iPhone 16 Demand Dips Among Teens, But Interest in Apple Intelligence Could Still Spur Upgrades

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.

iphone 16 apple intelligence
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.

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Top Rated Comments

WarmWinterHat Avatar
16 weeks ago

There wouldn't have been a slight dip if Apple had released conforming their marketing: iPhone 16 with Apple Intelligence.
Disagree. Apple Intelligence just isn't that interesting when there are already a few dozen companies, with apps, that do basically the same thing.
Score: 30 Votes (Like | Disagree)
vertsix Avatar
16 weeks ago
You mean - interest in Apple Intelligence that is not even available yet?
Score: 23 Votes (Like | Disagree)
roland.g Avatar
16 weeks ago
I can't think of any reason to get an iPhone 16. Nothing about Apple Intelligence says I want that on my iPhone. Actually, Apple Intelligence may make me keep my existing iPhone longer.
Score: 23 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Hank001 Avatar
16 weeks ago
There wouldn't have been a slight dip if Apple had released conforming their marketing: iPhone 16 with Apple Intelligence.
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
tomtad Avatar
16 weeks ago
No one gives a damn about Apple Intelligence, trust me
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
orev Avatar
16 weeks ago
Not sure how many teens are equipped to pay over $1000 for a phone. Most teens get the hand-me-down when their parents upgrade to the newer one. And if they're asking about upgrades from 15 to 16, of course there's no demand because nobody (except for the crazies here) upgrades every year.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)