At 37%, Apple US Q4 Market Share Fell Further From 2014 Peak, Says CIRP

Apple’s 37 percent U.S. market share in Q4 (vs. 62 percent for Android) fell 2 points from the year-ago quarter, “consistent with Apple’s own announcement of softer sales,” Consumer Intelligence Research Partners reported Monday. Apple peaked in December market share in 2014 (50 percent vs. 45 percent for Android) with the iPhone 6/6 Plus launch; the company typically has a higher share that quarter due to its fall phone launch, said analyst Josh Lowitz. Android (92 percent) and iOS (91 percent) reached their highest loyalty rates per date, measured as percent of activations with the same operating system. That continues a trend over several quarters “as customers have become comfortable with the features and consistency of their" OS, said analyst Mike Levin. “Learning a new operating system takes effort, so fewer and fewer customers have found the need to switch.” He noted quality and reliability of new phones also contribute to longer upgrade cycles. CIRP surveyed 500 U.S. subjects who activated a new or used phone October-December.