Strategy Analytics report: US smartphone users are replacing their phones more frequently

Strategy Analytics' latest research report, "U.S. Smartphone Replacement Rates and Brand Dynamics," points out that Apple smartphone users currently use their phones for an average of 18 months, while Samsung users use their phones for 16.5 months. One in five white people plan to use their phones for three years or longer, and more and more users aged 55-64 are delaying their phone purchases for more than three years.

The Strategy Analytics Consumer Insights team analyzed online survey results from a representative sample of 2,500 smartphone users aged 18-64 in the United States.

The study conducted analysis through the following categories:

● Gen Z: 18 -24 years old

● Gen Y: 25 -39 years

● Gen X: 40 – 54 years old

● Boomers: 55-64 years old

● Gender

● Race

● Current smartphone prices

● Replacement cycle

Note: Gen Z refers to people born after 1995; Gen Y, also known as the Millennials, refers to people born between 1980 and 1995; Gen X refers to people born between 1965 and 1979; Boomer refers to people born between 1946 and 1964

David Kerr, senior vice president at Strategy Analytics, noted, “Carriers and device brands face a huge challenge as consumers perceive successive generations of flagship devices to have less innovation or marginal value. At the same time, manufacturers’ pursuit of profits has pushed smartphone prices towards and above $1,000. The price of 5G phones will be a key barrier, but a quarter of users still think it is important for a 5G phone to be their next phone.”

Qian Sui, Director at Strategy Analytics, added: “One-third of Hispanics and African Americans, as well as those born after 1995, consider amazing phone features very important. High-end users who spend more than $1,000 are naturally the most eager to obtain amazing features and new network technologies, but these groups only account for 7% of the survey respondents.”

Other highlights of the study include:

● Apple and Samsung users have a dominant brand loyalty, with a repurchase intention of over 70%, widening the gap with second-tier manufacturers LG and Motorola, whose repurchase intention is less than 50%.

● Apple dominates the U.S. Hispanic and Asian markets, with a market share of over 50%

● Samsung leads in market share among Gen X, but lags behind Apple by nearly 40 percentage points in purchasing intention compared with post-95s.

● Camera function and mobile phone quality are more important to female and post-95 users.

● Especially for users born in the 80s, 90s and 95s, people increasingly need better tools to manage their time and stay away from mobile phones.