Apple's grip on the U.S. teen market remains strong, with new survey data showing high iPhone ownership and increasing interest in Apple Intelligence, despite a slight dip in demand for the iPhone 16.
A new report from Piper Sandler's fall 2024 survey provides a comprehensive look at how Apple products continue to dominate among U.S. teenagers. According to the survey, which involved more than 13,500 teens across 47 states, 87% of respondents said they own an iPhone. Additionally, 88% of teens expect their next smartphone to be an iPhone.
The data also highlights a marginal decrease in the number of teens planning to upgrade to the iPhone 16. About 22% of respondents said they intend to upgrade this fall or winter, which is a slight drop from the 23% who planned to upgrade to the iPhone 15 at the same time last year, and from the 24% for the iPhone 14 in 2022. The decrease suggests a growing trend of teens holding onto their iPhones for longer periods before upgrading, with the average iPhone now being three generations behind the iPhone 16. This is a notable shift from two years ago, when the average gap was only 2.5 generations.
Despite the slight decline in immediate upgrade plans, a significant driver of future purchases appears to be Apple's forthcoming suite of AI features. Nearly 30% of surveyed teens indicated that they plan to upgrade their devices because of Apple Intelligence, which Apple plans to roll out starting later this year.
In addition to iPhones, other Apple products remain popular among teens. AirPods continue to be a major hit, with about 70% of respondents reporting ownership of a pair. The report also noted that 25% of teens expect to purchase new AirPods in the next six months.
Meanwhile, ownership of other Apple devices including iPads and Apple Watches, is also strong, with more than 30% of teens saying they own each of these products. However, Apple TV+ appears to have less traction, as only 10% of teens reported using the service, and they spend only about 1% of their total media consumption time on Apple TV+. Apple Music, on the other hand, has maintained a steady presence among teens, with approximately one-third of respondents saying they have access to the service.
