Only a small percentage of iPhone, Android phone users switch brands

There’s always interest in the iPhone vs. Android rivalry, and perhaps the strongest indicator of their relative strength is how smartphone users switch between the platforms. 

Actually, only a very small percentage of smartphone owners switch operating systems, according to new data from the folks at Counterpoint Intelligence Research Partners (CIRP).  Familiarity, hardware brand comfort, and perhaps most importantly, fear of the complexity of switching means that more than 90% of smartphone owners stick with their operating system when they purchase a new phone, notes the research group.

With data from its quarterly survey of US consumers who activated a new or used smartphone in the prior quarter and looking at their existing installed user bases, iOS and Android both enjoy better than 90% customer loyalty – that is, more than 90% of existing iOS and Android users remain with their incumbent operating system when they get a new phone.

However, iOS loyalty is somewhat higher at 94%, compared to 91% for Android owners.