New research shows 87% of iPhone buyers were existing Apple users as Android switchers continue to decline.
Apple’s iPhone customer loyalty has climbed to its highest level in years, highlighting the growing challenge smartphone makers face in attracting users from rival platforms.
According to a report by Consumer Intelligence Research Partners (CIRP), cited by MacRumors, 87% of customers who purchased an iPhone during the first quarter of 2026 were already iPhone users. That marks an increase from 84% during the same period in 2025.
The research also found that fewer Android users are switching to Apple’s ecosystem.
Only 12% of new iPhone buyers in the March quarter moved from Android devices, down from 14% a year earlier. The remaining 1% of purchasers consisted of first-time smartphone buyers or users upgrading from feature phones or other mobile platforms.
The latest figures suggest the competition between Apple and Android manufacturers is increasingly centred on retaining existing customers rather than attracting new ones.
According to CIRP, Android users have accounted for between 11% and 15% of new iPhone buyers in recent years, a significantly lower level than during the iPhone’s rapid expansion, when Apple was entering new carrier markets and attracting large numbers of first-time smartphone users.
The findings reflect a maturing global smartphone market, where consumers have become deeply invested in their preferred ecosystems through apps, subscriptions, cloud services and connected devices. As a result, users are becoming less willing to switch platforms when replacing their smartphones.
Industry observers believe Apple’s long-rumoured foldable iPhone could become one of the few products capable of attracting Android users, particularly those already using foldable smartphones from Samsung, Google and other manufacturers.
At the same time, Apple and its competitors are increasingly relying on artificial intelligence features, software integration and ecosystem benefits to encourage existing customers to remain loyal rather than attempting to win over rival users.
The report underscores how the smartphone market has shifted from rapid customer acquisition to long-term customer retention, with brand loyalty becoming one of the industry’s most important competitive advantages.