The world’s population is split into two camps when it comes to mobile operating systems. Team iPhone and team Android. Both operating systems are hugely popular, but you really do a lot longer with one of the two.
CIRP, an American research firm, conducted a study on sales of both. The study found that far more Androids are sold each year than iPhones. However, that doesn’t mean the operating system has better features. It probably has to do with something else.
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Android vs iPhone: which smartphone lasts longer?
In fact, it seems that Android users need to replace their smartphone for new one more often. CIRP published the chart below with the results of the study.
The blue area shows that 10 percent of iPhone owners have used their phone for a year or less before upgrading to something else. That means 90 percent of iPhone users keep their phone for more than a year. Meanwhile, 23 percent of Android users fit into that category, more than twice as many.
Why are Android users more likely to buy a new device?
This striking difference has no watertight cause. However, CIRP does come up with a number of theories.
The first theory has to do with the purchase price of Android smartphones. Because they are on average cheaper than iPhones, owners are more likely to upgrade. It is an interesting theory, but not credible. Since there are plenty of Android phones that are similarly priced to iPhones. Think of the expensive foldable smartphones that are becoming increasingly popular.
Another possible reason is that iPhones are more durable. We can also dismiss this theory. Today, both Android phones and iPhones are made of similar materials and have similar sturdiness.
The best theory presented by CIRP is the enormous choice users have. Because only a few new iPhones are released each year, iPhone users have less incentive to upgrade annually. Android users, however, have much more choice, with multiple launches each year of different lines. So they are more enticed to upgrade more often.