As the world anticipates the release of the whiz-bang iPhone 8, we delve into the number of iPhones bought per year in the US, along with how much we’re spending on these devices. This includes projections for 2017.
The marketing-savvy Apple doesn’t publish its sales figures. But fear not: We’ve calculated a conservative estimate using readily available data on smartphone penetration rates and Apple’s iPhone market share.
We crunched the numbers to reveal that iPhone sales are only getting more popular as time goes on. In fact, our estimation reveals that Americans have spent more than $103.7 billion on iPhones between 2012-2016. We predict that nearly $35 billion will be spent on iPhones in 2017 alone.
Interestingly, the iPhone’s market share consistently peaks leading up to and following the release of a new model of iPhone, which commonly takes place in October each year.
We also predict how the release of the new iPhones – the 8, the 8 Plus and the X – will affect Apple’s market share.
Our calculations reveal that more than 159.6 million units have been sold between 2012-2016. iPhone sales have been relatively consistent since 2014, hitting their peak in 2016. We anticipate that 2017 will topple last year’s sales, coming in at USD $42,428,797.
See how the iPhone has stacked up since 2012, including projections for 2017.
| Year | Average iPhone price ($) | Average iPhone market share (%) | US smartphone penetration (%) | Estimated iPhones purchased that year | Estimated amount spent on iPhones |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | $649 | 42.71% | 39% | 27,791,283 | $18,036,542,559 |
| 2013 | $599 | 41.97% | 46% | 31,463,333 | $18,846,536,627 |
| 2014 | $699 | 37.31% | 53% | 33,073,632 | $23,118,468,981 |
| 2015 | $699 | 34.18% | 59% | 31,854,457 | $22,266,265,455 |
| 2016 | $606 | 35.47% | 64% | 35,453,992 | $21,473,301,336 |
| 2017 | $824 | 40.25% | 69% | 42,428,797 | $34,961,328,977 |
Source: finder.com, Trading Economics/Australian Bureau of Statistics, Kantar, Statista
Compare the release details of each model, from the iPhone 4s and up.
| Model | US release date | US price* at release (USD) |
|---|---|---|
| iPhone 4s | 10/14/2011 | 649 |
| iPhone 5 | 9/21/2012 | 649 |
| iPhone 5c | 9/20/2013 | 549 |
| iPhone 5s | 9/21/2013 | 649 |
| iPhone 6 | 9/19/2014 | 649 |
| iPhone 6 Plus | 9/19/2014 | $749 |
| iPhone 6s | 9/25/2015 | $649 |
| iPhone 6s Plus | 9/25/2015 | $749 |
| iPhone 7 | 9/16/2016 | $649 |
| iPhone 7 Plus | 9/16/2016 | $769 |
| iPhone SE | 3/31/2016 | $399 |
| iPhone 8 | 9/22/2017 | $699 |
| iPhone 8 Plus | 9/22/2017 | $799 |
| iPhone X | 3/11/2018 | $999 |
Source: iPhone 4s: US | iPhone 5: US | iPhone 5c: US | iPhone 5s: US | iPhone 6: US | iPhone 6 Plus: US | iPhone 6s: US | iPhone 6s Plus: US | iPhone SE: US | iPhone 7: US | iPhone 7 Plus: US, iPhone 8: US | iPhone 8: US | iPhone X: US.
*Prices based on entry-level iPhone models.
Allan Givens
Public Relations Manager
203-818-2928
allan.givens@finder.com
Nicole Gallina
Communications Coordinator
347-677-4931
nicole.gallina@finder.com
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