Who Switches from Android to iPhone?

Last week we looked at the percentage of iPhone buyers who switched from an Android phone. They make up a relatively small proportion of iPhone buyers, but they are an important group to understand. This week we compare iPhone buyers who switched from Android to those that previously owned another iPhone. In many ways, they aren’t like the existing iPhone customer base. iPhone buyers who switch from Android tend to be males with lower incomes compared to customers that already own an iPhone. One curious distinction between the groups: Android switchers are a little more … middle-aged.

Customers that switched from an Android phone to an iPhone fall within the middle of the age distribution. 28% are from 35-44 years old, compared to 20% of repeat iPhone buyers (Chart 1). With the lower price points for many Android models, Android owners tend to be younger than iPhone owners. This happens despite the social pressures for younger smartphone owners to enter Apple’s walled garden.