WHY they would be moving to another brand

KEY FINDINGS:

  • Main reason (49%) these users intend to switch to a different brand is for better technology (eg. Screen, camera, battery, etc.)
  • 2nd most popular reason is better value for money (17%)
  • Many in the press are currently suggesting that 5G will be one of the big battlegrounds between Apple and Android with many of the main Android brands such as Samsung already having 5G phones out and the new iPhone 11 to be launched next month is not expected to have 5G. But the data here suggests that 5G is not as important a feature as many suggest with only 12% of these users citing this a reason for switching from iPhone
  • 14% just fancy a change from an iPhone to an Android phone
iPhone Users - What is the main reason you intend to switch to a different brand of phone when you next upgrade?

 

SAMSUNG PHONE USERS

1.) We asked Samsung phone users, when you next upgrade your phone do you intend to stay with your current brand or switch to a different brand?

KEY FINDINGS:

  • 86% of Samsung users intend to buy another Samsung phone when they next upgrade
  • 14% intend switching to a different brand
Samsung Phone Users - When you change your phone do you intend on staying with your current brand or switching to a different brand?

 

2.) We asked Samsung users the main reason they intend to stay with their current brand of phone and not switch to another brand

KEY FINDINGS:

  • The majority of Samsung users (53%) like their brand of phone best and don’t want to change (interestingly this is exactly the same percentage as iPhone users above!)
  • 87% of Samsung users are happy with their brand of phone, see no reason to switch to a different brand or prefer to stick with what they know (Answers 2, 4 & 5 combined)
  • 13% of users might be tempted to switch if they weren’t too tied into the Google/Android Ecosystem or it wasn’t so much hassle changing operating system (Answers 1 & 3 combined)
Samsung Phone Users - What is the main reason you intend to stay with your current brand of phone and not switch to a different brand when you next upgrade?

 

3.) We asked the 14% of current Samsung phone users that intended to switch when they next upgraded the main reasons WHY they would be moving to another brand

KEY FINDINGS:

  • 29% intend to switch due to other brands having better technology
  • Are Samsung phones getting too expensive? Are people moving to cheaper Android brands? 24% of this group cite better value for money as reason they intend to switch
  • 26% just fancy a change
Samsung Phone Users - What is the main reason you intend to switch to a different brand of phone when you next upgrade?

 

LG PHONE USERS

1.) We asked LG phone users, when you next upgrade your phone do you intend to stay with your current brand or switch to a different brand?

KEY FINDINGS:

  • 61% of LG users intend to buy another LG phone when they next upgrade
  • 39% intend switching to a different brand
LG Phone Users - When you change your phone do you intend on staying with your current brand or switching to a different brand?

 

GOOGLE PHONE USERS

1.) We asked Google phone users, when you next upgrade your phone do you intend to stay with your current brand or switch to a different brand?

KEY FINDINGS:

  • 84% of Google users intend to buy another Google phone when they next upgrade
  • 16% intend switching to a different brand
Google Phone Users - When you change your phone do you intend on staying with your current brand or switching to a different brand?

 

MOTOROLA PHONE USERS

1.) We asked Motorola phone users, when you next upgrade your phone do you intend to stay with your current brand or switch to a different brand?

KEY FINDINGS:

  • 61% of Motorola users intend to buy another Motorola phone when they next upgrade
  • 39% intend switching to a different brand
Motorola Phone Users - When you change your phone do you intend on staying with your current brand or switching to a different brand?

 

SURVEY DATA COLLECTION INFORMATION & METHODOLOGY

  • SURVEY DEMOGRAPHIC:
    • Adults between the ages of 18 – 60
    • Gender Split: 53% Women / 47% Men
  • RESPONDENTS SURVEYED: 
    • 2066 Adults
  • LOCATION: 
    • All located in the United States (USA)

 

Download press kit for all data, graphs and images:

DOWNLOAD PRESS KIT

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