A report by Consumer Intelligence Research Partners (CIRP) reveals that Apple’s customer retention reached a multi-year high in the first quarter of 2026. According to the study, 87% of consumers who purchased a new iPhone during the March quarter were existing iPhone users upgrading within the ecosystem, up from 84% during the same period last year.

Conversely, the rate of Android users switching to Apple has continued to decline. Only 12% of new iPhone buyers during the quarter transitioned from Android—down from 14% a year prior—while the remaining 1% moved from feature phones or alternative platforms. These figures highlight a maturing global smartphone market where most consumers have settled into their preferred OS ecosystem and are less inclined to switch.

With overall platform switching at historic lows, major tech manufacturers are focusing their strategy on retaining their current customer base through new AI capabilities and hardware updates rather than converting rivals’ users. However, industry analysts note that Apple’s long-rumored entry into the foldable smartphone segment could potentially disrupt this balance by enticing existing foldable phone users from Android competitors.