Andrew Orr
For years, iPhone owners have been holding onto their devices longer, but new data suggests that trend is shifting — at least for now.
A report from Consumer Intelligence Research Partners (CIRP) claims that more iPhone users retired their devices at a younger age in the December 2024 quarter compared to 2023. Specifically, 36% of buyers had owned their previous iPhone for two years or less, up from 31% in late 2023.
Meanwhile, fewer users held onto their phones for three years or longer. It's not clear whether the CIRP report looks at iPhone buyers worldwide or just in the U.S.
Since CIRP usually focuses on the U.S. market, the data might not show upgrade trends in other countries where carrier deals and pricing are different.
Sustaining demand amid longer upgrade cycles
Several factors could explain the recent shift. Carrier Trade-in deals and installment plans continue to encourage upgrades around the two-year mark.
How long iPhone owners kept their previous device each December quarter. Image credit: CIRPAdditionally, Apple's slowing sales may indicate that the most dedicated users are making up a larger share of recent purchases. Those who tend to keep their iPhones longer may be holding off until a must-have feature or compelling deal convinces them to upgrade.
For years, the company has faced a challenge — most iPhones remain functional for four to five years, reducing the urgency to upgrade. The company has responded with features that create a sense of FOMO, from camera innovations to AI-powered capabilities.
If more users are upgrading sooner, it may suggest Apple's efforts to make new iPhones feel essential are paying off. Whether the new pattern continues depends on the company's ability to drive demand with new features and promotions.
For now, the data suggests that while many users still prefer to hold onto their devices, upgrade cycles may be shortening for a growing segment of iPhone buyers.
-m.jpg)
Malcolm Owen
Andrew O'Hara
Christine McKee
Amber Neely
William Gallagher
16 Comments
Looking at the chart I really don’t see data to support the conclusion. 2024 was the same as 2020. 21 and 22 were higher. 23 was a significatly low year so a bounce back from that is expected. These look more like normal year to year variations.
Interesting, considering the plateau we seem to have reached. My phone is just over two years old and I have negative urge to replace it. I would like it to have a USB-C charge connector but that’s small beans.
I upgrade to the Pro Max every year. First off my carrier pays for most of it and since my whole life is on my iPhone I want the most up to date security, speed and features( Apple Intelligence is great btw) etc.
In the early years they made significant updates with each new model. Today’s updates are incremental. Zero need for purchasing a new model just because. I’m on the SE bandwagon myself and skipped 2022. The 2020 model is just about ready to be replaced. $400 to $500 every 5 years is reasonable.