For the first time since the iPhone’s debut in 2007, more than half of American adults now own an Apple smartphone rather than an Android device.
Apple has always done well at home, and it has a sizable part of the high-end smartphone market internationally. Nevertheless, Android has become the standard because it supports a wider range of devices at more affordable prices.
In the early years of the contemporary smartphone, about 2010, Android first surpassed iOS and Apple has never regained leadership.
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In contrast, fresh data from Counterpoint research(opens in new tab) shows that iPhone currently has a larger ‘active installed base’ than Android.
This is a different metric than quarterly shipments, which represent more recent patterns, and one in which Apple has already been performing well, suggesting it has been making up ground.
To put it another way, this means that Apple has access to a considerably larger consumer base from which to sell its services, including video games. These subscriptions are a growing source of recurring service income and help to keep customers within Apple’s ecosystem even as the smartphone market matures.
This opens up a window of opportunity for third-party app developers as well, which benefits both Apple and its customers by providing better optimised software.
With the release of the iPhone 14 in the coming weeks, just in time for the all-important holiday shopping season, the business has a chance to further increase its lead.