SellCell, a site that sells used smartphones, has surveyed 2000+ US adults who are iPhone owners to find out if they will invest in the forthcoming Apple handset, and ask why they will or won’t upgrade to the 16-series model.  This article looks at the survey data and find out just how popular a purchase the iPhone 16 will be.

Main Findings

  • The majority of Apple fans will look to upgrade to the iPhone 16 when it launches, with 61.9% of those surveyed stating they will invest in the new device.
  • Competitive pricing is the most common deciding factor in whether people will buy the new iPhone 16, with 30.9% of the 2000 surveyed stating that the cost could be the most encouraging factor if they did decide to upgrade
  • The second rumored feature the 2000 iPhone users want to see with the 16-series is the thermal control to avoid overheating, with 26.8% of those surveyed stating that this will positively affect their purchase intent.
  • Although not the main purchase driver, 54.9% of those surveyed said that they would like a bigger iPhone with the 16, as the new handsets are rumored to be larger than their predecessor. More men (62.1%) than women (47.8%) would like to see a size increase with the next-gen iPhone 16, with a high number of women feeling an even bigger iPhone would be harder to handle and hold.
  • An overwhelming majority of people (82.1%) would gladly wait a month or so  post-release for the iPhone 16 series’ rumored AI features.
  • For those who won’t be investing in the iPhone 16, most people (34.2%) cite the expense as the reason, closely followed by people who won’t invest as they are keeping their existing phone (34.1%).

Survey Results

SellCell asked 2000+ survey respondents a series of questions to gauge iPhone-16 purchase intent. Here are the answers in detail.

  • As the graph above shows, the most important factor in encouraging users to buy the iPhone 16 will be its price. 30.9% of people state that the cost will decide whether they take the plunge or not. This is in contrast to 2022’s iPhone User Survey, which had a fresh look and new colorways as the most important purchase factors. New colors are now the least important factor, with only 13.5% bothered about the hue their phone comes in.
  • 26.8% of respondents state that the new thermal cooling design will encourage them to buy the 16-series as this will prevent their phone from overheating. This has been a significant issue with previous iPhone models, so a new internal cooling system is something that Apple seriously needs to consider.
  • Increased AI features are what 21.9% of people are looking for when they decide to purchase the iPhone 16. This could be down to the advanced AI features that are available on various Android handsets, such as those from Samsung and Google.
  • 21.5% are looking at hardware when making a purchase decision, desiring a faster A-series chip.
  • Of the two key features iPhone users select as being the most important decision driver, the fifth most important factor is iPhone size. With Apple rumored to launch a larger phone, 19.3% of 2000 iPhone users say the size of the phone will influence their decision. That 19.3% is looking for a bigger device on release.
  • Perhaps a little jealous of Android devices, 19.0% of respondents stated that they would like to see an action button on the next generation of iPhones. 17.7% would like a new Capture button that offers multiple uses for taking shots. 13.8% see a vertical camera array as being of vital importance.
  • 15.6% want WiFi7 compatibility with the new iPhone 16, showing reliable connectivity is important to lots of iPhone owners.

(2013 Respondents)

Overall, the size of an iPhone is the fifth most important factor for existing iPhone users, when determining if they should buy the iPhone 16. Generally, though, what do iPhone users think about the launch of a bigger iPhone. Are they excited about it as a standalone feature? With so much talk about what the best iPhone size is, compact or large, what do iPhone users really want?

  • The chart above clearly illustrates that most people (54.9%) would like to see a bigger iPhone when the 16-series launches.
  • 33.0% said that the iPhone is already too big, so they won’t buy a 16-series if it is bigger than the 15-series equivalent.
  • 12.1% are may wait it out for a smaller phone, like the iPhone SE4, to come along. However, rumors from Mashable have recently suggested that when the SE4 launches, it may be a similar size to the iPhone 16, losing its small form factor. Could this 12.1% encourage Apple to rethink?

