Nearly every teenager still has an iPhone, and most have AirPods too

Teenagers still overwhelmingly own iPhones and Airpods, and about a fifth of them want to get an iPhone 16 before Christmas.

Apple usually fares very well in the teenage demographic, with its products often becoming some of the most-wanted items to purchase. In the case of the iPhone 16, demand isn't quite as high as the same time last year.

In Piper Sandler's regular Taking Stock with Teens survey for fall 2024, 22% of teens plan to upgrade to an iPhone 16 model in the fall or winter. This is a marginal dip from the 23% seen in fall 2023 for the iPhone 15, and from the 24% in fall 2022.

Overall, 87% of the approximately 13,500 teens surveyed say they own an iPhone, which lines up with previously recorded levels, the report explains. About 88% expect an iPhone to be their next smartphone too, also in line with previous results.

When it comes to why they want to upgrade, 29% plan to do so because of the inbound Apple Intelligence features. However, approximately a sixth of teens apparently were not aware of what Apple Intelligence actually is in the first place.

Generational ownership

When it comes to how families upgraded in the past, approximately 18% of teens owned an iPhone 15, with 25% owning an iPhone 13. Piper Sandler reckons the iPhone 15 result is slightly below that of the iPhone 14 one year after their respective launches.

In terms of overall device age, the average iPhone among teens is actually three generations behind the iPhone 16. This is an increase from the 2.5 generation lag determined in Fall 2022.

This indicates that it is more likely for iPhones to be held on for longer, and more often provided as a hand-me-down throughout the family.

Non-iPhones

When it comes to Apple's other product lines, the AirPods are a popular item, with about 70% owning a set. About 25% are also expected to buy new AirPods in the next six months.

Ownership of iPad and Apple Watch units is also fairly high, with both owned by more than 30% of respondents.

About 10% of teens also watch Apple TV. However, they only allocate about 1% of their overall consumption to Apple TV itself, with other platforms more commonly used.

When it comes to Apple Music, about a third have access to the service, and with 28% paying for their subscription rather than relying on a Family Sharing group.