CUPERTINO, California, April 17, 2026, 08:43 PDT
Apple’s grip on its iPhone customer base just got even firmer, a fresh U.S. survey shows: 96.4% of respondents said their next device would stick with iPhone. The story is different on Android—13.6% there expect to jump ship at upgrade time, nearly quadruple the 3.6% of iPhone owners eyeing a switch, SellCell’s 2026 loyalty survey found.
The timing is critical, with handset makers up against a tougher environment. Counterpoint reported a 6% drop in global smartphone shipments for the first quarter. Apple, though, held the top spot for the January-to-March stretch, taking a 21% market share—a first for this period. Analyst Shilpi Jain pointed to memory suppliers prioritizing AI data centers over consumer electronics as the main driver of the slump.
The timing comes just 13 days ahead of Apple’s fiscal Q2 earnings release on April 30. Back in January, CEO Tim Cook called it the iPhone’s “best-ever quarter.” Services notched a new high as well, and Apple’s active device count climbed past 2.5 billion. Apple Investor Relations
SellCell, the phone trade-in platform, polled over 5,000 U.S. adults with separate surveys for iPhone and Android users. iPhone loyalty edged higher—now at 91.9%, up from 90.5% back in 2019. Samsung’s numbers bounced to 90.1%, a steep climb from just 74%. Google also posted gains, reaching 86.8% after sitting at 65.2% in 2021. Both brands showing notable recoveries from their weaker 2021 scores.
Samsung drew 69.7% of iPhone defectors looking to switch, making it the top choice among that small crowd. Google’s Pixel attracted 20.2% of potential iPhone switchers. On the flip side, 26.8% of Android users eyeing a change said they’d go for an iPhone.
The survey highlights ecosystem lock-in—the industry’s term for the friction and expense tied to ditching a bundle of apps, cloud backups, wearables, and ingrained messaging routines. Of the iPhone owners sticking around, 60.8% cited a simple preference for Apple, 17.4% pointed to their existing investment in the ecosystem, and 83.8% reported using the brand for over five years.
Apple’s price tag remains a sticking point. Over 50% of iPhone owners eyeing a switch pointed to high costs or better value from competitors, while 22.5% named superior technology from rival brands. It’s a similar story on the Android side: those considering jumping ship also put value and tech at the top of their lists, according to .
The pricing discussion is already playing out in Asia. In China, Apple’s iPhone shipments jumped 20% in the first quarter, while the overall market slipped 4%. Counterpoint senior analyst Ivan Lam pointed to Apple’s edge on value, noting many customers see its phones as lasting at least three years.
There’s a wrinkle here. SellCell based its findings on what users say they plan to do with their next upgrade—not on actual sales—and only surveyed people in the United States. That distinction could be crucial in markets facing more pressure. In India, for example, Counterpoint noted that over 80 smartphone models have already been hit by average price increases of 15%. Senior analyst Prachir Singh called it a “clear affordability squeeze.” Research director Tarun Pathak warned the market might see a double-digit drop in the second quarter. SellCell
Still, the signs are hard to ignore. SellCell pointed out that snagging switchers is getting tougher—room to poach users from rival brands keeps shrinking. So, future gains might have to come from winning over first-timers, with an emphasis on cheaper, entry-level phones.