With women generally having smaller hands than men, will creating an even bigger phone be more or less popular with women? Let’s find out…

  • Looking at the gender split, more males (62.1%) said they would prefer a bigger iPhone 16 handset than females (47.8%).
  • Therefore, more women (41.5%) said that iPhones are too big already, versus only 24.4% of men who said the same thing.
  • Conversely, though, more men (13.5%) are actually going to wait for a more compact iPhone (like the SE4 for example) than females (10.7%).

(2012 Respondents)

Recent reports suggest that the new AI Features Apple is rolling out for the 16-series may see delays in line with the launch of the new iOS 18. This may be up to a month post iPhone 16 launch in September. Will this prevent iPhone users from ordering in September, or are they happy to wait for a month or so for the newly enabled AI Features?

  • The survey results in the graph above show that an overwhelming majority of people (82.1%) are happy to wait for AI features until iOS 18 rolls out one month post-release.
  • This leaves 17.9% who are not happy to wait for AI features (despite having no choice) and think it should roll out with the iPhone 16 launch in September.

Q4: Are you looking to upgrade to an iPhone 16 in September?

(2012 Respondents)

We have seen what our 2000+ iPhone users think about the new features, and what is more likely to encourage them to purchase, but out of these 2000, who will actually bite the bullet and upgrade?

  • To answer the fundamental question on everyone’s lips, more people (61.9%) intend to upgrade to the iPhone 16 when September rolls around.
  • This leaves 38.1% of people who are not going to upgrade. But why…?

Q5: Why are you not upgrading to an iPhone 16? (Select the ONE most relevant)

(766 Respondents)

SellCell asked those not upgrading to the16-series about the one most important thing that would stop them from upgrading, and you can see the results as follows.

  • For those who said they would not upgrade to the iPhone 16, most people (34.2%) stated that they can’t afford a new phone. An almost equal 34.1% of people said they are keeping their existing phone. This is of little surprise in the wake of a global financial crisis. People simply have less spare cash. The top result here also corroborates the results of question 1, where the cost of the phone is the deciding factor in whether people will invest in a 16-series device.
  • 12.8% of people are still locked into a contract and, as such, they won’t be upgrading until their contract expires.
  • The similarity between a new gen and current gen handset’s features and specs is a turnoff for 5.5% of people who won’t buy an iPhone 16.
  • 5.1% of people will save even more cash and opt for buying an older handset.
  • 5.0% of respondents are holding out for a new compact iPhone like the SE4.
  • The iPhone 17 is where 3.3% of respondents have set their sights, deciding to skip the 16-series and wait a year.
  • A very lowly 0.1% won’t buy the iPhone 16 because they are switching to a different brand altogether.

Will the 16-Series Be a Success for Apple?

Judging from the survey data, the iPhone 16 looks set to be a very successful handset indeed. With almost 62% of current iPhone owners seeking to upgrade in September, Apple is almost on par with its previous efforts; 66% of people were looking to upgrade to the iPhone 15 in 2023.

Apple’s new devices are always popular, but the purchase intent the way it is looking now, despite only having rumors to go off, we may even see a higher upgrade rate once Apple launches the new device and people have seen it for themselves. 

It seems that value for money and affordability/price positioning are key influencers for fans who may upgrade and equally for those who will not upgrade. Although not something that will necessarily prevent users from upgrading, phone size could be a key factor in people’s decision, particularly amongst women, who may not see an even bigger rumored phone as something that they want to buy because of usability.

With MacRumors stating that the iPhone SE4 could launch soon, will iPhone fans hold off while they await a potentially smaller, less expensive handset? Only time will tell!

Methodology

SellCell surveyed 2000+ US iPhone owners to understand their purchase intention for Apple’s iPhone 16 upgrade intent, as well as gauging opinion on iPhone 16 desired features, alongside the reasons why people will upgrade or not. No personal details were recorded or stored during the collection of data.

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Article provided with permission from AppleWorld.Today