Survey Shows Older and Cheaper iPhones and iPads Remain Popular, MacBook Pro is Best-Selling Mac

In its latest report on Apple, Consumer Intelligence Research Partners (CIRP) surveyed a number of recent purchasers of Apple products to determine U.S. buyer's purchasing habits regarding preferred capacity and model of a variety of Apple products.

Among other things, the survey found that the iPhone 5 accounted for just 52% of iPhones purchased in June 2013 -- back in October, just after the iPhone 5 had launched, the new device commanded some 68% of iPhone purchases. In June, 30% of iPhone sales were from the 4S, while 18% were from the 4.

iPhone Purchase by Model
The iPhone 4 and 4S aren't the only older iOS devices to be seeing significant sales success. The iPad 2, which is particularly popular in educational and enterprise environments, accounted for 34% of total iPad sales in June. The Retina iPad and iPad mini each counted for a third of total sales.

iPhone Purchase by Model
The 16GB capacity iPad is by far the most popular model, with the 32GB, 64GB and 128GB models accounting for 28%, 11% and 2% of total sales respectively.

iPad Model by Storage Capacity
Finally, though the Mac Pro has not been significantly updated in several years, it still accounts for 5% of total Mac sales, according to the survey -- and is more popular than the Mac mini. The MacBook Pro makes up 70% of Apple's notebook sales, with more than half of those sales going to the Retina display-equipped models.

Mac Purchase by Model
Apple does not break down sales by model, and though this data is from a survey and not company-provided, it gives some insight into the sales preferences of Apple's customers.

Popular Stories

hikawa phone grip stand apple%402x

Apple Launches Second Limited-Edition iPhone Accessory in a Month

Friday November 21, 2025 3:53 am PST by
Apple has begun selling the Hikawa Phone Grip and Stand, a new limited-edition iPhone accessory designed with accessibility in mind. Designed by LA-based Bailey Hikawa to celebrate the 40th anniversary of accessibility at Apple, the grip uses magnets to securely snap onto any iPhone with MagSafe. Apple says it can be removed with ease, and doubles as a stand with two different viewing...
iOS 26

iOS 26.2 Adds These New Features to Your iPhone

Thursday November 20, 2025 10:50 am PST by
iOS 26.2 is currently in beta testing. The upcoming update includes a handful of new features and changes on the iPhone, including a new Liquid Glass slider for the Lock Screen's clock, offline lyrics for Apple Music, and more. In a recent press release, Apple confirmed that iOS 26.2 will be released to all users in December, but it did not provide a specific release date. Keep reading...
Apple Shopping Event 2025

Apple Announces 2025 Black Friday Event, Here's What You Can Get

Thursday November 20, 2025 6:28 am PST by
Apple's annual four-day Black Friday through Cyber Monday shopping event is returning on Friday, November 28 through Monday, December 1 in many countries, including the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom, Belgium, the Netherlands, Sweden, Thailand, and others. During the shopping event, customers can get an Apple gift card with...
maxresdefault

The MacRumors Show: iPhone 18 Pro Looks Like a Huge Upgrade

Friday November 21, 2025 9:10 am PST by
On this week's episode of The MacRumors Show, we talk through all of the new features and improvements expected to come to next year's iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max models. Subscribe to The MacRumors Show YouTube channel for more videos Apple's next-generation iPhones are less than ten months away and we already have a good idea about what to expect based on corroborated leaks, rumors,...
Apple Foldable Thumb

Foldable iPhone to Debut These Two Breakthrough Features

Wednesday November 19, 2025 7:26 am PST by
Apple's first foldable iPhone is expected to launch alongside the iPhone 18 Pro models in fall 2026, and it's shaping up to include two standout features that could set it apart from the competition. The book-style foldable will reportedly feature an industry-first 24-megapixel under-display camera built into the inner display, according to a recent JP Morgan equity research report. That...
ipad black friday 2025

The Best Early Black Friday iPad Deals

Thursday November 20, 2025 10:20 am PST by
Black Friday is just over a week away, and iPad deals have finally started to flood in at retailers like Amazon and Best Buy. Below we're tracking discounts on every current generation iPad, including lowest-ever prices on M3 iPad Air and M5 iPad Pro, plus steep markdowns on iPad and iPad mini. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a ...
iOS 26 on Three iPhones

iOS 27 Will Reportedly Have Two Key Upgrades

Sunday November 23, 2025 8:48 am PST by
iOS 27 will reportedly have two major elements: quality improvements and new AI features. In his Power On newsletter today, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said that iOS 27 will be similar to Mac OS X Snow Leopard, in the sense that Apple is focused on improving "quality and underlying performance" over adding new features. Gurman said there is one exception to this rule, though, as he expects...
General Black Friday Deals 25 Red

Apple Black Friday Deals Available Now on AirPods, iPads, Accessories, and More

Friday November 21, 2025 8:48 am PST by
We're officially less than one week away from Black Friday, which will take place on Friday, November 28 in 2025. As always, this will be the best time of the year to shop for great deals, including popular Apple products like AirPods, iPad, Apple Watch, and more. In this article, the majority of the discounts will be found on Amazon. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these...
Low Cost MacBook Feature A18 Pro

Report: Low-Cost iPhone, iPad, MacBook Coming Early 2026

Friday November 21, 2025 2:26 am PST by
Apple is planning to release new entry-level models across its iPhone, iPad, and Mac categories early next year, with an all-new affordable MacBook the most notable addition to the lineup. According to a new research report by Jeff Pu of GF Securities seen by MacRumors, Apple will launch the iPhone 17e – its second iteration of the "e" line – in the spring, likely along with a...

Top Rated Comments

Xiroteus Avatar
161 months ago
I don't understand.

The air is faster, more reliable and lighter. It has a better battery life and a higher resolution display. External storage is cheap, and external cd drives do the job just fine. There are very few valid reasons to buy a 13" MBP

Many people prefer having half their computer in their computer.
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Yvan256 Avatar
161 months ago
What?

the Mac Pro […] still accounts for 5% of total Mac sales[…] and is more popular than the Mac mini.

Wow, really? :confused:
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
buckers Avatar
161 months ago
I'm surprised the Mac Pro has been out-selling the Mac Mini
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
mslide Avatar
161 months ago
There are very few valid reasons to buy a 13" MBP
16GB RAM and having to always carry around adapters and external drive(s) is very annoying and makes the Air less portable than the MBP. IMO, there are very few valid reasons to buy a 13" MBA over the MBP :)
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Giuly Avatar
161 months ago
I don't understand.

The air is faster, more reliable and lighter. It has a better battery life and a higher resolution display. External storage is cheap, and external cd drives do the job just fine. There are very few valid reasons to buy a 13" MBP
A 15" screen. 16GB of RAM. Quad-Core CPUs. Dual-Core CPUs > 1.7GHz. A Retina display. You know, Pro stuff.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
daneoni Avatar
161 months ago
I don't understand.

The air is faster, more reliable and lighter. It has a better battery life and a higher resolution display. External storage is cheap, and external cd drives do the job just fine. There are very few valid reasons to buy a 13" MBP
CDs/DVDs and Ethernet ports are still a thing and it has the lowest entry price point to the Pro line. All in, the 13" MBP still provides good value for budget buyers. Even more so if you're a student. Especially since the White MacBook disappeared.

Not everyone wants to spend more to find external solutions for stuff that should arguably be built in already.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)