Young iPhone users feel less urgency to replace a broken device than older users

Conventional wisdom has it that younger people can’t part with their smartphones and other electronics. However, a new study by Counterpoint Intelligence Research Partners (CIRP) casts doubt on this. 

CIRP recently analyzed the urgency with which Apple customers would repair or replace a lost, stolen, or broken device. Overall, customers would replace an iPhone very quickly, and an iPad or Mac computer almost as quickly. Almost 80% would replace an iPhone either immediately (same day) or within a day or two. About 60% of those owners would repair or replace either an iPad or Mac on the same day or within a day or two.

CIRP also looked at how these sentiments vary by age of customer. As it turns out, the youngest customers in the sample have lower urgency to replace a device. CIRP says this may be a reflection of the importance of the device in their daily life, their financial ability to repair or replace their current device, or some combination of the two. 

Only about 60% of customers in the 18-24 years old range reported that they would replace a device immediately or within a day or two. The urgency to replace a device increases steadily, so almost 90% of customers in the 45 years old or greater cohort would replace a device immediately or within a day or two, and the rate goes up from there. Again, this may be related to financial means as much as commitment to usage and ownership, notes CIRP.