GlobalData: iPhone is poised to accelerate its U.S. prepaid market penetration

At Apple’s “Gather Round” event on Sept. 12, we can expect to see numerous new devices, with rumors indicating the unveiling of multiple new iPhone models. 

This should be good news not only for postpaid wireless brands but prepaid brands as well, where the iPhone has built a strong following, according to GlobalData. The data and analytics company’s pricing tracker, reveals that the iPhone accounted for almost 60% of all phones available via prepaid carriers in the second quarter (Q2) 2018. In other words, three out of five phones on U.S. prepaid shelves were an iPhone.

“When Apple launches new iPhones, the assumption is that only wealthy consumers purchase them, either buying them outright or financing through carriers with postpaid service plans,” says research director Avi Greengart. “However, over the past year, iPhones have thoroughly penetrated the U.S. prepaid channel as well. If Apple launches a new iPhone that looks like the iPhone X at a lower price point, Apple’s momentum in prepaid will only accelerate.”