Once you own an iPhone, you tend to stick with it: iPhone user brand loyalty has reached a new high. At the same time, the figures show how few Android users are still switching to Apple – and that these figures are only partially applicable to the German market.
Market research firm CIRP has estimated iPhone loyalty for the first quarter of 2026 at 87 percent – the highest figure in years. This refers to the percentage of iPhone buyers who previously owned an iPhone. Only 12 percent of new buyers in the March quarter came from an Android device; the remaining one percent came from a feature phone, another platform, or were first-time buyers. For Apple, this high level of loyalty is a key reason why the company can maintain its position despite a shrinking overall market. It's important to note that the data was collected in the USA.
What the numbers show
A year earlier, loyalty in the same quarter was at 84 percent, with 14 percent of buyers switching from Android. By early 2024, that figure had dropped to 13 percent, with a loyalty rate of 85 percent. The percentage of Android switchers has been fluctuating within a narrow range of 11 to 15 percent for some time now – significantly lower than in the early iPhone years, when Apple gained a massive influx of new customers by expanding to new mobile carriers. CIRP determines these figures by surveying iPhone buyers about their previous device. Other recent surveys, using different methodologies, arrive at similar results.
The downside of high loyalty
An 87 percent loyalty rate is both a strength and a limitation for Apple. It secures a stable core of repeat customers and makes revenue predictable. At the same time, the limited influx of Android users means that Apple's growth in the smartphone business comes primarily from its own base – from users upgrading from an older iPhone to a new one. The market has largely settled: those who have chosen a platform usually stick with it. This makes it more difficult to attract new customer segments on a large scale.
Why the figures for Germany only apply to a limited extent
The CIRP survey reflects the US market – and this differs significantly from the German market. While the iPhone holds an above-average share in the US, Android dominates the German market; iOS traditionally accounts for around a third. The switching dynamics are correspondingly different: the pool of potential Android switchers is larger, and the loyalty rate cannot be directly transferred. Furthermore, Apple faces regulatory requirements in the EU that do not apply to the US market – a number of features are completely absent here.
What levers remain for Apple to retain customers?
Two upcoming innovations could further strengthen user loyalty. With iOS 27, Apple will introduce Siri AI later this year, the revamped AI assistant designed to retain existing users within the ecosystem. However, there's a catch for the German market: Siri AI won't launch in the EU initially due to the Market Access Directive (DMA), meaning this key to retention won't reach users in Germany and Austria for the time being. Switzerland is not part of the EU and is not subject to the DMA – the restriction doesn't apply there. The second key element is the first foldable iPhone: The iPhone Ultra introduces a new design that could also appeal to users switching from Android foldables.
Where Apple's future growth will come from
Record customer loyalty confirms how firmly Apple binds its customers – and simultaneously highlights the fact that it's becoming increasingly difficult to attract large new customer groups. Future growth is likely to depend less on Android switchers than on how consistently Apple moves its existing user base to new devices and retains them within the ecosystem with features like Siri AI or new form factors – wherever these features are available. (Image: Shutterstock / Tatjana Meininger)
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