Consumer Intelligence Research Partners (CIRP) has released analysis of the results from its research on Apple for the fiscal quarter that ended Dec. 29, 2018. The research group found that the iPhone Xs and Xs Max models combined accounted for 26% of U.S. iPhone sales in Apple’s first fiscal quarter. The iPhone Xr, though not released until Oct. 26, 2018, accounted for 39% of sales for the entire quarter.
“With all three new iPhone models available for most of the quarter, we have a clearer picture of their relative sales,” says Josh Lowitz, CIRP partner and co-founder. “The three new models made up 65% of sales, compared to 61% for the iPhone 8, 8 Plus, and X a year ago. The mix among the new phones is interesting, however. The single iPhone XR model almost matched the combined iPhone 8 and 8 Plus in the same quarter last year. iPhone XR also had the largest quarterly share for a single model, at 39%, in the past couple of years, since the then-new iPhone 7 in December 2016, even though it was available only for part of the quarter. iPhone Xs and Xs Max together accounted for 26% of iPhone sales, with the Max model outselling the standard-sized Xs model by a more than two-to-one ratio.”
CIRP also found that upgrades from base storage to larger storage improved in the December 2018 quarter.
“Since the first iPhone, Apple has offered upgraded storage as an option,” says Mike Levin, CIRP partner and co-founder. “For many years each additional storage level carried a $100 premium. Now iPhone prices increase from $50 to $200 for incremental storage, depending on the phone model and the size of the boost in storage. The percentage of iPhone buyers who paid up for increased storage grew to 38% this quarter from 33% in the year ago quarter. Based on the elevated pricing associated with larger storage, as well as the model mix sold in the quarter, we estimate Apple increased its ASP to well over $800.”
CIRP bases its findings on its survey of 500 US Apple customers that purchased an iPhone, iPad, Mac computer, or Apple Watch in the October-December 2018 period.
