Apple users are staying more loyal to the iPhone than ever, according to a new smartphone loyalty survey conducted by phone trade-in platform SellCell.
The survey found that 96.4% of respondents currently using an iPhone plan to stay with Apple for their next upgrade, while only 3.6% said they intend to switch to another brand. That marks a notable increase from previous years, with iPhone loyalty measured at 91.9% in 2021 and 90.5% in 2019.
Android users, meanwhile, showed lower brand loyalty and were nearly four times more likely to switch platforms. According to the survey, 86.4% of Android users said they would remain on Android, while 13.6% said they plan to move elsewhere.
Among iPhone users considering a switch, most appear to favor Samsung. Of the 3.6% planning to leave Apple, 69.7% said they would choose a Samsung device, while 20.2% would move to Google smartphones.
For Android users planning to switch brands, Samsung and Google remained common choices, but 26.8% said they would move to an iPhone instead of another Android phone.
The survey also explored why iPhone users stay loyal. The top reason was simple brand preference, with 60.8% saying they prefer Apple. Another 17.4% said they remain because they are invested in the Apple ecosystem, including services and connected devices.
Among those considering leaving the iPhone, around half cited pricing concerns or better value offered by rival brands. Another 22.5% said competing phones offer better technology.
Long-term retention also heavily favored Apple. The study found that 83.8% of iPhone users have used an iPhone for more than five years. In comparison, only 33.8% of Android users said they had stayed with the same brand for over five years.
SellCell said the survey included 5,000 respondents in the United States, with roughly equal representation between iPhone and Android users. Two separate surveys were conducted using the same question format.
The results suggest Apple’s ecosystem strategy and brand strength continue to drive unusually high customer retention, while Android users remain more open to switching between brands.