The ‘iPhone’ Has Lost Its Appeal, User Upgrades Are Down

Although the “iPhone” still maintains a commanding presence in the smartphone market, concerning indicators point to trouble in the horizon for the innovative brand. A new report by the Consumer Intelligence Research Partners (CIRP) shows how users are no longer upgrading their “iPhones” as often as they used to. More than that, “iPhone” sales for the recent quarter was also lower by 16 percent compared to the same quarter of 2015. This seems to indicate that the “Apple” product is finally losing steam and has lost its appeal to consumers.

As CNET explains, 34 percent of “iPhones” in the hands of consumers were 2 years old during the 12-month period in 2013. That number increased to 50 percent by 2014. The CIRP based their findings after surveying more than 3,000 iPhone users.

Because of the decrease in the number of users upgrading their “iPhones” to the latest model, “Apple’s” sales have suffered as a result. Their recent sales report showing the lowest rise in 13 years is partly because of this factor.

CNN Money is also attributing the loss of income of the tech giant to its difficulty in penetrating the Chinese market. China has been placing more pressure on “Apple” and other foreign companies of late, even withholding sales rights for those who don’t comply with their conditions.

For years, the most significant business approach by the company was to release a new version of their smartphone every year and convince users that they have to switch to the latest one. Highlighting features such as the slimmer body, the bigger screen, the shinier finish, and attractive colors, they were able to rope in loyal customers by the millions.

However, it seems that the most recent iterations of the brand are no longer innovative, distinct, or cool enough for consumers to bother paying several hundred dollars for them. There’s also the fact that mobile carriers are now offering mobile financing to consumers, which affects the price of the iPhones they are offering.